ESSAY

• INTRODUCTION:

  • "A View from the Bridge"
  • playwriter Arthur Miller
  • main character Eddie Carbone, Italian-American longshoremen, 1950s, infatuation for niece, eventual downfall
  • techniques- setting, theme, language, stage directions, key incident
  • RTQ leads to ultimate downfall, highlighted throughout key scene, breaks Omerta, end of Act 2, reporting family immigrants to Immigration Bureau
• MAIN BODY ONE (PART 1)

  • (P) RTQ, strong relationship evident in beginning
  • (C) family orientated setting, jealous of C attention
  • (E) "Katie you are walkin' wavy! I don't like the looks they're givin 'you... heads are turnin' like windmills."
  • (E) E protective nature, characterised as caring + loving
  • "Walkin' wavy!" C seductive, emphasised main theme of jealousy, symbolism of father like concern, controlling nature
  • builds tension due to RTQ, foreshadowing
• MAIN BODY ONE (PART 2)

  • (C) Eddie reluctantly accepts Catherine's new job, audience see his internal struggle
  • (E) "[Eddie breaks into a smile, but it almost seems that tears will form in his eyes.]"
  • (E) stage directions, emotional + conflicted character, foreshadows intense jealousy, ultimate betrayal + downfall, making him the Greek Tragic Hero, ignites plot forward
• MAIN BODY TWO (PART 1)

  • (P) Secondly, beginning of Act 2, events leading to key scene, RTQ, C more attention towards R than E, jealousy, foreshadowing
  • (C) E emerges as troubled, desperate to end growing relationship, Eddie arrives home drunk seeing C+ R out bedroom, erupts with rage
  • (E) "[Eddie sees him + his arm jerks slightly in shock]"
  • (E) stage directions + word choice, anger causes involuntary action, catalyst for following events, characterises E as ticking time bomb, foreshadowing key incident due to RTQ
• MAIN BODY TWO (PART 2)

  • (C) E character in crisis, after learning C + E next level relationship, irrationally reports M + R, causes plays turning point
  • (E) "I want to report something. Illegal immigrants. Two of them."
  • (E) as member of close community, key incident highlights E in conflict with his values, short sentence emphasises blunt + serious tone, underlines desperation to remove M + R, key scene causes beginning of E ultimate downfall, RTQ, ultimate betrayal of breaking Omerta, ironic as backshadows previously, E spoke angrily about Vinny Bolzano, leading to community isolating him
• MAIN BODY THREE (PART 1)

  • (P) Finally, end of play, RTQ, E out of control, committed ultimate betrayal
  • (C) E publicly humiliated by M spitting in his face
  • (E) "[Marco spits into Eddie's face]"
  • (E) stage directions show M outrage, unable to understand his ultimate betrayal, "spits" shows lack of respect, key incident creates growing conflict between E + M, downfall of E, breaking Omerta + main theme of respect, M characterisation drives plot to an end
• MAIN BODY THREE (PART 2)

  • (C) Furthermore, direct result of jealousy in key scene, E ends play tragically being isolates and dying at his own ultimate betrayal + downfall
  • (E) "Eddie lunges with the knife. Marco grabs his arm, turning it inward and pressing it home."
  • (E) final fit of rage, E actions backfire, most powerful part of play, E dies, tense + climactic scene creates brilliant stage picture, E falls before M, sense of hierarchy, backshadowed previously, conflict between E + M causes E death, jealousy causes ultimate downfall, consequences make him Greek Tragic Hero
• CONCLUSION

  • to conclude, Arthur Miller, "A View from the Bridge"
  • strong emotions of jealousy from E
  • jealousy intensifies, causing ultimate betrayal + downfall, mimics Greek Tragic Hero
  • RTQ, causing downfall + isolation from society