Student Question
What functions does Arthur Miller assign to lighting in Death of a Salesman's stage directions?
Quick answer:
In "Death of a Salesman," Arthur Miller uses lighting to emphasize the oppressive environment of the Loman household and to highlight the contrast between reality and dreams. The blue light symbolizes the harsh reality, while the surrounding orange glow reflects underlying anger and frustration. Lighting also underscores the encroachment of modern development around the Loman home and aids in transitions between reality and Willy's flashbacks or dream sequences, illustrating his tenuous grip on reality.
Miller’s opening stage directions to ‘Death of a Salesman’ are very detailed. The lighting is used to emphasise the hemmed in nature of the Loman’s house, and the colors suggest an air of harsh reality – perhaps over-reality – in their distinct contrast-
Only the blue light of the sky falls on the house and forestage; the surrounding area shows an angry glow of orange.
Willy Loman has a lot of anger, as does Linda, although her frustrations are crushingly repressed.
The opening scene uses increased illumination which then highlights the development which has grown around the Loman house. This again enhances the apparent pressure on the occupants who are squeezed by the ‘solid vault of apartment houses’.
The lighting, along with the sound, helps to convey the move between reality and flashback or dream sequence to remind us of the past and its influence on Willy’s failing grasp on the present-
An air of the dream clings to the place, a dream rising out of reality.
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