Death of a Salesman, considered author Miller's most accomplished and successful comedy, tells the life of Willy Loman, a delusional salesman with a grandiose plan to live the American dream. Following the tragic events in Willy Loman's life, which began with his father's abandonment and ended with his suicide, Willy Loman never lives the life he always dreamed of. Although, probably discredited as a tragic hero, Willy Loman achieves the essential qualities to credit him as a tragic hero of modern times. Whether or not Willy Loman is a tragic hero in Death of a Salesman has been the subject of controversy since the play's first edition. production. The traditional Aristotelian perception of a tragedy states that a tragic hero must be of noble descent by birth or soul (Nienhuis 2). However, author Miller's essay “Tragedy and the Common Man” appeals to the Aristotelian view and insists that “the flaw, or crack in character, is in reality nothing – and need not be nothing, but its intrinsic reluctance to remain passive in the face of what he perceives as a challenge to his dignity." Miller states that in all tragedies a hero reflects a tragic flaw which must arise not only from noble lineage but from the struggle to remain in one's position. Nowadays, traditional tragedy fails to evoke emotions based on the lack of direct experience with heroes of noble rank. Therefore, a character's rank “no longer increases our passions, nor our concepts of justice,” as it previously did because we do not live in an age ruled by kings and queens (Miller, Tragedy, and the Common Man 3) . . Today emotions are evoked through the pain and suffering of the common man because as times change the people with whom people can identify also change.... middle of paper... considered pathetic. However, Willy's suicide affects his emotions deeply, causing him to feel sad because he tried so hard to provide a great life for his family and never succeeded. Ultimately, Willy Loman misses the mark and does not fit into Aristotle's thinking. strict definition of tragic hero. Despite the age-old definition of a tragic hero, Willy Loman appeals to our emotions, has several tragic flaws, and realizes some of his wrongs. Therefore, Willy Loman is a common tragic hero in the present. Times have changed dramatically since the time of Aristotle and it is time to change the way a tragic hero is perceived. Arthur Miller provides a perfect justification for a common tragic hero by stating, "I believe that the common man is as fit a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were" (Miller, Tragedy, and the Common Man 3).