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Literary Devices
Definition of Allusion
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals... read full definition
In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... read full definition
Act 1
Explanation and Analysis—Edison and Goodrich:
In Act 1, Willy alludes to a pair of distinguished American inventors as he comforts Linda about Biff’s future:
Certain men just don’t get started till later in life. Like Thomas Edison, I think. Or B.F. Goodrich. One of them was deaf. ([Willy] starts for the bedroom doorway.) I’ll put my money on Biff.
The appeals to the electric appliance and rubber tire moguls are a telling instance of Willy’s misguided idealism. His attempt at self-reassurance lionizes the resourceful genius, reiterating his faith in the "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" trope of American self-sufficiency. While it does quiet Linda, the comparison’s imprecision only betrays Willy’s ignorance. Goodrich and Edison—the latter of whom has become notorious for his attempts to crush rival Nikola Tesla—embody America’s innovative force. They are inventors, the ones who create the gadgets and dispatch them to lowly salesman like Willy for peddling. In likening Biff to Edison, Willy mistakenly elevates the status of his trade.
Furthermore, this pair of 20th-century American inventors represents the emphasis on science over the brand of masculine charm that Willy advances. Intellectual ability, not easygoing charisma, has become the new determinant of success. Willy’s allusion to Edison and Goodrich reveals his ignorance of the changing times: it misinterprets the American Dream in his favor, sustaining the illusion that he can still partake in it.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Adonis:
In one of his memories, Willy is hailed by Biff and Happy upon returning home. Using an allusion to praise his sons for their looks and character, he explains to them the advantage they hold over their neighbor Bernard:
That’s just what I mean, Bernard can get the best marks in school, y’understand, but when he gets out in the business world, y’understand, you are going to be five times ahead of him. That’s why I thank Almighty God you’re both built like Adonises.
Here, Willy slips a passing reference to Adonis. Famous for his youthful beauty, the classical figure is best remembered for winning the love of both Greek goddesses Persephone and Aphrodite. Adonis’s reputation of virile, raw beauty strikes a memorable resonance with Biff, the stereotypical football star who cares little for Mr. Birnbaum’s math class and steals footballs as quickly as he does the hearts of high school girls. The notorious lover reinforces the play’s portrayal of Biff as an attractive and arrogant youth.
However, the allusion suggests that beauty is equally inseparable from downfall. In one of his most popularly featured myths, Adonis meets his death after being gored by a boar on a hunting expedition. Adonis’s end layers Biff’s characterization with the faint flavor of tragedy, as though anticipating the football star’s lapse into mediocrity. In Death of a Salesman, parts of his mythic legacy also extend to other characters: death doesn’t befall Biff but Willy instead.
Related Themes:
