Alfieri has a role as a character but also acts as a narrator (a modern day Greek chorus) commenting on the action and foretelling the final tragedy.
Eddie says of Rodalpho that “the guy ain’t right” and “ the guy is no good”. Eddie thinks this because Rodalpho is not as good as he is. Although Eddie does not say it, this seems to be the reason. It is because Rodalpho does not have what Eddie classes to be “manly”, the characteristics, which Eddie supposedly has. Eddie along with the other longshoremen also mocks Rodalpho, to show their distrust of him, calling him a “canary”, “the paper-doll” and “chorus girl”. Eddie is clearly unhappy with the close relationship developing between Rodolpho and Catherine. He accuses Rodolpho of being effeminate, meaning that he acts more like a woman than a 'real' man, by suspecting that his characteristics are those of a woman. This leads to moments of dramatic tension, for example, Eddie’s kiss at the beginning of act 2 (page 64). Although specifically articulated, homosexuality or what makes a man "not right" is a persistent theme of the novel. Eddie obviously identifies as homosexual because Rodolpho sings, cooks and sews a dress for . Eddie also questions Rodolpho because he does not like to work and has bleach blonde that makes him look more feminine. Eddie gives Rodolpho several tests of his masculinity. In the first he teaches Rodolpho how to box and the second, more blatantly, Eddie kisses Rodolpho on the lips, to test if he is gay.
Eddies views and behaviour always leads to some sort of conflict with someone. Eddie does not like Catherine wearing short skirts and high-heeled shoes, because of one of his manly characteristics, to look out or think about others. This is not a problem but what is, is when Eddie cannot tell people how he feels. So because Eddie cannot tell Catherine why he does not want her wearing these types of clothes, Catherine starts to argue because she does not understand why but if Eddie was more like Rodalpho and explained that he does not want Catherine wearing small skirts because its not safe than maybe Catherine would understand and there would not be any conflict between them two. Another example is the conflict being caused between Eddie and Rodalpho, the conflict is mainly caused because Rodalpho does not fit into Eddies image of a “real man” and because Rodalpho and Catherine are in love but there is another major reason, why these two men are in conflict with one another.
Eddie says a man should keep himself to himself. Well first of all Rodalpho expresses his feelings. Secondly Eddie does not tell Rodalpho how he feels about him, Eddie shows him. Than later on this causes conflict between Marco and Eddie because Marco does not like the way Eddie treats his brother.
In many ways Rodalpho does not conform to this image of masculinity.
First of all Rodalpho does not look nothing like what Eddie describes of what a man should look like. He is blond, small built with a slim figure.
Secondly, Rodalpho does not have any of the qualities that Eddie reckons a man should have. He does not keep his feelings to himself, he is not that hardworking, and certainly does not think about others. For example Eddie got really frustrated, for waiting for Rodalpho to ask him if he could get married to Catherine. This shows that Rodalpho did not care about Eddie’s opinion of their marriage.
Rodalpho actually has all the women’s looks and qualities. Rodalpho sings, dances, he is a good cook, and he can also sew. Rodalpho has light hair and a slim figure, just like a woman. All of this is mentioned in the play and Eddie and his friends, about his looks and qualities, mock Rodalpho. They call him a “canary” and a “paper doll”. This all leads up to dramatic tension, for example Eddies kiss at the beginning of act two.
Marco is a conventionally masculine guy as he is a “square-built peasant of thirty-two, suspicious, tender, and quiet-voiced”. He fits into Eddie’s idea of what it takes to be a “real” man. Marco is supposed to be a tall, strong man, who also keeps himself to himself. Marco, also, was thinking about his family the whole time he was in America, in fact the only reason why he came to America was, to make some money and to send it home to his family. These are all the looks and qualities that Eddie implies that a man needs.
Marco is a lot more mature than Rodalpho is; this is another quality that a man needs. Marco thinks about his actions and what it will do, but the problem is that Marco also shows his feelings in what he does not what he says, so this causes conflict between Marco and Eddie because they find it hard to communicate with each over.
