Catharsis Through Nietzsche’s Tragedy In Miller’s “Death Of A Salesman”

This study is conducted in the aim of revealing catharsis as the tragic effect in analysing tragedy based on Nietzsche’s theory of tragedy in Apollonian and Dionysian concept in Miller’s play entitled “Death of a Salesman” through Willy Loman as the major character who dominantly faces a various conflict with his family, society, and himself. To conduct this study, Nietzsche’s theory of tragedy is used, especially in concept of Apollonian in terms of dream and Dionysian in terms of intoxication. This theory is used referring to spirit of Apollonian and Dionysian which contained in the major character, Willy Loman who struggles with his fate, then how catharsis revealed based on the theory itself. The result of this study, tragedy is found in Willy with society, family and personal, and then catharsis is revealed as the effect of tragedy and purging the emotion through catharsis itself. Keywords: tragedy, apollonian and dionysian, catharsis, willy loman