A few years later, during his first visit to Italy, Arthur Miller visited Sicily, where he “saw a dozen men standing around a well in the middle of a dusty piazza.” This image attached itself to the story Arthur Miller had heard earlier and combined with the experiences he gained of Italian Immigrant workers in Brooklyn Navy Yard, he has the background to the play that was to become ‘A View from the Bridge.’
The character Alfieri contributes to the play in many roles. This made Alfieri an unusual character for a 1914 play. Arthur Miller’s pervious play ‘The Crucible’ had bad reviews therefore he was very disappointed as he felt people hadn’t understood “the real and inner theme of the play.” This gave Arthur Miller reason to produce a play that made the themes of the play more explicit and clear.
One of many roles Alfieri plays in A View from the Bridge is the chorus. Consider: “Now we settle for half, and I like it better. I no longer keep a pistol in my filing cabinet.” This quotation is taken from Alfieri’s opening speech (the chorus). The chorus tells you about the past and sums up the plot.
Another of Alfieri’s roles is a friend, who gives advice. An illustration of this is: “There is too much, and it goes where it mustn’t. A man works hard, he brings up a child, sometimes it’s a niece, sometimes even a daughter, and he never realises it, but though the years-there is too much love for the daughter, there is too much love for the niece.” This presents a speech giving advice, put forwards by Alfieri towards Eddie.
Alfieri also plays the role of explaining events and themes to the audience. A example is: “His eyes were like tunnels; my first thought was that he had committed a crime.” Alfieri is explaining Eddie’s mood to the audience. The simile comparing Eddie’s eyes to a tunnel is effective because the audience begin to realise he cannot see the relationship between Catherine and Rodolpho in a positive way. He has ‘tunnel vision’ he is following a certain pathway or tunnel which will lead to tragedy.
Alfieri’s character also moves on time. A representative is: “On the twenty third of that December…” This indicates that Alfieri is cutting out some time and furthering the plot. This is one of Arthur Miller’s uses of Alfieri as a dramatic device.
Alfieri’s most obvious character is a lawyer, as a lawyer and a friend he gives advice. A model of this is: “When the law is wrong it’s because it’s unnatural, but in this case it is natural and a river will drown you if you buck it now. Let her go. And bless her.” Alfieri here represents a lawyer due to the verbal mention of law’s. He also gives advice to Eddie as a friend as well a as lawyer.
Another two roles Alfieri plays is that he sets the scenes. E.g. when he explains what red hook looks like. The other role is he participates in the plot. E.g. when he organises bail for Marco.
Alfieri’s language in the play is different to the language of all the other characters. All the characters apart from Alfieri talk in New York slang. Alfieri talks in formal English; this is because he is well educated. Through his use of standard English Alfieri sets him apart, he is presented as an outsider.
Alfieri plays a very interesting character because he is the only character in the play that is not part of the family therefore he is not biased.
Alfieri’s character adds dramatic effect to the play by increasing tension. Alfieri’s character also helps convey the real meaning and therefore people understand the play better. Arthur Miller therefore achieved his aim of the purpose of the play.
