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"Attention must be paid."

The only time I saw "Death of a Salesman" professionally performed I was almost 19 and I wept for most of the second act. I have not read or seen it since, but recently returned to it. 16 years after my first encounter with this piece I still am moved by it, but for very different reasons. I guess that is what makes it a classic.
The protagonist of the play, the iconic Willy Loman, is a frustrating, loser of a man who frankly has been a cruel fool his entire life. He is jealous of people who succeed, even when their success is because of their own merits, he is an adulterer, and he is a dad who wants to be his son's buddy, not his father. In short, he is everything I dislike. I don't feel sympathy for Willy Loman, and when he died I breathed a sigh of relief for his family who has been relieved of the burden of dealing with him. With the exception of his ever faithful wife, Linda, Willy's sons have already relieved themselves of him (to varying degrees). So the "hero" of the play is not noble, and does not meet Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero. So what is the tragedy? Why is the play so important? I think there are two primary reasons.
The first is the relationship between Willy and his sons, especially Biff. Biff and his father love each other very much; they just don't love each other very well. I think there are a lot of fathers and sons who can relate to that dynamic. It made me cringe more than a few times with its poignancy, and accuracy. And watching Biff's frustration with trying to communicate honestly with his father (the fault belonging to them both) was the reason for my weeping all those years ago.
The other reason the play is tragic is because although Willy is a nobody (and I think it is his own doing) he was loved by some people who cared deeply about him. Despite a wonderful wife, some loyal friends that he does not deserve, etc. Willy is always looking for greener grass and never content with what is in front of him. To have some truly good things, primarily family love and friendship, and to spit in its face for decades is the tragedy. Willy was a somebody to them, but it was not enough for him. The tragedy of this piece stems from Willy's ignorance, and also is extended for those who loved him.
There is a lot that can be said about this play, and I don't pretend to be the final word. These are just some thoughts. Read it for yourself; let some of the lovely prose sweep over you. Pay attention to some of Linda's speeches as even out of context they are wonderful. I don't think you will walk away from "Death of a Salesman" unhappy that you read it.