WILLY:Well,I'll see you next time I'm in Boston. THE WOMAN:I'll put you right through to the buyers WILLY(slapping her bottom):Right.Well,bottoms up! THE WOMAN (slaps him gently and laughs):You just kill me, Willy.(He suddenly grabs her and kisses her roughly.)You kill me.And thanks for the stockings.I love a lot of stockings.Well, good night. WILLY:Good night.And keep your pores open! THE WOMAN:Oh,Willy! (The Woman bursts out laughing,and Linda's laughter blends in.The Woman disappears into the dark.Now the area at the kitchen table brightens.Linda is sitting where she was at the kitchen table,but now is mending a pair of her silk stockings.) LINDA:You are,Willy.The handsomest man.You've got no rea- son to feel that.… WILLY (corning out of The Woman's dimming area and going over to Linda):I'll make it all up to you,Linda,I'll... LINDA:There's nothing to make up,dear.You're doing fine,bet- ter than... WILLY (noticing her mending):What's that? LINDA:Just mending my stockings.They're so expensive... WILLY (angrily,taking them from her):I won't have you mending stockings in this house!Now throw them out!(Linda puts the stockings in her pocket.) BERNARD(entering on the run):Where is he?If he doesn't study! WILLY(moving to the forestage,with great agitation):You'll give him the answers！ BERNARD:I do,but I can't on a Regents!That's a state exam! They're liable to arrest me! WILLY:Where is he?I'll whip him,I'll whip him! LINDA:And he'd better give back that football,Willy,it's not nice. WILLY:Biff!Where is he?Why is he taking everything? LINDA:He's too rough with the girls,Willy.All the mothers are afraid of him!
WILLY: Well, I’ll see you next time I’m in Boston. THE WOMAN: I’ll put you right through to the buyers. WILLY (slapping her bottom): Right. Well, bottoms up! THE WOMAN (slaps him gently and laughs): You just kill me, Willy. (He suddenly grabs her and kisses her roughly.) You kill me. And thanks for the stockings. I love a lot of stockings. Well, good night. WILLY: Good night. And keep your pores open! THE WOMAN: Oh, Willy! (The Woman bursts out laughing, and Linda’s laughter blends in. The Woman disappears into the dark. Now the area at the kitchen table brightens. Linda is sitting where she was at the kitchen table, but now is mending a pair of her silk stockings.) LINDA: You are, Willy. The handsomest man. You’ve got no reason to feel that... WILLY (corning out of The Woman’s dimming area and going over to Linda): I’ll make it all up to you, Linda, I’ll... LINDA: There’s nothing to make up, dear. You’re doing fine, better than... WILLY (noticing her mending): What’s that? LINDA: Just mending my stockings. They’re so expensive... WILLY (angrily, taking them from her): I won’t have you mending stockings in this house! Now throw them out! (Linda puts the stockings in her pocket.) BERNARD (entering on the run): Where is he? If he doesn’t study! WILLY (moving to the forestage, with great agitation): You’ll give him the answers! BERNARD: I do, but I can’t on a Regents! That’s a state exam! They’re liable to arrest me! WILLY: Where is he? I’ll whip him, I’ll whip him! LINDA: And he’d better give back that football, Willy, it’s not nice. WILLY: Biff! Where is he? Why is he taking everything? LINDA: He’s too rough with the girls, Willy. All the mothers are afraid of him!
