Most often jovial, she has developed an iron repression of her exceptions to Willy’s behavior – she more than loves him, she admires him, as though his mercurial nature, his temper, his massive dreams and little cruelties, served her only as sharp reminders of the turbulent longings within him, longings which she shares but lacks the temperament to utter and follow to their end.
– Arthur Miller
Death of a Salesman, Act 1. The stage directions introduce Linda as a cheerful supportive wife who only sees the good side of husband Willy Loman’s moody personality. Deeply loving and loyal, she goes along with Willy’s fantasies and puts up with his cruel behavior so as not to hurt him. Despite Willy’s faults, she represses her own thoughts and personality to provide unconditional love and admiration for him. By refusing to criticize him and his unrealistic dreams, she may be seen to be the enabler of Willy’s self-deception and salesman’s fantasies.