Marco’s manliness often leads to conflict between himself and Eddie, at occasions, for example the trial of strength at the end of act one and Eddie’s death both of which are climatic moments. Both Marco and Eddie are very similar, they both express their feelings through their actions, for example Marco threatened Eddie by showing his strength, not by swearing or telling him straight to his face. This lack of verbal expression causes problems between the two men because they do not understand each over, when you don’t talk to someone or tell them your feelings than its hard to know what they are expressing or feeling. For example when Marco lifts the chair at the end of act one, Eddie felt that Marco was threatening him but Marco intention was only to warn and remind Eddie that Rodalpho has a brother. Although Eddie likes a masculine type of guy, like Marco, he feels threatened when there is one around, and conflict arises between the two men.
Not all characters feel the same way about Marco as Eddie does though. The best example is Beatrice; Beatrice is probably the most sensible character of all. She does not see Marco as a threat or anything like that because she knows that he is just like Eddie, this is why she does not side with anyone when Eddie tries to give Marco a bad name. Beatrice knows that Marco does not have any bad intentions; he is only trying to look out for his brother. Though at the same time Beatrice knows what Eddie is like, because he is her husband, and has found out what Marco is like and they are both the same, they are both selfish and stubborn.
This whole play, “a view from the bridge”, is based on manliness. It is about peoples views of masculinity and how others fit into this image and differ to it. Hostility and aggression also plays a big part in the play. Hostility and aggression are two different things. Being hostile or showing open hostility is to only be unfriendly where as showing aggression is to be angry or furious at someone.
Arthur Millers view about hostility and aggression is that it does not solve anything. Often the “real man” is the one who will try to discuss issues and compromise.
Whereas Eddie’s view of masculinity relies on hostility and aggression, mainly for power and status, and this is where the link is between “manliness”, “hostility”, and “aggression”. So there is a big difference between the author’s views and the plays protagonist’s views of hostility and aggression.
In the latter stages of the play, Eddie relies on hostility and aggression to show his manliness. He shows his manliness, through hostility and aggression to regain his status and power, but he fails in the end and is killed.
Eddie, Marco, and Rodalpho do not sound like they do not have many good qualities, but they all do. Eddie is protective, this is a good thing but sometimes he does become over-protective. Eddie is also a loving man. He had taken Catherine and looked after her, almost all her life, just after her mother’s death. Marco had only come to America so he could make some money to send back to his dieing family in Italy. Rodalpho is a great guy. Showing your emotions and feelings may sound like what a woman might do but even Arthur Miller said that the real man would discuss his issues and compromise. If you read through the text you don’t hear much about Rodalpho being hardworking, but right in the beginning we were told that Rodalpho’s job in Italy was to push taxis up hills, and they were paid very poorly. Also Rodalpho doesn’t react to the taunts and name-calling. Whenever Eddie becomes hostile towards Rodalpho he tries to compromise, like when he tries to encourage Catherine to talk to Eddie. So we do find qualities to admire in Eddie, Marco, and Rodalpho.
In the response to Catherine’s criticism of Eddie’s towards the end of the play Beatrice says, “whatever happened we all done it, and don’t you ever forget it, Catherine” (page 81). I do not think that Beatrice is right to think that the female characters are also responsible for the tragedy, I think that they are just the victims of male aggression and hostility. In my opinion, she says this out of respect and because of her loyalty to him; she tries to shift the blame from Eddie to everyone else. We do see throughout the play that Beatrice does stay loyal to Eddie and is a good wife; she does not disagree with him at all, and shows love throughout. Even when Eddie was in the wrong about not letting Catherine marry Rodalpho and everyone was against him, Beatrice still stayed beside him.
Alfieri even said to Eddie “you won’t have a friend in the world, Eddie! Even those who understand will turn against you, even those who feel the same will despise you!” but this is not totally true, as Eddies wife still tried to understand and took no sides and just tried to persuade him to let it be, not force him.
So Beatrice says this at the end to stop everyone thinking that Eddie was a very evil man and that he was crazy but to try and make it look as though it was everyone’s fault. It may have been other peoples fault, such as Catherine’s but the only person who had no part in the tragedy or the build up of it was Beatrice. Catherine may have also been a cause of Eddie’s death as she was totally against Eddie and did not try to compromise, she may have been the main focus of the argument because Eddie loves her so much and does not want an ordinary man to marry her but the best, Catherine does not see this.
