Personal experiences: Miller's father, a successful businessman, lost everything in the Great Depression. This experience had a profound impact on Miller, who felt a sense of responsibility for his father's failure. He later said that the play was "a memorial to my father."
The Great Depression: The Great Depression was a time of great economic hardship for the United States. Millions of people lost their jobs and their homes, and many families were forced to live in poverty. The play reflects the despair and hopelessness that many people felt during this time.
Works of other writers: Miller was influenced by a number of writers, including Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, and Eugene O'Neill. Ibsen's plays often explored the conflict between the individual and society, and Chekhov's plays were known for their realistic portrayal of everyday life. O'Neill's plays often dealt with themes of tragedy and despair.
Miller's Death of a Salesman is a powerful and moving play that explores the themes of failure, identity, and the American Dream. The play has been praised for its realism, its insights into the human condition, and its powerful message about the dangers of materialism.