A view from the Bridge

A view from the bridge

IGCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE

General Information

Full Title · A View from the Bridge

Author · Arthur Miller

Type Of Work · Play

Genre · Modern Drama

Language · English

Time And Place Written · 1950s, United States

Date Of First Publication · 1955 original, 1957 revised

Publisher · Penguin Books

Narrator · Alfieri

Point Of View · Not applicable (drama)

Tone · Not applicable (drama)

Tense · Alfieri narrates the play in the present and describes the events in the past tense. The action occurred sometime before the present.

Setting (Time) · 1940–1960

Setting (Place) · Brooklyn, NY

Protagonist · Eddie Carbone

Major Conflict · Eddie Carbone and his wife Beatrice house illegal immigrant cousins from Italy. When one of the cousins falls in love with Catherine, the niece of Eddie, whom Eddie has incestuous desires for, Eddie betrays his family and calls Immigration to stop the marriage of his niece and cousin.

Rising Action · Eddie is protective of his niece Catherine, Rodolpho and Catherine fall in love, Eddie is determined to stop the marriage.

Climax · The Immigration Bureau comes to arrest Marco and Rodolpho.

Falling Action · Alfieri pays bail for Marco and Rodolpho, the day of Catherine and Rodolpho's marriage Marco unintentionally results in Eddie's death.

Themes · Alliance to community law; The irrational human animal; Naming names

Motifs · Geography; Community; Betrayal

Symbols · High Heels; Brooklyn Bridge; Italy

Foreshadowing · Eddie tells the story of Vinny Bolzano, a boy who ratted on his family to Immigration; Alfieri's speeches

Summary

Alfieri, an Italian-American lawyer in his fifties, enters the stage and sits in his office. Talking from his desk to the audience, he introduces the story of Eddie Carbone. Alfieri compares himself to a lawyer in Caesar's time, powerless to watch as the events of history run their bloody course.

Eddie Carbone walks down the street to his house. As Eddie enters the home two fellow Longshoremen, Mike and Louis greet him. Eddie's niece, Catherine, reaches out the window and waves to Eddie and Louis. When Eddie enters the house he gently scolds Catherine for flirting with the boys so blatantly. Eddie thinks she should be more reserved and not "walk so wavy." Beatrice, Eddie's wife, is also home. While Beatrice and Catherine set the table for dinner, they convince Eddie to let Catherine take a job as a stenographer down by the docks. Eddie informs Beatrice that her cousins, Marco and Rodolpho, will be arriving early from Italy and will probably be at the house that night. Beatrice and Eddie plan to hide Marco and Rodolpho while they work in the country illegally to send money home.

Marco and Rodolpho arrive at the house and have a brief reunion. They are both very gracious for the hospitality. Marco tells the Carbone's that he has three children and a wife back home that he will be sending money to. Rodolpho, the young blonde brother, has no family and intends to stay in the country as long as possible. Rodolpho entertains everyone with his version of the jazz tune, "Paper Doll.”

In the coming weeks, Rodolpho and Catherine spend a great deal of time together, which worries Eddie. Eddie thinks that Rodolpho is untrustworthy and Eddie becomes…