I haven't seen this movie but I just read the play...and I was waiting for Biff to tell Linda about Willy's affair...of all the things he had to say, WHY wasn't that one of them? I mean their lives were pretty much ruined from the get-go anyway, him revealing her husband's infidelity moments before his death really could not, in my opinion, made things any worse than they already were. Any opinions?
sharethe reason why Biff didn't talk about the affair is because he still loves Willy
shareHuh? The reason he didn't tell her was that you just don't go and tell your mom that dad has been screwing around.-
shareAgreed. To the OP: What good would it do to tell your mother that you caught her husband with another woman? Yes that will embarrass and enrage your father but it would only hurt your mother. He didn't want to bring more pain to his mother, she was already suffering by watching her husband deteriorate before her eyes. I'm also pretty sure that she knew her husband messed around while on the road. It was one of those things you figure is going on but you don't care to know about it and you don't bring it up. I'm sure the son understood that as an adult. Husbands having extra marital affairs isn't uncommon especially husbands who travel a lot because of their work. In no way is it right, but it happens. Many wives, especially during that era, put up with it as long as it doesn't affect their family's well being. He couldn't have gained anything by telling his mother what happened.
shareThere's a moment in the movie that isn't emphasized in the original script that suggest that she may have already known.
When she is telling the boys about Willy's previous car accident, she is recounting her correspondence with the insurance agency - paraphrasing she says, "It seems there was this woman..." to which Biff quickly replies, "What woman?" after which, Linda gives him a very long, very curious look before they resume the gist of the original conversation.
The look isn't in the original directions, but it is definitely penetrating.