A Level Tragedy Paper Section C

Death of a Salesman (DOASM) x Keats (Lamia, Isabella, or the Pot of Basil)

Shared Themes between DOASM and one, or more Keats Poems

• The danger of glorified imaginations - DOASM x Lamia

• The overwhelming power of passion/emotion (or lack of) - DOASM x Lamia x Isabella, or the Pot of Basil (Basil)

• Love, fantasy, and disillusionment - DOASM x Lamia

• The limitations of reality (Illusion vs Reality) - DOASM x Lamia x Basil

• Death - DOASM x Lamia x Basil

• Criticism of Capitalism - DOASM x Basil (Lamia can be arguable)

• Denial (stems from human cruelty, or a cruel system) - DOASM x Basil

Expand on the themes that aren’t shared between DOASM and one, or more Keats Poems + Quotes for each

Tangible wealth - DOASM:

Forbidden love - Isabella, or the Pot of Basil (Basil) + Lamia:

Common Man struggles - DOASM:

Powerful tragic figures - Lamia:

Expand on the theme “Glorified Imaginations” + quotes that fit

DOASM: Willy’s fixation on success and being "well-liked"

• Quote

Lamia: Lamia hiding her true form, illusion of love

• Quote

Expand on the theme “Overwhelming Emotion” + quotes that fit

DOASM: Willy’s emotional breakdowns that create his flashbacks and delusions, Biff’s rage/love

• Quote

Basil: Isabella’s grief leading to madness

Lamia: Lycius’ obsession with Lamia, Lamia’s overwhelming determination and love for Lucius (ride or die for him)

Expand on the theme “Love, Fantasy, Disillusionment” + quotes that fit

DOASM: The play building up/seeing how a day with Willy is built up on dreams, Willy’s dreams collapsing, Biff disillusioned

Basil: Isabella’s fantasy love with Lorenzo crushed by death (and her brothers)

Lamia: Lycius and Lamia’s idealistic view of love (for each other and personal gains), Lycius learning about Lamia’s lie and dies from shock.

Expand on the theme “The limitations of reality (Illusion vs Reality)” + quotes that fit

DOASM: Willy’s denial of reality, the flashbacks of the past, dreams, and wasted potential vs reality.

Basil: The reality of classism disrupting and ultimately killing Lorenzo and Isabella, Isabella’s dream of Lorenzo’s ghost = symbolic

Lamia: The border between reality of Lamia as a snake and Lycius being a human, Lamia’s beauty = illusion

Expand on the theme “Death” + quotes that fit

DOASM: Death of passion, lost of innocence (death of a blissful childhood), Dave Singleman’s funeral, Willy’s suicide

Basil: Lorenzo murdered, Isabella mentally destroyed (wrecked)

Lamia: Death of blissfulness and ignorance, Lamia disappears (perish), and Lycius dying from heartbreak or shock

Expand on the theme “Capitalism Commentary/Criticism” + quotes that fit

DOASM: The whole play

• Orange peel quote

• “You end up worth more dead than alive”

Basil: Lorenzo killed by capitalist brothers, the whole reason why Isabella and Lorenzo couldn’t be together.

Expand on the theme “Denial & Cruelty” + quotes that fit

DOASM: Willy denies Biff’s true identity, Linda’s blind support, the whole play is rooted in denial of individual authenticity in a conformist capitalist society.

Basil: Isabella and Lorenzo was denied from fully expressing their love for each other, Lorenzo died a cruel death, Isabella denied Lorenzo being dead.

Shared Tragic Elements

• Hamartia

• Catharsis

• Downfall of the Hero(heroes)

• Fate vs Free will

• Epiphany

• Every character suffers