Empty Dreams in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

This thesis is about empty dreams in Arthur Miller‟s Death of a Salesman. In this play, Miller shows empty dreams through the character Willi Loman as the portrait of low class people who has dreams of greatness, richness and success in his business. This study applies mimetic theory proposed by Abrams. This theory is a world of art as essentially an imitation of events subject that derives from existing things. The method of this study applies library research. The research is taking out through the activities of reading the play and literary criticism, also some sources from internet in order to get various information of the literary work. The analysis is focused on empty dreams of Willy Loman, the central character of the play, to show that empty dreams lead to desperation in his all life and his family. His sons life is messed up due to an empty dream that his father taught him from an early age to become a successful person. Willy's failure to achieve tangible results from all his failures. In all his dreams, nothing could come true. And finally he tried to kill himself The Study concludes that Death of a Salesman wants to convey that empty dreams lead to desperation. Willy Loman is presented as someone who has empty dreams, and Biff, his son is someone who is influenced by empty dreams. Biff's life is messed up due to an empty dream that his father taught him from an early age to become a successful person. Willy failed in his life because he thought that being liked and having good connections was a sure way to succeed.