A View From A Bridge - Millers use of tension.

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A View From A Bridge.

In this part of the play, MIller uses a lot of ways to create tension. He shows this by some of the phrases that he uses. One of the best ones which shows this is, "He has bent the rolled paper and it suddenly tears in two". This is Miller talking about Eddie and the actions of Eddie shows what he feels towards what is being said about Rodolpho and all of the things that he can do. Eddie is obviously jealous of Rodolpho. Some other ways that Miller creates tension is the anxieties of the women and the actions of Marco.

        At the beginning of this part of the play, Eddie is portrayed as a big-headded person. The writer shows this by some of the things that  Eddie says. For example he asks rodolpho to fight with him and when they do start fighting he demeans Rodolpho by saying "come on put sump'n behind it, you cant hurt me". Because Eddie says this Rodolpho jabs at him more seriously and because Rodolpho does this Eddie throws a punch back at him. Now Eddie says "Now, watch out, here I come danish". again this is Eddie being demeaning towards Rodolpho but it is also letting him know that this punch is going to be a good one. These series of actions and phrases are to get the audience to feel on edge. Eddie does catch Rodolpho with a good one and it staggers Rodolpho. Now Eddie is feeling nervous because he has hit his nieces boyfriend, the women come running over to Rodolpho to see if he is ok. Catherine shouts out Eddies name in anger. Now Eddie tries to get himself out of it by asking Rodolpho if he did hurt him. Miller says that Eddie "rubs the back of his hand across his mouth", this could be him showing that he is aggitated. Rodolpho replies that he is not hurt and Eddis is let off the hook. Eddie is then challenged to a game by Marco. Marco places a chair in front of Eddie and he asks Eddie if he can lift it.Marco shows him how he wants him to lift it and Eddie has a go at doing it. He can only lift it an inch and he defends himself immediately by saying "its on an angle, thats why", but when Marco does it he lifts it above Eddie's head as if it was a weapon and Eddie is left looking at Marco's smile of triumph.

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        The women do not appear much in this part of the play but the role that they do play is hugely important. At the beginning Catherine is talking along with everyone else about Rodolpho. Catherine then goes into the kitchen to make coffee and she does not come back into the play until Eddie and Rodolpho start fighting. When Catherine does come backfrom the kitchen she is aprehensive towards what is going on in the room between Eddie and Rodolpho. She immediately asks Beatrice whta is going on and Beatrice reassures her that they are only play fighting and that ...

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