Approaches to Teaching Miller's Death of a Salesman

"If one were to hazard a guess as to what American play is the most studied at the university level," writes Matthew C. Roudan , "it might not be too fanciful to suggest Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." As this volume attests, not only is the play extensively taught; it also lends itself to a range of instructional approaches. The book is divided into two parts. Part 1, "Materials," surveys editions, anthologies, and a large selection of published works on Miller. Part 2, "Approaches," comprises fourteen concise, helpful essays by experienced instructors. The approaches described include considering Death of a Salesman as the "quintessential" American play; focusing on the importance of the stage directions and scenery; comparing Willy Loman with salesmen in plays by O'Neill and Mamet; and reading the play from psychoanalytic, poststructuralist, sociological, and feminist perspectives. The extensive works-cited list at the end of the volume includes audiovisual aids.