Death-of-A-Salesman情节及人物简介

PlotWillyLomanreturnshomeexhaustedafteracancelledbusinesstrip.WorriedoverWilly'sstateofmindandrecentcaraccident,hiswifeLindasuggeststhatheaskhisbossHowardWagnertoallowhimtoworkinhishomecitysohewillnothavetotravel.WillycomplainstoLindathattheirson,Biff,hasyettomakegoodonhislife.DespiteBiff'spromiseasanathleteinhighschool,heflunkedsenior-yearmathandneverwenttocollege.BiffandhisbrotherHappy,whoaretemporarilystayingwithWillyandLindaafterBiff'sunexpectedreturnfromtheWest,reminisceabouttheirchildhoodtogether.Theydiscusstheirfather'smentaldegeneration,whichtheyhavewitnessedintheformofhisconstantvacillationsandinstancesinwhichtheyhaveobservedhimtalkingtohimself.Willywalksin,angrythatthetwoboyshaveneveramountedtoanything.Inanefforttopacifytheirfather,BiffandHappytellWillythatBiffplanstomakeabusinesspropositionthenextday.Thenextday,Willygoestoaskhisboss,Howard,forajobintownwhileBiffgoestomakeabusinessproposition,butneitherissuccessful.Willygetsangryandendsupgettingfiredwhenthebosstellshimheneedsarestandcannolongerrepresentthecompany.Biffwaitshourstoseeaformeremployerwhodoesnotrememberhimandturnshimdown.Biffimpulsivelystealsafountainpen.WillythengoestotheofficeofhisneighborCharley,whereherunsintoCharley'ssonBernard(nowasuccessfullawyer);BernardtellshimthatBifforiginallywantedtodowellinsummerschool,butsomethinghappenedinBostonwhenBiffwenttovisitWillythatchangedhismind.Happy,Biff,andWillymeetfordinneratarestaurant,butWillyrefusestohearbadnewsfromBiff.HappytriestogetBifftolietotheirfather.BifftriestotellhimwhathappenedasWillygetsangryandslipsintoaflashbackofwhathappenedinBostonthedayBiffcametoseehim.WillyhadbeenhavinganaffairwithareceptionistononeofhissalestripswhenBiffunexpectedlyarrivedatWilly'shotelroom.AshockedBiffangrilyconfrontedhisfather,callinghimaliarandafraud.Fromthatmoment,Biff'sviewsofhisfatherchangedandsetBiffadrift.Biffleavestherestaurantinfrustration,followedbyHappyandtwogirlsthatHappyhaspickedup.TheyleaveaconfusedandupsetWillybehindintherestaurant.Whentheylaterreturnhome,theirmotherangrilyconfrontsthemforabandoningtheirfatherwhileWillyremainsoutside,talkingtohimself.BifftriestoreconcilewithWilly,butthediscussionquicklyescalatesintoanotherargument,withBiffconveyingtohisfatherthatheisnotmeantforanythinggreat,insistingthatbothofthemaresimplyordinarymenmeanttoleadordinarylives.ThefeudculminateswithBiffhuggingWillyandcryingashetriestogetWillytoletgooftheunrealisticexpectationsthathestillhasforhimandtoaccepthimforwhohereallyis.Hetellshisfatherheloveshim.RatherthanlistentowhatBiffactuallysays,WillythinkshissonhasforgivenhimandthinksBiffwillnowpursueacareerasabusinessman.Willykillshimself,intentionallycrashinghiscarsothatBiffcanusethelifeinsurancemoneytostarthisbusiness.However,atthefuneralBiffretainshisbeliefthathedoesnotwanttobecomeabusinessman.Happy,ontheotherhand,choosestofollowinhisfather'sfootsteps.CharactersWilliamWillyLoman:Thesalesman.Heis63yearsoldandveryunstable,tendingtoimagineeventsfromthepastasiftheyarereal.Hevacillatesbetweendifferentperceptionsofhislife.Willyseemschildlikeandreliesonothersforsupport.Hisfirstname,Willy,reflectsthischildlikeaspectaswellassoundinglikethequestionWillhe?HislastnamegivesthefeelofWilly'sbeingalowman,someonelowonthesocialladderandunlikelytosucceed;however,thispopularinterpretationofhislastnamehasbeendismissedbyMiller.[2]LindaLoman:Willy'swife.LindaispassivelysupportiveanddocilewhenWillytalksunrealisticallyabouthopesforthefuture,althoughsheseemstohaveagoodknowledgeofwhatisreallygoingon.Shechideshersons,particularlyBiff,fornothelpingWillymore,andsupportsWillylovinglydespitethefactthatWillysometimestreatsherpoorly,ignoringheropinionsoverthoseofothers.SheisthefirsttorealizethatWillyiscontemplatingsuicideatthebeginningoftheplay,andurgesBifftomakesomethingofhimself,whileexpectingHappytohelpBiffdoso.BiffLoman:Willy'solderson.Biffwasafootballstarwithlotsofpotentialinhighschool,butfailedmathhissenioryearanddroppedoutofsummerschoolwhenhesawWillywithanotherwomanwhilevisitinghiminBoston.HewaversbetweengoinghometotrytofulfillWilly'sdreamforhimasabusinessmanorignoringhisfatherbygoingoutWesttobeafarmhandwhereheishappiest.Helikesbeingoutdoorsandworkingwithhishands,yetwantstodosomethingworthwhilesoWillywillbeproud.Biffstealsbecausehewantsevidenceofsuccess,evenifitisfalseevidence,butoverallBiffremainsarealistandinformsWillythatheisjustanormalguyandwillnotbeagreatman.HaroldHappyLoman:Willy'syoungerson.He'slivedintheshadowofhisolderbrotherBiffmostofhislifeandseemstobealmostignored,buthestilltriestobesupportivetowardshisfamily.Hehasaveryrestlesslifestyleasawomanizeranddreamsofmovingbeyondhiscurrentjobasanassistanttotheassistantbuyeratthelocalstore,butisunfortunatelywillingtocheatalittleinordertodoso,bytakingbribes.Heisalwayslookingforapprovalfromhisparents,butrarelygetsany,andheevengoesasfarastomakethingsupjustforattention,suchastellinghisparentsheisgoingtogetmarried.Hetriesoftentokeephisfamily'sperceptionsofeachotherpositiveorhappybydefendingeachofthemduringtheirmanyarguments,butstillhas