Are Willy's self-destructive actions caused by an attempt to act ethically?

Willy's self-destructive actions:

• Willy constantly compares himself to others - especially  to his elder brother Ben.
• Denial of his true ability - Willy constantly puts himself down over certain tasks/jobs he can't do and belittles himself over tasks he can do, such as physical tasks (such as when he tells Charley he put up the ceiling he answers 'what's the difference'.)
• Willy cheats on Linda - this not only makes Willy feel guilty but it also ruins his relationship with Biff as he finds out about the affair.
• Willy constantly imposes his dreams upon his sons (Biff and Happy) and so when they fail - such as Biff failing his maths test- he feels as if he himself has failed once more. ' I never in my life told him anything but decent things.'
• Willy is also very self-conflicted and hypocritical, as he wishes he had taken Ben's job offer 'What a mistake. He begged me to go.' BUT then refuses Charely's job offer, 'What the hell are you offering me a job for?'
• Willy is also quite self-deluded at times, we can see this through the stage directions as it suggests a dream like state of Willy's mind, ' The entire setting is wholly, or, in some places, partially transparent.' - therefore suggesting that Willy is harming himself by his refusal of reality.
• Willy also emphasises how much money he earns, 'Well, I - I did - about a hundred eighty gross in Providence. Well, no - it came to - roughly two hundred gross the whole trip.' This harms Willy as overall it will damage is self-esteem as he has to accept that he has earnt less than he first let on.

Hegel's theory:

'In the very attempt to act ethically, they thereby end up not only acting unethically because they are violating the complementary ethical law but moreover destroying themselves. Through this self destruction, however, the original ethical unity of the polis is restored and affirmed.'

So protagonist wants to do something right but does something wrong to achieve it.

Therefore, I believe (certainly when it comes to his children) that Willy's self-destructive actions are caused by an attempt to act ethically. For example, Willy imposes his views and ideals upon his sons, Biff and Happy, which in turn leads to his children becoming and feeling confused about life and what they want. This is shown through stage directions, 'He, like his brother, is lost, but in a different way' and through Happy's achievements of owning his own 'apartment and car' but not feeling happy.

Some may argue that this is unethical of Willy as he is pushing his children into the same fate as him, one full of a sense of failure and lack of achievement. However, I believe that Willy was acting ethically as he truly believes in the American Dream and that hard work in the business world will help you achieve happiness and success, and so therefore he is only trying to set his children on to what he believes is the right path for them achieve a better life.

However, I person feel that some of Willy's self-destructive actions are not caused by an attmept to act ethically, as they appear to be very selfish and have no real cause or need behind them. such as Willy having an affair on Linda. I believe this self-destructive act is not an attempt to act ethically as Linda cares and loves Willy very much, additionally, the affair only ends up hurting people - such as Biff- so Willy can get a slight ego boost.

My first impressions of Happy and Biff.

First impressions of Biff:

• Biff appears to be quite a defeated character, this is shown through stage directions as he 'seems less self-assured'. Additionally, Biff's defeated attitude is showed through a contrast between the brothers, 'never allowed himself to turn his face towards defeat'. This suggests that Biff has either accepted defeat or he has seen/experienced more rejection in his life. 
• Biff also appears to be the most realistic character in the play due to his individual (and realistic) view on the American Dream 'its a measly manner of existence...and still that's how you build a future'.
• However, at the same time, Biff appears to be quite the idealist, this is not only shown through Happy's own view of Biff 'You're a - you're an idealist!' but also through Biff's dream of  owning his own ranch and living in the symbolically free west (which was the dream for many during the Great Depression) - '...maybe we could buy a ranch. Raise cattle, use our muscles.' 
• Additionally, his name appears to symbolic of who Biff might be/appears to be. From the stage directions we know that Biff has quite a defeated attitude/air to him and so, along with his name, suggests that he has experienced an event/action that has 'biffed' him, and made him less 'self-assured'. (We discover late that he has been symbolically/metaphorically punched by his father when Willy burns his trainers in a 'furnace' showing that his dream has been taken away etc.)
• Biff also appears to be self-critical, ' I've always made a point of not wasting my life...and I know all I've done is waste my life'. Furthermore, Biff appears to receive the most criticism -especially from Willy- in the play so far. (could also argue this shows that he a realistic character as he can see his own faults and failings). 
• Additionally, Biff appears to have a moral compass (appears to be a decent character) because he appears to be truly upset about his father's condition/deterioration '...a look of pain crossed Biff's face' whereas the character Happy (who places the blame of Willy's problems on Biff) appears more selfish. 
• Furthermore, Biff appears to less materialistic character compared to Happy, as he appears to appreciate certain/natural beauty ' nothing more inspiring or beautiful than a new colt'.  
• Appears to be the non-stereotypical character of the play as he is against or can see the problems of the American Dream - ' And still- that's how you build a future.'  

Also appears to be the possible antagonist of the play, but despite being the antagonist to his Dad (Willy), he still wants him to be proud of him and appears to be insecure at time about how his father feels about him, 'Why does Dad mock me all the time. Everything I say there's a twist of mockery on his face. I can't get near him.' "What happened Biff? Where's the old humour, the old confidence?' suggests that Biff has been affected by Willy's criticism.

