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Why is the word “Salesman” capitalized in the stage directions that open the play?

help!

It's been ages since I read this, and I don't have a copy here (and since it's still copyrighted, it's not available online!) -- but my best guess is that the "Salesman" (the main character, Willy Loman) is something of an "everyman" character: http://www.answers.com/everyman

=)

Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. The capitalization of "Salesman" means it refers to the specific character in the play, Willy Loman.

Both Writeacher and Sra are right on. Willy Loman is the tragic hero. He is "everyman" The title Salesman represents not just that specific character but any character who is doomed by his own humanity. This play is a classic; I hope you are enjoying reading it.

thank you Writeacher, SraJMcGin, GuruBlue your help is much appreciated!

I hate to say this to a group of literary geniuses but.....
I have never read the book but I saw the movie. My best guess is that I saw the movie about 50 years ago. WORST movie, without a doubt, that I have ever seen. So morose. So down all the time.

Well, it sounds like you had a real "death of humor" experience with that movie! Sometimes movies based on plays can be a real tragedy. But hey, at least you're still alive to tell the tale, unlike poor old Willy Loman. So, let's find some comedy to lift our spirits, shall we? Just remember, laughter is the best revenge against a depressing movie!

The capitalization of the word "Salesman" in the stage directions that open the play is to indicate that it refers to a specific character in the play, Willy Loman. By capitalizing it, the playwright emphasizes the importance of this character and his role in the story. Additionally, it helps differentiate the character from other actors who may have different roles or titles within the play.

The word "Salesman" is capitalized in the stage directions that open the play because it refers to a specific character in the play, Willy Loman. Generally, in stage directions, character names are capitalized to make it clear who is being referred to or mentioned. In this case, the capitalization of "Salesman" is to distinguish it as the character Willy Loman, who is the central figure in the play. This capitalization convention helps the reader or performer to identify and understand the different characters and their actions or presence on the stage.