WILLY:I'll whip him! BERNARD:He's driving the car without a license! (The Woman's laugh is heard.) WILLY:Shut up! LINDA:All the mothers... WILLY:Shut up! BERNARD (backing quietly away and out):Mr.Birnbaum says he's stuck up.WILLY:Get outa here! BERNARD:If he doesn't buckle down he'll flunk math!(He goes off.) LINDA:He's right,Willy,you've gotta... WILLY (exploding at her):There's nothing the matter with him! You want him to be a worm like Bernard?He's got spirit,per- sonality (As he speaks,Linda,almost in tears,exits into the liv- ing room.Willy is alone in the kitchen,wilting and staring.The leaves are gone.It is night again,and the apartment houses look down from behind.) WILLY:Loaded with it.Loaded!What is he stealing?He's giving it back,isn't he?Why is he stealing?What did I tell him?I never in my life told him anything but decent things (Happy in pajamas has come down the stairs;Willy suddenly becomes aware of Happy's presence.) HAPPY:Let's go now,come on. WILLY (sitting down at the kitchen table):Huh!Why did she have to wax the floors herself?Everytime she waxes the floors she keels over.She knows that! HAPPY:Shh!Take it easy.What brought you back tonight? WILLY:I got an awful scare.Nearly hit a kid in Yonkers.God! Why didn't I go to Alaska with my brother Ben that time!Ben! That man was a genius,that man was success incarnate!What a mistake!He begged me to go. HAPPY:Well,there's no use in... WILLY:You guys!There was a man started with the clothes on his back and ended up with diamond mines! HAPPY:Boy,someday I'd like to know how he did it
WILLY: I’ll whip him! BERNARD: He’s driving the car without a license! (The Woman’s laugh is heard.) WILLY: Shut up! LINDA: All the mothers... WILLY: Shut up! BERNARD (backing quietly away and out): Mr. Birnbaum says he’s stuck up. WILLY: Get outa here! BERNARD: If he doesn’t buckle down he’ll flunk math! (He goes off.) LINDA: He’s right, Willy, you’ve gotta... WILLY (exploding at her): There’s nothing the matter with him! You want him to be a worm like Bernard? He’s got spirit, personality (As he speaks, Linda, almost in tears, exits into the living room. Willy is alone in the kitchen, wilting and staring. The leaves are gone. It is night again, and the apartment houses look down from behind.) WILLY: Loaded with it. Loaded! What is he stealing? He’s giving it back, isn’t he? Why is he stealing? What did I tell him? I never in my life told him anything but decent things. (Happy in pajamas has come down the stairs; Willy suddenly becomes aware of Happy’s presence.) HAPPY: Let’s go now, come on. WILLY (sitting down at the kitchen table): Huh! Why did she have to wax the floors herself? Everytime she waxes the floors she keels over. She knows that! HAPPY: Shh! Take it easy. What brought you back tonight? WILLY: I got an awful scare. Nearly hit a kid in Yonkers. God! Why didn’t I go to Alaska with my brother Ben that time! Ben! That man was a genius, that man was success incarnate! What a mistake! He begged me to go. HAPPY: Well, there’s no use in... WILLY: You guys! There was a man started with the clothes on his back and ended up with diamond mines! HAPPY: Boy, someday I’d like to know how he did it
WILLY:What's the mystery?The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it!Walked into a jungle,and comes out,the age of twenty-one,and he's rich!The world is an oyster,but you don't crack it open on a mattress! HAPPY:Pop,I told you I'm gonna retire you for life. WILLY:You'll retire me for life on seventy goddam dollars a week?And your women and your car and your apartment,and you'll retire me for life!Christ's sake,I couldn't get past Yonkers today!Where are you guys,where are you?The woods are burning!I can't drive a car! (Charley has appeared in the doorway.He is a large man,slow of speech,laconic,immovable.In all he says,despite what he says, there is pity,and,now,trepidation.He has a robe over pajamas, slippers on his feet.He enters the kitchen.) CHARLEY:Everything all right? HAPPY:Yeah,Charley,everything's... WILLY:What's the matter? CHARLEY:I heard some noise.I thought something happened. Can't we do something about the walls?You sneeze in here, and in my house hats blow off. HAPPY:Let's go to bed,Dad.Come on.(Charley signals to Happy to go.) WILLY:You go ahead,I'm not tired at the moment. HAPPY (to Willy):Take it easy,huh?(He exits.) WILLY:What're you doin'up? CHARLEY (sitting down at the kitchen table opposite Willy): Couldn't sleep good.I had a heartburn. WILLY:Well,you don't know how to eat. CHARLEY:I eat with my mouth. WILLY:No,you're ignorant.You gotta know about vitamins and things like that. CHARLEY:Come on,let's shoot.Tire you out a little. WILLY (hesitantly):All right.You got cards? CHARLEY (taking a deck from his pocket):Yeah,I got them. Someplace.What is it with those vitamins?
