Death of a Salesman-Part 1

This post covers approximately the first twenty-five pages of the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. In this section, four main characters are introduced as well as one minor character. The major characters are all members of the Loman family: Willy (father and husband), Linda (mother and wife), Biff (son, 34), and Happy (son, 32).
Willy is an exceptionally unhappy, unfulfilled personality. He works as a mediocre, washed up salesman in the New England area. He tends to delude himself into thinking he is more important, more popular, or more successful than he is in reality. At points he seems to genuinely care for his family. It is possible that in a better situation, he could have been a good man but he has been worked past his prime. He is impatient and a bit short tempered. He tends to contradict himself and he has no pride or assurance in himself. He exhibits signs of possible manic depression. His situation is not being helped by his family. They play along with his delusions and allow it to continue. He experiences a daydream/hallucination about the last days of Biff's high school career, suggesting that he is nostalgic about those days.
Linda acts as the subservient wife. She seems the most sane of the family. She acts worried and caring  and she is more practical about their economic situation than her husband. She somehow seems optimistic about the future, or at least puts on a happy face for Willy, despite their financial and emotional issues.
Biff has just returned from the West where he went from job to job, doing manual labor. In high school, he played football and was his father's pride and joy. It seems that he has lost all his ambition for life and has become a reminiscent dreamer with no real prospects for success. Bernard is a friend of Biff's who lives next door. He is worried for Biff, saying that he may not pass math if he doesn't study. It is mentioned that Biff has been accepted to the University of Virginia but that if he doesn't pass math, will not be allowed to graduate high school. Biff's decision not to study may be the reason he is so unsuccessful later in life. In Willy's daydream, it is revealed that Biff has a stealing problem.
Happy, his younger brother, is strong and tall but childlike. Similarly to his father, he lies to himself about his success, of lack thereof. He desperately tries to please his father but lacks the maturity to do so. During high school, he was constantly overshadowed by his brother. He does not seem to harbor any spite though. When Biff begins to dream about going out West and starting a ranch or starting a sporting goods business, Happy plays along but he seems to lack the imagination to come up with ideas himself.
This section is mainly exposition and is not terribly plot-heavy. The characters are introduced and there is clear tension between Biff and Willy, as well as between all the other characters. Miller sets up for a lot of family drama throughout the play but little actually happens in this first section.