Linda Loman: The dutiful and obedient wife to Willy and mother of Biff and Happy, Linda Loman is the one person who supports Willy Loman, despite his often reprehensible treatment of her. She is a woman who has aged greatly because of her difficult life supporting her husband, whose hallucinations and erratic behavior she contends with alone. She is the moral center of the play, occasionally stern and not afraid to confront her sons on their poor treatment of their father.
In the play, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Linda Loman's character is viewed differently by many people. Some critics have seen Linda as a "controlling mother figure" who is actually the one to blame for this failure of both her sons and her husband. In this report I will defend this view citing specific examples from the play. Linda was undoubtedly the only one in control throughout the play. .
I believe that Linda tried to be a good mother and wife but she did not really know what she was doing. At the very beginning of the book we see that Willy, on his way to Boston, has come home because he was unable to concentrate on the road. And just as he was beginning to figure out why, she took his mind off the subject by suggesting that the problem was with the car's steering and not with him. "Oh. Maybe it's the steering again. I don't think Angelo knows the Studebaker.". And again: "Maybe it's your glasses. You never went for your new glasses.". By repeatedly doing this throughout the play Linda keeps Willy from facing the truth about himself. Also Linda gives Willy undeserved compliments, agreeing with him on his looks and ambition.; meanwhile, he has no true ambition. This causes Willy to build himself up into a great man. Another example of this is when Willy goes to see Howard Wagner about getting a job at home or at least close to home. While we realize how unlikely it is that Willy will get his wish, Willy does not realize this and Linda, who I believe is smart enough to realize it, supports Willy in excitement.