WILLY: What’s the mystery? The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it! Walked into a jungle, and comes out, the age of twenty-one, and he’s rich! The world is an oyster, but you don’t crack it open on a mattress! HAPPY: Pop, I told you I’m gonna retire you for life. WILLY: You’ll retire me for life on seventy goddam dollars a week? And your women and your car and your apartment, and you’ll retire me for life! Christ’s sake, I couldn’t get past Yonkers today! Where are you guys, where are you? The woods are burning! I can’t drive a car! (Charley has appeared in the doorway. He is a large man, slow of speech, laconic, immovable. In all he says, despite what he says, there is pity, and, now, trepidation. He has a robe over pajamas, slippers on his feet. He enters the kitchen.) CHARLEY: Everything all right? HAPPY: Yeah, Charley, everything’s... WILLY: What’s the matter? CHARLEY: I heard some noise. I thought something happened. Can’t we do something about the walls? You sneeze in here, and in my house hats blow off. HAPPY: Let’s go to bed, Dad. Come on. (Charley signals to Happy to go.) WILLY: You go ahead, I’m not tired at the moment. HAPPY (to Willy): Take it easy, huh? (He exits.) WILLY: What’re you doin’ up? CHARLEY (sitting down at the kitchen table opposite Willy): Couldn’t sleep good. I had a heartburn. WILLY: Well, you don’t know how to eat. CHARLEY: I eat with my mouth. WILLY: No, you’re ignorant. You gotta know about vitamins and things like that. CHARLEY: Come on, let’s shoot. Tire you out a little. WILLY (hesitantly): All right. You got cards? CHARLEY (taking a deck from his pocket): Yeah, I got them. Someplace. What is it with those vitamins?
WILLY(dealing):They build up your bones.Chemistry. CHARLEY:Yeah,but there's no bones in a heartburn. WILLY:What are you talkin'about?Do you know the first thing about it? CHARLEY:Don't get insulted. WILLY:Don't talk about something you don't know anything about. (They are playing.Pause.) CHARLEY:What're you doin'home? WILLY:A little trouble with the car. CHARLEY:Oh.(Pause.)I'd like to take a trip to California. WILLY:Don't say. CHARLEY:You want a job? WILLY:I got a job,I told you that.(After a slight pause.)What the hell are you offering me a job for? CHARLEY:Don't get insulted. WILLY:Don't insult me. CHARLEY:I don't see no sense in it.You don't have to go on this way. WILLY:I got a good job.(Slight pause.)What do you keep comin' in here for? CHARLEY:You want me to go? WILLY (after a pause,withering):I can't understand it.He's go- ing back to Texas again.What the hell is that? CHARLEY:Let him go. WILLY:I got nothin'to give him,Charley,I'm clean,I'm clean. CHARLEY:He won't starve.None a them starve.Forget about him. WILLY:Then what have I got to remember? CHARLEY:You take it too hard.To hell with it.When a deposit bottle is broken you don't get your nickel back. WILLY:That's easy enough for you to say. CHARLEY:That ain't easy for me to say. WILLY:Did you see the ceiling I put up in the living room?