First impression of Happy:

• First impression of Happy is that he appears to be quite a selfish character as he places Willly's illness on his brother, 'I think the fact that you're not settled...still kind of up in the air', and appears to be more concerned about how it is affecting him 'it's getting embarrassing' and not Willy.
• His name appears to be ironic and maybe symbolic as it suggests that Happy won't be happy because he seems to follow his dad's imposed idea's of a dream and therefore, may lose his mind/dementia and never feel truly content with life and so therefore won't be happy. 
• Additionally, Happy, like many others, appears to have achieved some form of success, 'my own apartment, a car, and plenty of women...' but is not happy with what he has '...and still god dammit I'm lonely' - He wants more and therefore appears to be a stereotypical character of those who follow the American Dream.  
• He believes (or follows) the American Dream, and therefore appears to be not as realistic as Biff is. (However, could argue he is more realistic through that fact that he is not chasing an idealist dream/world like Biff is.)
• Like Biff, Happy is also unsure about his life and the direction he wants it to take. Shown through stage directions, 'like his brother, is lost but in a 'different way.' and so suggests that even the American Dream can't promise happiness.  

Aristotle.

Mimesis:
Mimesis is the 'imitation of an action' according to 'the law of probability or necessity'  and in Aristotle's opinion is shown through drama and actions instead of being told, through/like a narrative.

Aristotle also believed that tragedy was more relevant to the audience because they could relate to the 'cause and effect chain' of tragedy. 
  
The Incentive Moment:
Aristotle believed that a plot must be whole with a beginning, middle and an end. The Incentive moment is the beginning because it starts the cause and effect chain without being dependent on other factors.

The Dénouement:
The Dénouement is the 'rapid cause and effect chain' from the climax (middle) to the resolution (end). - the unravelling of the play etc.

The Dues ex Machina:
The Dues ex Machina means the plot must be 'complete' and must have a 'unity of action' - Aristotle basically means that the plot must be self-contained and must not have been effected by outside intervention to be able to bring about a rapid and tidy conclusion.

The Plot: 
A plot cna either be simple or complex. Aristotle believed that the more complex the plot the better, as simple plots tend to only have a 'change of fortune' (catastrophe), whereas, complex plots tend to have both 'reversal of intention' (peripeteia) and 'recognition' (anagnorisis) connected with the catastrophe.

Peripeteia occurs when a character produces an effect opposite to that which he/she intended to produce, while anagnorisis is a change from ignorance to knowledge producing love or hate between character/person destined for good or bad fortune. Aristotle argues that the best plots combine the two as part of their cause and effect chain, which in turn creates the catastrophe, leading to the final scene of suffering.

Adonis.

Adonis in Greek mythology, was the most beautiful of young men. He was the son of King Cinyras of Cyprus and his daughter Myrrha. The god's turned Myrrha into a tree, and out of her wood/bark, Adonis was born. However, because of the fact that Adonis was the reuslt of incest, he was hidden in the underworld and looked after by Persephone (the daughter of Zeus, she was the Queen of the Underworld as she was abducted by Hades).

When Aphrodite saw him, she fell despertately in love, and when she was killed while hunting by a wild boar, she pleaded with Zeus to bring him back to life. Zeus agreed to get the young man back, but he has to stay in the under world during winter to and be with Aphrodite during the summer, thus making the vegetation die in winter and blossom in summer.

I don't really know what he has to do with the theme of tragedy or the theories of tragedy but I thought I'd research him as you said too.

Arthur Miller.

Arthur Miller was an American playwright and essayist, who was a prominent figure in American theatres. Some of his most famous plays and drama's are Death of a Salesman, A View from the Bridge and All My Sons.

Miller was born in Harmlem, New York in 1915, to a Jewish Polish family. Before the Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression of 1929, his father owned a woman's clothing store which employed over 400 people. However, duirng the Depression, his fahter's business was hit quite hard/badly and was ruined, meaning the family moved to a house in Brooklyn. Many believe that his house in Brooklyn is a model for the Loman's house in Death of a Salesman.

Miller attended the University of Michigan, where he graduated in English in 1938. During his time at University, he was awarded a prize for playwrighting, along with Tennessee Williams. After University he returned to New York and began a career wrighting for the radio.

(Tennesee Williams - was also an American play writer, who wrote short stories, memoirs, novels and essay's.)

During his lifetime, Miller married 3 times, his first marriage was too his college in 1940, they had two children together. Then in 1956 he married the famous actress and singer, Mariyln Monroe, however, they were divorce by 1961. Aruther then remarried in 1962.

Miller died in February 2005, and was considered to be one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century, with many claiming he was the last great practitioner of the American Stage.


The Great Depression and the Wall Street Crash (1929):

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression and downturn of the 1930's. It was the longest, most widespread and deepest depression of the 20th century.

The depression originated in the U.S, starting with the fall in stock prices which lead to the stock market crash of October 29th, 1929 (known as Black Tuesday) - The Wall Street Crash. After the crash of Wall Street, the depression spread acorss the globe. In the U.S, unemployment rose to 25% and farming and crop prices fell by approx 60%.

The American Dream:

The idea of the American Dream is that, through a combination of hard work, courage and determination, prosperity can be achieved- these values came to America with the early settlers and were passed on to later generations.

Just before and during the 20th century, the Dream became that of industry and capitalism, compared to the idea that you could become rich quick in the American Gold Rush in the 19th Century. Success such as John D Rockerfeller showed that talent, intelligence and willingness to work hard were all that was needed to achieve the dream. Additionally, the poor were penalised as their poverty was seen as proof of their lazines; the dream does not appear to take in to account other factor, such as a person's education and upbringing, which can have an effect on a person's potential and overall success in life.