Deception of Family in Death of a Salesman and A Doll’s House

Arthur Millers classic American play, Death of a Salesman and Henrik Ibsen’s classic play A Doll’s House, expose dysfunctional families and behaviors. In these plays, the themes of innocence, guilt and of truth and are considered through the eyes of deception. Both plays tell us that most of us choose to play roles and deceive, not only those immediately, but distantly around us. In Death of a Salesman the father passes deception to his boys the next generation. A Doll’s House Shows deception in a whole different way. We are shown a women’s role with lack of power in a mans society. In Death of a Salesman Willy Loman is a self deluded, insecure traveling salesman. Willy truly believes in the American Dream of easy wealth†¦show more content†¦Willy finally comes to result that his final product will be to sale himself. He makes the most extreme sacrifice by killing himself to attempt to leave an inheritance for his family. Willy’s final act, according to Ben, is â€Å"not like an appointment at all† but like a â€Å"diamond . . . rough and hard to the touch.†(1300). Willy believes the advice given by Charley â€Å"after all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive†(1281). In the play A Doll’s House Nora is the Narrator and the wife of Torvald Helmer. Nora has never had her own independence. She went from her fathers care to her husbands care. She is Inexperienced in the ways of life. As a result of everybody sheltering her she is careless and materialistic. Nora wants to take on role fully independent woman but does want to take the responsibility for the false union of her marriage and the strain of motherhood. Torvald is Noras husband of eight years has been promoted to manager of the bank. Torvald has built his middle- class living through his own work and not from family money. He sends a great deal of time focused on his business and studying. He seems to come across as stiff and harsh Deception is one of the most important themes within A Doll ´s House. It brings out the plot, outlines the characters, and shows what Ibsen was trying to show us about women and society.