WILLY (dealing): They build up your bones. Chemistry. CHARLEY: Yeah, but there’s no bones in a heartburn. WILLY: What are you talkin’ about? Do you know the first thing about it? CHARLEY: Don’t get insulted. WILLY: Don’t talk about something you don’t know anything about. (They are playing. Pause.) CHARLEY: What’re you doin’ home? WILLY: A little trouble with the car. CHARLEY: Oh. (Pause.) I’d like to take a trip to California. WILLY: Don’t say. CHARLEY: You want a job? WILLY: I got a job, I told you that. (After a slight pause.) What the hell are you offering me a job for? CHARLEY: Don’t get insulted. WILLY: Don’t insult me. CHARLEY: I don’t see no sense in it. You don’t have to go on this way. WILLY: I got a good job. (Slight pause.) What do you keep comin’ in here for? CHARLEY: You want me to go? WILLY (after a pause, withering): I can’t understand it. He’s going back to Texas again. What the hell is that? CHARLEY: Let him go. WILLY: I got nothin’ to give him, Charley, I’m clean, I’m clean. CHARLEY: He won’t starve. None a them starve. Forget about him. WILLY: Then what have I got to remember? CHARLEY: You take it too hard. To hell with it. When a deposit bottle is broken you don’t get your nickel back. WILLY: That’s easy enough for you to say. CHARLEY: That ain’t easy for me to say. WILLY: Did you see the ceiling I put up in the living room?
CHARLEY:Yeah,that's a piece of work.To put up a ceiling is a mystery to me.How do you do it? WILLY:What's the difference? CHARLEY:Well,talk about it. WILLY:You gonna put up a ceiling? CHARLEY:How could I put up a ceiling? WILLY:Then what the hell are you bothering me for? CHARLEY:You're insulted again. WILLY:A man who can't handle tools is not a man.You're disgusting. CHARLEY:Don't call me disgusting,Willy. (Uncle Ben,carrying a valise and an umbrella,enters the fore- stage from around the right corner of the house.He is a stolid man, in his sixties,with a mustache and an authoritative air.He is ut- terly certain of his destiny,and there is an aura of far places about him.He enters exactly as Willy speaks.) WILLY:I'm getting awfully tired,Ben. (Ben's music is heard.Ben looks around at everything.) CHARLEY:Good,keep playing;you'll sleep better.Did you call me Ben? (Ben looks at his watch.) WILLY:That's funny.For a second there you reminded me of my brother Ben. BEN:I only have a few minutes.(He strolls,inspecting the place. Willy and Charley continue playing.) CHARLEY:You never heard from him again,heh?Since that time? WILLY:Didn't Linda tell you?Couple of weeks ago we got a letter from his wife in Africa.He died. CHARLEY:That so. BEN (chuckling):So this is Brooklyn,eh? CHARLEY:Maybe you're in for some of his money. WILLY:Naa,he had seven sons.There's just one opportunity I had with that man
CHARLEY: Yeah, that’s a piece of work. To put up a ceiling is a mystery to me. How do you do it? WILLY: What’s the difference? CHARLEY: Well, talk about it. WILLY: You gonna put up a ceiling? CHARLEY: How could I put up a ceiling? WILLY: Then what the hell are you bothering me for? CHARLEY: You’re insulted again. WILLY: A man who can’t handle tools is not a man. You’re disgusting. CHARLEY: Don’t call me disgusting, Willy. (Uncle Ben, carrying a valise and an umbrella, enters the forestage from around the right corner of the house. He is a stolid man, in his sixties, with a mustache and an authoritative air. He is utterly certain of his destiny, and there is an aura of far places about him. He enters exactly as Willy speaks.) WILLY: I’m getting awfully tired, Ben. (Ben’s music is heard. Ben looks around at everything.) CHARLEY: Good, keep playing; you’ll sleep better. Did you call me Ben? (Ben looks at his watch.) WILLY: That’s funny. For a second there you reminded me of my brother Ben. BEN: I only have a few minutes. (He strolls, inspecting the place. Willy and Charley continue playing.) CHARLEY: You never heard from him again, heh? Since that time? WILLY: Didn’t Linda tell you? Couple of weeks ago we got a letter from his wife in Africa. He died. CHARLEY: That so. BEN (chuckling): So this is Brooklyn, eh? CHARLEY: Maybe you’re in for some of his money. WILLY: Naa, he had seven sons. There’s just one opportunity I had with that man