Character of Linda Loman

Character of Linda Loman

          “Death of Salesman” by Arthur Miller is an interesting study of American society. It is a great tragedy of modern man and shows the social reality of common man. The characters in this play are mostly types rather than individuals. They are subtle and psychological characters. The character of Linda is Miller’s mouthpiece. She has been identified with all the best values in American society-care, love, courage and humanity. She constantly pleads for harmony and understanding between her husband and sons. Now we discuss her character in light of the play.   

          Linda is a truly a devoted wife to Willy. We can see the devotion of Linda toward her husband in the very opening dialogue when Willy has unexpectedly returned after having left in the morning for business trip. She anxiously asks him if he had an accident with the car. She continues her inquire that he need a change of glasses. She says to Willy

“Well, you’ll just have to take

some rest Willy, you can’t

continue this way.”  

          Linda suggests Willy to ask Howard for a joy at New York instead of traveling. She also offers to make a sandwich for him. We can see that the patience of Linda in dealing with Willy seems to be unlimited. Willy is also aware of Linda’s devotion to him and he acknowledges this fact in the following words, “you’re my foundation and my support, Linda.”

          Linda is also an affectionate mother too. She is quite indulgent towards her two sons. She urges her husband not to lose his temper with Biff because he says, “he’ll find his ways.” Both Biff and Happy have opinion about their mother. Biff often addresses her as ‘Pal’ and does not want her to feel unhappy. Happy also thinks and believes that his mother is a woman of character and he will marry only that girl, who may have character like his mother. Happy has very high opinion about his mother,

“What a woman! They broke

the mould when they made

her. You know that Biff?”

          Linda almost becomes eloquent in her defense of her husband. She always tries to create respectful image of her husband in eyes of her sons. She asks Biff why he is so ‘hateful’ towards his father. She tells him that her husband is ‘the dearest man in the world’ to her, and that she will not have ‘anyone making him feels unwanted and low. Even when Biff tries to prejudice her against Willy, she continues to defend Willy.  She also says,

“I don’t say he is a great man.

Willy Loman never made a

lot money. He’s not the finest

character that ever lived. But

he’s is a human being and

a terrible thing is happening to

him, so attention must be pain.”

           Linda tries to make both her sons feel ashamed of their indifference towards Willy. She asks them what medal they have given him as a reward for his having worked for their benefit. Still later she plays an important role in bringing about reconciliation.     

          For Linda, Security the most Important Goal of Her Life. Paradoxically, Linda genuinely loves and respects her husband, but she is a contributing case in his tragedy.  From the first she believed in Willy’s Super-salesmanship. She thinks Willy is a well-liked supersalesman. When Willy complains of his small number of sales, her confidence in him is unshaken and she says, “Well, next week you’ll do better.” And when Willy has a change to give up selling to go to Alaska, she convinces him that he should not go because security is everything. What one should find out is whether she is Willy’s constant mainstay. The critic T.C. Worslery remarks,

“the perfect wife, a contributing

force in this fatal commitment

to the wrong dream.”

          Linda is a passive character by nature. She always with her husband in all his ‘sun’ and shades’. Linda never argued or questioned regarding anything to her husband. She always nodded to ‘yes’ to everything Willy said. She believed in a theory that may be so but Willy can never be wrong. She knew that Wily was wrong sometime but she never discourage him. She stood by his side till last.

          Linda; Her grief: Her real love can be seen at the grave of Willy. She gives an outlet to her suppressed sorrow even though she is unable to cry. She is puzzled by Willy’s action in having killed himself: Why did you do it? I search and search and I search and I can’t understand it Willy.’ She tells her dead husband that she has made the last payment on the hours but that he will no longer come home. Her brief soliloquy by the side of Willy’s grave is deeply moving. 

          To conclude, All through we admire Linda for becoming a great wife and mother. We cannot help feeling that she is somewhat timid and passive individual. She falls so under her husband’s influence that she becomes a sharer of all his illusion. In other words, she becomes an unthinking partner in his fantastic dream and unrealistic hopes. Also she shrinks as much as Willy from taking any risks in life. To conclude in the words of the critic E.R. Wood,  

“Linda is perhaps too completely

the understanding wife not

only inside Willy’s head; but

also inside the author’s. She

knows her husband through

and through.”