“A dangerous and mysterious world at the edge of the water that drama and literature had never touched” (Time Bends)
Arthur Miller intended this to be a modern version of a Greek tragedy in which a main character is led by fate towards an unavoidable destiny. Arthur Miller tells us what happens in the beginning but leaves us wanting to know how it happened. Most of Arthur Miller’s plays are based on serious issues in which he tries to show us how people think and react in situations which threaten to defeat and overcome them. So by showing us all this how does Arthur miller want us to react?
Arthur miller wants us to walk away with an understanding that
“Some times it’s better to settle for half”
He also wants us to get an insight into the lives of people like Eddie, placed in situations which are uncomfortable. Miller tries to show us how people like Eddie think and react. He wants us to understand that we can only protect our little ones for so long and then we must let them go. He also tries to show us there emotions, the love Catherine has for Rudolpho, and the mix up of feelings Eddie shows towards Catherine. He wants us to walk away with a sense of understanding about this delicate issue. I don’t think he wanted us to be shocked or horrified. So just why did some people react like this?
This play like most of Miller’s plays touches a very sensitive subject so there is bound to be parts that people would find shocking. How ever were people more shocked that something like this could happen or something like this was being performed. The parts people found most shocking are when Eddie kisses his own niece Catherine and then goes on to kiss Rudolpho. Another thing people would find shocking is how Italians treat snitches regardless of there relationship. These and other parts together make this play both shocking and horrifying to some people.
However I don’t think Miller wanted us to be shocked and horrified after all he was just telling us a story and trying to get his message across that it’s better to settle for half. The same message Alfieri tells us, could Alfieri be the voice of Arthur Miller?
Alfieri sounds like miller watching the view from the Bridge outside his office, telling us the story he sees. He is narrating the story to us like we are in front of him, telling us bit by bit what is going to happen and then at the end he conveys the message that
“It is better to settle for half“
Meaning some thing is better then nothing, so was miller using the character of Alfieri as a body for his own voice. I’ll leave that for you to decide.
So now we come back to our original question, Did Miller get his intended reaction or did he get something he wasn’t expecting, did he get totally the opposite of the reaction he intended people to have.
So he wanted people to understand about this type of situation, not to be shocked that something like this could happen and something like this was being performed. He didn’t want us to walk away horrified about something like this but wary that this could be happen and how people would feel like in situations such as this one. He wanted us to understand the feelings of people like Eddie and Catherine and the rest of the cast. Arthur Miller achieved some of these reactions, however he couldn’t stop some people walking away horrified and shock but never the less even though some people walked away shocked or horrified or maybe both he did get still achieve his intentions.
Arthur Miller may not have got all the reactions he had intended to but he did achieve his ultimate intention of gripping the audience. He tells us what is going to happen but leaves us wanting to know how it happens.
