I agree completely. I wonder, though. Shakespeare followed his dream, as did other writers and people of his day and other days. To do that he had to abandon his wife and young children and head for London to be a playwrite. We are richer for his self-centeredness and abrogation of responsibility, but his children suffered. Where does one draw the line? Andy Amago -----Original Message----- From: William Ball <ballnw@xxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Feb 15, 2005 10:02 AM To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Death of a Thinker Willy took the road well worn, not "The Road Not Taken". He chose the worn road that leads to nowhere, the road of any salesman, or safe job in the civil service. He should have gone to Alaska to mine for gold. He should have made flutes, like the one we hear in the play, he should have had the courage to follow his dreams. Lines: Willy, "The woods are burning I tell you." Willy's wife at graveside, "Attention must be paid to this man."=20 See the production with Lee J. Cobb as Willy. It's on tape, I think. Cobb played it on Broadway in 1949, We all have some or all of Willy in us. That's what scares hell out of us. And I tell you right now, the woods are burning. Bill Ball P. S. The play has very little to do with communism/capitalism. It's about all us low men, the tragedy of the common man because he's so common. l=20 > -----Original Message----- > From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas- > bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Paul Stone > Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 1:33 PM > To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [lit-ideas] Death of a Thinker >=20 > I have to admit that I've never read, seen, watched "Death of a > Salesman". > Can someone tell me, without "ruining" it for me, WHY it's such a > revered > classic? Are there memorable lines that are in today's vernacular? Just > the > plot would be okay -- without any spoilers concerning Willy's, Hap's or > Biff's fate. >=20 > Other than Miller's death this week, it's very interesting because I > watched a movie called "Eulogy" last night which was about "the death" > of a > salesman, and has some overt references to DOAS, but alas, I didn't get > them. >=20 >=20 > Paul >=20 > ########## > Paul Stone > pas@xxxxxxxx > Kingsville, ON, Canada >=20 > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, > digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html