Approaches to Teaching Miller's Death of a Salesman

by Matthew C. Roudané (Editor)

“If one were to hazard a guess as to what American play is the most studied at the university level,” writes Matthew C. Roudané, “it might not be too fanciful to suggest Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.“ As this volume attests, not only is the play extensively taught; it also lends itself to a range of instructional approaches.

The book is divided into two parts. Part 1, “Materials,” surveys editions, anthologies, and a large selection of published works on Miller. Part 2, “Approaches,” comprises fourteen concise, helpful essays by experienced instructors. The approaches described include considering Death of a Salesman as the “quintessential” American play; focusing on the importance of the stage directions and scenery; comparing Willy Loman with salesmen in plays by O’Neill and Mamet; and reading the play from psychoanalytic, poststructuralist, sociological, and feminist perspectives. The extensive works-cited list at the end of the volume includes audiovisual aids.

178 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1995

About the author

Matthew Charles Roudané (1953- ) is Regents’ Professor of English at the Georgia State University. An author of a number of works on American theatre and dramatists, he was the Editor of the South Atlantic Review (1994-2013) and is Advisory Series Editor for Methuen Drama (London). He is a founding member of the Edward Albee Society.