Miller cleverly uses dramatic Irony to make his audience feel as though they are part of the play and this technique makes us really engaged / focus throughout the play. He also did this in order to create an environment where we know more than the central characters. An example can be seen when he says: "…Watched it run its bloody course". From this moment this shows us that there will be a tragedy and Alfieri will be the centre of it. This clever technique also shows that there will be more and more conflict and violence as the play continues.
Arthur Miller is regarded to often explore the life struggles of an ordinary man against authority and maybe the odds things that takes place I our society and family life. This book has explored this by using dramatic devices and various themes to help the readers enjoy and understand the play. Some of the main themes are jealousy, love, law, justice and social class. Another clever technique used by Miller is symbolism. For example, at the end of the book, Eddie takes his own life with his own knife. This is symbolic because it shows self destruction of someone who is seen and admired as a hero. This is another reason why his character is seen as a tragic hero. Why would anyone what to take their own life? No one has the right to take their life because they did not create themselves in the first instance.
Miller also creates tension at the end of the book when Eddie kills himself. Miller uses the climax of act 1 to create tension for the audience through the acting and the situation the characters are in, and to present the key themes of the play to the audience. Firstly, he uses dramatic irony to give the audience an insight into how the story is going to end, which creates frustration and tension for them, as although they can see how the story is developing, the characters can’t. He combines this with Eddie’s desire to control and obsession with authority, to put the audience on a knife-edge, as to when one of the characters will lose control and lash out. Miller also expands on the situation of relationships in the play, both within the family, and outside. This ties in with Eddie’s constant sexual feelings for Catherine.
Arthur Miller’s ‘A View from the Bridge’ represents the ideas of manliness and how we see Eddie the tragic hero. In a way, his life affects the lives of their fellow friends and family. His character as a male leads to fights or maybe conflict when other males, in this case Rodolpho, who do not agree to his ideas of manliness. power, aggression are the main themes which influence the mood of the play and the way they are associated with each other allow an increase in tension in the minds of the reader. He feels it is necessary for a man to be aggressive and to use violence in order to state his authority and power. This is evident when he asks Catherine “What are the high heels for, Garbo?” Eddie asks this in a very sarcastic way, however, he is fully aware that he wants things his own way.
First of all, Eddie Carbone is seen as a tragic hero in many ways, but he had his tragic flaws. For example, he had an obsessive love for his niece Catherine. Catherine was a young, beautiful girl who stayed with Eddie and Beatrice. At some point, Eddie became jealous when Catherine began a relationship with Rodolpho, who was an illegal immigrant whom Eddie allowed into his house. Helping a relative into a land that was seen as a land for ‘greener pastures’, you would expect him to be happy to be helping somebody find their feet, after the risk he took bringing them in. This can be seen when Tony says, “Your on your own now, just be careful that’s all. Ground floor”. This is evidence that they came illegally to the country. Throughout the play, Eddie is seen to be jealous of the couple’s developing relationship and has a low opinion of Rodolpho. It got so bad that he could not even say his name, instead treating him like an object.
Eddie was over protective of Catherine and seems to think she belongs to him and deserves a better man. This can be seen when Catherine asks Rodolpho to dance, and Rodolpho replied, “No, I am tired”. The conversation went on to who was the better cook. Eddie says, “He is lucky, believe me”. You could actually picture the snare on Eddie’s face when he says this. This side of Eddie is further highlighted when Beatrice realises his inappropriate love for Catherine and claims that Eddie has become insensitive to her needs. “When am I going to be a wife again Eddie?” It is obvious that the physical side to their marriage has broken down because Eddie has become obsessed with Catherine and Beatrice has been ignored. This is a clear trait that Eddie is a tragic hero. Although Beatrice makes him realise what he is doing, he is blind to the truth.
Secondly, I think Eddie is responsible for his own tragic downfall in many ways. Although he gains our sympathy, despite his flaws, I would say he had many positive qualities that are shown to us from the start of the play. For example, he leads a very simple life and is hard working. “He worked in the piers when there was work. He brought home is pay and lived”. Arthur Miller uses short and straightforward sentences to tell us that Eddie is a simple man who works hard for a living. Like most men, he is straightforward, family orientated and has a clear routine.
In addition, Eddie has a very caring nature. He is kind hearted and likes to listen. For example, when he speaks to Catherine, “Katie, I promised your mother on her death bed, I am responsible for you”. Although Catherine does not like being treated as a child, “Yeah, but how am I going to do that? He thinks I am a baby”, it is clear to the readers/audience that Eddie cares very much for her.
Furthermore, the act we condemn most in Eddie however is the betrayal of his family when he reports the illegal immigrants to the authorities. Alfieri, Eddie’s lawyer, had already warned him against the action. “You won’t have a friend in the world Eddie! Not even those who understand will turn against you”. Alfieri’s warning came true as when Eddie’s betrayal became known to family and friends, they all turned against him. Unfortunately, Eddie cannot see what he is doing wrong; he is so jealous of Rodolpho that he is oblivious to his own inappropriate love for Catherine. Like most tragic heroes, Eddie has a fatal flaw in his character, which is responsible for the chain of events that led to his death. This fatal flaw in his character is his obsessive love for Catherine and the catalyst that brings it out in him is her and Rodolpho’s developing relationship.
Alfieri who is the narrator of the events narrates the events using flashback. So, we can see that this play is told through this technique. This often used to remind us of what happened in the past and often helps to show a character’s memory of his or her past times. Alfieri is also like the chorus. This is a technique that is often used in Greek tragedy. They are known to explain the events on stage to the audience without actually participating in them. For example, towards the end of Act 1: "I could see every step coming, step after step, like a dark figure walking down a hall towards a certain door."
The one person who was able to predict what was going to happen to Eddie was Alfieri. He can see that Eddie is not acting as himself, but like a stranger; as if he was possessed by someone else. “His eyes were like tunnels; I saw that it was a passion that has moved into his body like a stranger”.
As far as I am concerned, the death of Eddie was inevitable. Arthur Miller cleverly allows this to happen so we can see him as a tragic hero as he is. After Marco and Rodolpho were arrested, and the community turned against Eddie, he pleaded, “I want my name back”. This shows he is fighting to regain his respect. However, we do feel sympathy for him because he only does what he thinks is right and cannot see the errors in his ways.
In this play, honour is an important theme. Honour is shown to be very significant, especially to the male characters. “It’s an honour B. I mean it”. This shows that Eddie does not mind that he is breaking the law to bring the immigrants into the country, as he knows it’s an honourable thing to do. This also shows that to him, it is far more important than the law. To be honourable is to be respected; if you do anything dishonourable, you lose respect. That is why Marco and Eddie are so keen to protect their names and get a just conclusion. Codes of honour bind families and the whole neighbourhood with a sense of community. Everyone should look out for each other, to betray someone is the most dishonourable action imaginable.
Eddie is a good example of a tragic hero, as he began as a simple, hard working family man, but became wrapped up in jealousy and betrayed his family. However, in doing so, he died for what he believed in. This is a reason why this play is a tragedy. In spite of Eddie’s death, he won back his respect from Catherine, Beatrice and the community for fighting for what he believed was right.
