Death of a Salesman is a play by Arthur Miller, first performed in 1949. It is the story of the final days of Willy Loman, an unhappy travelling salesman. The play is referred to twice in Buffy: in 3.06 Band Candy, Buffy name checks Willy Loman when faced with selling chocolate bars:
“I’m sure we love the idea of going all Willy Loman, but we’re not in the band.”
In Willow’s dream in 4.22 Restless, she dreams that she has a role in a school production of the play. It is directed by Giles (wearing a cravat), and includes Riley dressed as a cowboy, Buffy dressed as a 1920s flapper girl and Harmony as a milk-maid/vampire.
The following line is from Death of a Salesman:
Willy [to Biff]: Go back to the West! Be a carpenter, a cowboy, enjoy yourself!
In the play, Biff’s dream was to be a cowboy and live in the West on a farm, while in the episode, Riley is dressed as a cowboy (although there is not a actual “cowboy” character in the play).
Related episodes: 3.06 Band Candy, 4.22 Restless
Comments on this trivia
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MagicBone on October 24th, 2005 at 2:43 am
also in the Angel 2.2 Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been?, a salesman is the first person to die in the hotel…any connection???
Comfortador on February 28th, 2006 at 5:08 am
Riley was a cowboy and then Joss Whedon does a show about space cowboys hum…
Culf on September 13th, 2006 at 1:41 pm
A show about space cowboys ten thousand times as cool as Riley. Jayne in particulair. *sighs happily*
slayed on July 14th, 2007 at 8:52 am
The line in Band Candy is: “I’m sure we love the idea of going all Willy Loman, but we’re not in the band.”
In the play, Death of a Salesman, Loman is a great salesman in his own mind, but the reality of his past and his career does not match his own perception.
There’s an interview with Jane Espenson in a featurette titled “Buffy Speak” (it’s in the DVD set for season 3) where she remarks that she finds it hilarious when the line is cited as “one that needs translation.”
ormaybemidgets on July 14th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
Also, the Cheese Man in Restless is a reference to Willy Loman. From the play:
Linda: Willy, dear, I got a new kind of American-type cheese today. It’s whipped.
Willy: Why do you get the American when I like Swiss?
And the Cheese Man was dressed like Willy, with the suit and glasses.
LifeIsJustThisItsLiving on November 11th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Great observation about the cheese man. That should be added.