A View From A Bridge- Exploring Masculinity

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Manjinder Ghuman                

ENGLISH COURSEWORK:

Explore The Ways In Which Different Ideas Of Masculinity Are Presented In

A View From The Bridge

BY:

Manjinder Ghuman

Explore The Ways In Which Different Ideas Of Masculinity Are Presented In

A View From The Bridge

In this piece of coursework I am going to explore the different forms of masculinity that are presented in A View From The Bridge. A view From The bridge is a play which takes place in the 1950’s when Italian immigrants were flooding into America illegally. It is a play which shows how the small compact communities lived by their own code of law which is in no book or on any parchment. It is set in the characters modern day New York with law, justice and the police but yet in the close-knit community who are adamant on justice whether the law permits it or not, the notion of justice, linking in with their honour. The play is set in a small place called Red Hook, ‘‘the slum that faces the bay on the seaward side of Brooklyn Bridge.’’

This quote is said by Alferi in his opening soliloquy, Alferi in the opening soliloquy contrasts Red Hook from past to present including the men that used to live there– ‘Al Capone, the greatest Carthaginian of all, was learning his trade on these pavements’. This quote tells that Al Capone lived here – (Al Capone being a, notorious villain who was wanted by the American Government). This shows that the men at this time were rough and were into crime of all sorts. Alferi goes on to say how he kept a pistol in his cabinet for protection; this again shows us how dangerous a place Red Hook was ‘‘I no longer keep a pistol in my filing cabinet’’. However this is what Red Hook used too be like, it is now a civilized community described by Alferi as ‘‘quite civilized, quite American’’.

The traditional ideas of a man are shown in A view From The Bridge in the form of Marco and Eddie. Even though Eddie could be classed as a ‘real man’ he shows aspects of a traditional man. Traditional men would have been raised to know when they were older and had a family of their own they should be the breadwinner of the family, the one who went and did a hard days work for food to feed his family. Traditional men at this time found their honour greatly important. This is shown with Eddie especially right at the end of the play when Eddie wants Marco to apologize or Marco killed for, ‘‘Wipin’ the neighbourhood with my name like a dirty rag’’

Family and honour was the most important thing to a traditional man and men would have done anything to make sure they had a content family and had no shame brought on their honour and the families honour. Nevertheless this was not the end for the duties of a traditional man, they were not supposed to do certain activities such as cooking, cleaning, dancing, and singing along with other activities that would make them seem weird and rather feminine, or in Eddies case give some one the ‘‘heebie jeebies’’

Even though it would have given someone the “heebie jeebies” in those times it would not give someone the “heebie jeebies” in modern society it would be upon if a man did such things as cooking. This shows times have moved forward and the new type of society we have now. In all though these duties were not seen as duties to these traditional men as there whole life had been surrounded by what a man should and shouldn’t do.

Eddie Carbone in a View From The Bridge is the predominant character, in different ways he is linked in with everyone in the story. It is his actions that makes the plot and drives the play forward. Eddie is a very forceful man who seems to see himself as the traditional man with the role of being the Breadwinner. He is used to get his own way and knows his in charge and the head of the household. Eddie Carbone is possessive over his niece Catherine.  Eddie would like his life to remain the way it is as it is changing and finds it difficult to come to terms with the change. An example of change happening in Eddies is Catherine growing up. She is starting to go out and wear make up. Eddie finds this him impossible to come to terms with as Catherine as always been is little girl. To try and tackle this he tries to lecture her and make nasty remarks towards Catherine, like “You’re walkin’ wavy” Eddie trying to control Catherine is only one part of his possessives comes into play when Roldolpho and Catherine fall in love and Eddie does A Vinny Bolzano ,and calls the authorities about Marco  and Roldolpho. His forceful side of his personality is shown as well with his wife expecting her to back up everything he says and does; he becomes angry when she differs on opinion with Roldolpho.

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However even though all of this tends to make us feel Eddie is a heartless man there are warmer sides which we see Eddie in Eddie is also a man who works hard for his family and has a strong sense of community linking with fact of his honour and his security within his masculinity.

Eddie also shows his a real man by the certain activities he does and doesn’t do. As I said in one of my introductory paragraphs real and traditional men would not do feminise activities such as cooking, cleaning, sewing, making dresses etc. ...

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