The audience in this scene find out that Marco has received a letter through a stage direction, “[Marco finishes reading the letter]”. (pg.51)
Marco feels relieved after reading the letter as his wife probably told him about buying the vital medicine. In the play, we are told that Marco’s plan is to make enough money to survive and be able to send some of that money to his wife and his three kids back in Italy, who are starving. Marco physically resembles the Sicilian stereotype, with dark skin and dark hair. He is also very strong and could easily “load the ship by him self”. (pg.37) In this play, the author used plot, dialog, actions and symbolism to emphasize Marco’s honour which, in my opinion, is his prominent characteristic. Through out the play, we can clearly see that the plot helps us develop Marco’s character in our imagination. For example, he is an illegal immigrant, and this might give the reader a less honourable view of him, and this might justify Eddie’s action. But the fact that Marco left his family to give them support and save his oldest son who is sick the chest makes both the reader and audience forget about his illegal stay and makes his status rise to the one of a hero.
Eddie says that Roldolpho has no respect towards him. Once again this tells the audience that his excuse is fake and that he is a true impostor, “…Girl don’t have to wear black dress to be strict. Know what I mean?”. (pg.52) This is linked to the lack of self knowledge that partly foreshadows a tragic event at the end of the play. Roldolpho does not agree and says he “will always have respect” for him. Eddie then asks Marco for his decision and aggress. He tells Roldolpho “to come home early know”. (pg. 52) There are definite parallels between Eddie and Marco; they are both strong “peasant like” men with similar family and cultural beliefs, set in Italian tradition. Both Eddie and Marco are men of their word, whether they are right or wrong, which is destined to cause trouble that again foreshadows this scene to the end of the play where Eddie and Marco battle their “bloody course”. (pg.12)
Eddies stage directions show that he’s eager to put Roldolpho down and upset but never succeeds. This is because Roldolpho symbolises the younger generation. He is more American in thinking and looking for a new life, breaking the idea of “a tooth for a tooth” and letting go of the revenge culture. For example, “Roldolpho takes her arms. They dance. Eddie in thoughts in the chair…”. (pg.57) Eddie is idea of the boxing match did not affect Roldolpho. At this point the audience must chirring on Roldolpho in their minds as the audience know about Eddie’s obsessive and possessive love for Catherine.
The words and actions between Eddie and Roldolpho highlight the theme of masculinity in this section. For example, “It’s wonderful. He sings, he cooks, and he could make dresses…”. (pg.55) Since Roldolpho laid his eyes on Catherine and Vic versa Eddies been using certain factors such as the one in the quotation above to show he’s a homosexual. But as Roldolpho is young and doesn’t believe the Italian culture of leaving a bad person unpunished he ignores whatever Eddie says. This section is ultimately expressing Eddie’s idea of Roldolpho being a homosexual. He’s using Randolph’s talents as an excuse for his desires.
In this extract of the play Eddie behaves utterly heroically. I think these shows most when Eddie is teaching Roldolpho how to “box”. Beatrice as a sincere ant encourages Roldolpho by what she thinks is Eddie trying to bond not know what it will become, for instance, “Go ahead Roldolpho. He’s a good boxer, he could teach you”. One the “bonding session” commences nobody realises what Eddie has in store for Roldolpho. Eddie then starts to encourage Roldolpho to hit him. Roldolpho doesn’t want to punch Roldolpho but eventually does. Once Eddie gets hit he hits Roldolpho but in a more professional manner. for instance, “[He feints with his left hand and lands with his right…immediately staggers Roldolpho]”. (pg.57) The second that punch was taken the audience must have been braced but at the same time shocked. “Marco rises” the second the punch is taken as he knows Eddie meant to strike the punch. Eddie then reassures that Beatrice, Catherine and Marco don’t have any suspicions of him so he says, “…Did I hurt you kid”. (pg.57)
Roldolpho dances with Catherine. This shows us that he doesn’t take things personally but does have an affect on the audience’s view of him. The audience now know that Eddie is jealous and Roldolpho is aware of it. Roldolpho danced with Catherine when she had previously been attending to Eddie, symbolic of him taking her from Eddie's life.
Marco’s character is definitely expressed more by his actions than by his words. He is very strong, and he is obviously aware of that, but doesn’t like to show it in words, or brag about it. When Marco shows his strength by lifting a chair backwards over his head and over Eddie’s head as if the chair was weapon, Marco is metaphorically saying to Eddie “stay away from Roldolpho or you will have to deal with me”. This scene is symbolic of the fight yet to come.
The title “A view from a bridge” no longer seems to imply the safety of distance from events, but the need to realise, and perhaps revise, our morals in our judgement of others. The story is all about incest, incest is when a family member has sexual thoughts about another family member in this case with Eddie thinking of Catherine in a sexual ways. The theme of the story manifests itself all the way through “A view from a bridge”.
There are other journeys between extremes that could be the “bridge” of the play, e.g. Eddie’s transformation into a character like the Vinnie Bolzano he described at the begging. He becomes obsessed with Roldolpho’s sexuality and Catherine regards proof of this, for example blond hair, the laughter of his friends and his high tenor singing voice. He truly believes
All of the elements I have discussed in this assignment make this scene dramatically powerful and tense. I think Miller wanted this because it had to foreshadow forthcoming events.