Happy - “Death of Salesman” by Arthur Miller

Happy

          “Death of Salesman” by Arthur Miller is an interesting study of American society. It is a great tragedy of modern man and show the social reality of common man. It deals with theme of the individual versus society. The characters in this play ‘Death of Salesman’ are mostly types rather than individuals. They are subtle and psychosocial characters. In the character of Happy, Arthur showed the different variety of life. It is only one character of Happy who is seemingly more content than any other character. Now we discuss his character in the detailed.

          Happy Loman is Willy’s second son. Happy looks tall powerfully made young man. Sexuality is like a visible colour on him, or a scent that many women have discovered. He, like his brother, is lost, but in a different way. For he has never allowed himself to turn his face towards defeat and is thus more confused and hard-skinned, although seeming more content.

          Happy is a classic girl-hunter. But his knowledge about women probably has come to him from his elder brother, Biff. Happy frankly states to Biff,

“…You taught me everything

I know about women. Don’t

forget that.”

          He adds that he gets the girls any time he wants. His capacity to become quickly acquainted with woman is brought out in the scene in which he meets a girl in a restaurant and within minutes, induces her to go out with him. Making love to women is a kind of game for him. He tells his brother that somehow or other he has developed an excessive sense of competition where girls are concerned. He has already seduced three girls who were engaged to be married. 

          Happy is a dreamer too, but more contemptible because he deceives himself more successfully or more insistently than Biff. He is not satisfied with what he ahs achieved. He is making enough money but he thinks that he can not go higher in life unless the merchandise-manager in his firm dies. He has got his own apartment, a car, and plenty of women, but still he feels ‘lonely’. As he says,

“I can outbox, outrun and

outfit anybody in that store….

Everybody around me is so

false that I’m lowering my

ideals…”

          +Happy admits plainly that money and sex have failed to provide him relief from boredom and ennui. He indulges in sex to overcome his sense of disgust and loneliness. He particularly spoils such girls are engaged to big executives of his company. Possibly it gives him some sort of vengeful satisfaction. He can leave his father in a pitiable condition in the hotel where a dinner is arranged for the Loman and go out with girls to enjoy their company. Sex is his greatest weakness.

          Happy has never been given much importance by his father who has always doted upon Biff. Happy is full aware of the fact that Biff is the favorite son. This does not, however, make him fell bitter. He remains quite cheerful and even tries to make his father feel interested in him. It is he who defends his father’s view after Willy has committed suicide. Biff says that Willy had all the wrong dreams. Happy tells his brother not to talk like that and is ready to fight with him. Contradicting Biff’s view Happy says:

 “I’m gonna show you and

everybody else that Willy

Loman did not die in vain.”

          To sum up, Happy contrasts with Biff and holds in the background of the dramatic action because he is seemingly more content, the main features of his frustration are outlined. In a short, Happy is a trickster and a deceitful person. Biff has a moral sense, a prick of conscience, but Happy has none.  It is a prototype of his father in certain respects and most so in sex