Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller

Title: Death of a Salesman
Author: Arthur Miller
Date Finished: October 5, 2008 #57
Pages: 139
Published: 1949
Rating: 3/5

Is it bad that I'm currently hating my F2F book club read? Yes, hate (Ride the Wind). So in an effort to procrastinate I thought I would sneak in this short play and cross a book of my classics list! That's much more fun than reading about stuff that, well, I don't want to read about. :)

I have heard so much about this play but really knew nothing about it before I picked up my copy. Death of a Salesman is the story of Willy Loman, an aging traveling salesman who is trying to keep up with the battles that face him once he has arrived home from his latest business trip. He is behind in his finances, his wife fears for his sanity, and his children have lost respect for him through the years--and to top it all off he just been in another car "accident." Willy, though, is trying to live the dream that anyone can control his own fate. Has the dream, though, gotten out of hand and consumed him?

I feel pretty ambivalent toward this play. I didn't love it or hate it and it was a really quick read (2 Acts and 1 short finale). I think there are a lot of things in the play that many of us could relate to--especially at times when it seems we are working our tails off for...what? At one point in the play, Willy's son Biff tells his brother:

"Well, I spent six or seven years after high school trying to work myself up. Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one kind or another. And it's a measly manner of existence. To get on that subway on the hot mornings in summer. To devote your whole life to keeping stock, or making phone calls, or selling or buying. To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two-week vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. And still--that's how you build a future" (22).

And over fifty years later this still rings true.

The play isn't very flashy or fancy. There aren't necessarily different scenes in the two acts, but there are a number of flashbacks of different conversations Willy has had over the years regarding prospecting with his brother Ben in Alaska, different people Willy has come into contact along the way--especially in relationship his children. I would love to see the play acted to see how all of these different parts are transitioned--especially as at times the flashbacks seemed more like delusions that Willy was having while still in the present.

Bottom line: Like I said before, I'm pretty ambivalent about this book but I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking to fit something short in between books or really wants to experience this classic American play first hand. I don't think you'll be sorry you did.

A Midsummer Night's Dream; Once Upon a Time II Complete!

Title: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Author: William Shakespeare
Date Finished: June 19, 2008 #33

A Midsummer Night's Dream begins with a father's command that his daughter, Hermia, marry Demetrius. Hermia doesn't love Demetrius, though; she and Lysander are very much in love. However, her father tells her she must marry Demetrius or face death or a life of celibacy.

Hermia and Lysander run off into the woods together where scheming fairies reside. The king of fairies, Oberon, is upset with the queen of fairies, Titania, and decides to play a trick on her. When she falls asleep, his servant, Robin Goodfellow (or Puck) will rub a flower on her eyes so that when she awakes she will fall desperately in love with the first thing that she sees. After Oberon overhears a conversation between Helena and Demetrius, who have gone in search of their friends Hermia and Lysander, Oberon tells Robin to use the flower on Demetrius so that he will fall in love with Helena--thus solving everyone's problems.


In classic comedic error, Robin rubs the flower on the wrong man's eyes and Lysander awakes to find himself in love with Helena. In an effort to correct his mix up, he also rubs the flower on Demetrius's eyes so that both men are in love with Helena. Meanwhile, Titania awakes and falls in love with an ass (see the pictures)--much to Oberon's amusement. The rest of the play is the undoing of Robin's actions so that the right people end up in love with the right people.

The tale is a fun and magical one, but my favorite part was the last act when handy-men (i.e. a weaver, carpenter, tailor, tinker, etc) get together to put on a play for the wedding party. The play is not very good and the audience makes it clear to the actors how the play should go--while the play is in action. The other parts of the play with the mixed lovers was humorous, but the play within the play was the true treat. This isn't my favorite Shakespeare comedy (I really loved Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night), but I'm glad to have read it and can't wait to revisit the movie with Michelle Pheiffer and Kevin Kline.

I was surprised I didn't see more posts on this play, but here's what I found--let me know if I've missed your review:

Petunia from Educating Petunia
Nymeth from Things Mean A Lot
Stephanie from Confessions of a Bookaholic

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ONCE UPON A TIME II CHALLENGE COMPLETED!!

With finishing this little play, I've also completed Carl's Once Upon a Time II Challenge. I started blogging right before the challenge ended last year, so I was thrilled to be able to participate this year. I chose to read a book from the four genres--folklore, myth, fantasy, and fairy tale and as a bonus A Midsummer Night's Dream. I discovered Terry Pratchett and his Discworld as well as Gregory Maguire--both of whom I will be reading more of! My list is as follows:

Indian Tales from Picuris Pueblo
Retold Classic Myths
The Color of Magic - Terry Pratchett
Wicked - Gregory Maquire
A Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare