Comment on the dramatic effectiveness of the first scene in Act 2 of A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller
Comment on the dramatic effectiveness of the first scene in Act two of 'A View from the Bridge' by Arthur Miller
I am going to look at Arthur Miller's play; set in the 1950's when social and cultural ideas were very different from today.
There was often immigration to America especially from Italy as there was a lot of unemployment and poverty there. People immigrated to America from Italy due to there being more employment opportunities and a better quality of life there; they hoped to earn money to send back to their family still in Italy. The people that organised their immigration would find them jobs so there was a high chance of them being employed and being able to support themselves and their family.
In Italian society people tended to mind their own business and keep to themselves, although the honour of the family name was very important. Family structures and connections were also very important. Families would normally put their close family first before anything else, then their wider family and then their friends. This meant that if a member or members of their family were immigrating, they would do as much as possible to help them and take them in. Eddie's family were like this as they took in Marco and Rodolpho, their wider family, who were immigrating to America and looked after them.
By this scene, Catherine and Rodolpho have already planned to get married and Eddie has decided he doesn't want them to. He has suggested that Rodolpho only wants to marry Catherine so he can get an American passport and implies that Rodolpho is gay. He raises objections and, although Catherine trusts Eddie, she doesn't know whose side she should be on. This makes the audience wonder for themselves. They don't know who they should be trusting and whether Rodolpho is gay or just wants to marry Catherine so he can get an American passport.
All this time the phone box is softy lit, like a dark cloud that is always hanging over the play, because it is an option that Eddie could take and the audience wonder whether at some point he will. This creates dramatic suspense because the audience are not sure what is going to happen but they also have an idea that the phone box will take a big part in the play.
Act two starts with the lighting focused on Alfieri, illuminating him as he tells the story to the audience. He is setting the scene for act two referring to trade practises that are going on at that time:
"a case of Scotch whiskey slipped from a net while being unloaded - as a case of Scotch whisky is inclined to do on the twenty-third of December on Pier Forty-one'.
He then goes on to explain that Catherine and Rodolpho are alone together for the first time. This causes the audience to feel suspense because Alfieri has used dramatic irony so they anticipate that something will happen between them but they don't know what.
The lighting then rises on Catherine so the focus is now on her. Rodolpho is watching her, as the audience are, ...
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"a case of Scotch whiskey slipped from a net while being unloaded - as a case of Scotch whisky is inclined to do on the twenty-third of December on Pier Forty-one'.
He then goes on to explain that Catherine and Rodolpho are alone together for the first time. This causes the audience to feel suspense because Alfieri has used dramatic irony so they anticipate that something will happen between them but they don't know what.
The lighting then rises on Catherine so the focus is now on her. Rodolpho is watching her, as the audience are, showing that he enjoys being in close proximity to her.
They start to talk and, although the talk starts normally, it seems to get more dramatic as it goes along. At the beginning of the conversation the audience and Rodolpho can see that Catherine is bothered about something and we want to know what she is worried about. From the text you can see she is feeling insecure:
'She looks at him. She seems withdrawn'.
Catherine starts to test Rodolpho about whether he only wants to marry her to get an American passport, which causes the audience to feel dramatic tension. At first Rodolpho takes it as a joke but then begins to see Catherine is being serious and he becomes confused and worried:
'Rodolpho [his smile vanishing]: When?
Catherine: Well... when we get married.
Rodolpho [astonished]: You want to be an Italian?'
Through this part of the conversation Catherine and Rodolpho are both still until Rodolpho crosses to the rocker. This not only causes tension because of the sudden movement on stage but also because the rocker is the chair that Eddie sits in as head of the family. Rodolpho then starts talking to Catherine seriously and he becomes exasperated:
'There's nothing! Nothing, nothing, nothing. Now tell me what you're talking about.'
This shows he is confused and bothered by what Catherine is saying and the tension is rising. He repeats 'nothing, nothing, nothing' showing emphasis and his Italian way of speaking.
As this conversation continues the characters are developing and you can see them at different emotional levels. At this point there is a slight awkward pause as if the characters don't know what to do or say and the audience feel tension because they don't know what is going to happen next. It then becomes more intimate as Rodolpho steps closer to Catherine and encourages her to marry him:
'Once I am a citizen I could work anywhere and I would find better jobs and we would have a house, Catherine'.
Catherine doesn't get drawn in by this and goes back to testing Rodolpho; she steels herself as if she is about to say something important and the audience know something is going to happen. She asks him a question that Rodolpho doesn't answer, but he immediately attacks her about Eddie and whether it was him making her ask the question:
'Catherine [steeling herself]: Tell me something. I mean just tell me, Rodolpho - would you still want to do it if it turned out we had to go live in Italy? I mean just if it turned out that way.
Rodolpho: This is your question or his question?'
The audience can tell that Rodolpho thinks about Eddie differently now to before the boxing. Before that Eddie was like a potential uncle to him but he has now realised how much Eddie hates him, or he's aware of something that he doesn't understand.
Rodolpho takes his anger for Eddie out on Catherine and he answers her question in a way that the audience don't expect him to and shocks them. Catherine is also shocked and upset that he hasn't told her he loves her.
Rodolpho attacks Catherine about Eddie:
'No; I will not marry you to live in Italy. I want you to be my wife and I want to be a citizen. Tell him that, or I will. Yes [He moves about angrily.] And tell him also, and tell yourself, please, that I am not beggar, and you are not a horse, a gift, a favour for a poor immigrant.'
This shows Rodolpho is upset and angry that Eddie should suggest such a thing. He is proud and frustrated that Eddie and Catherine think of him this way. As he talks Rodolpho walks about showing his frustration and anger. He still doesn't tell Catherine that he loves her although he could be playing for time.
The emotion moves on and Catherine talks about Eddie and what he means to her:
It's only that I - He was good to me, Rodolpho. Good. He razzes me all the time but he don't mean it. I know. I would - just feel ashamed if I made him sad. 'Cause I always dreamt that when I got married he would be happy at the wedding, and laughin' - and now he's - mad all the time and nasty - [She is weeping.]'
She doesn't understand why Eddie doesn't like Rodolpho and feels like she doesn't know Eddie anymore. The audience feel her emotion and it makes them feel sad for her. She pleads with Rodolpho to get Eddie to trust him:
'Tell him you'd live in Italy - just tell him, and maybe he would start to trust you a little, see? Because I want him to be happy; I mean - I like him, Rodolpho - and I can't stand it!'
The audience can see she is desperate and they feel for her. They want Rodolpho to do what she wants. Rodolpho doesn't seem to take her that seriously:
'Oh Catherine - oh, little girl'
This could be taken as if Rodolpho is protective over her or that he is taking advantage of her.
Catherine tells Rodolpho she loves him but he doesn't tell her he loves her back, making the audience wonder why he didn't:
'Catherine: I love you, Rodolpho, I love you.
Rodolpho: Then why are you afraid? That he'll spank you?'
He is suggesting that Catherine should trust him.
Catherine shows she wants someone to treat her like an adult so she can be an adult:
'You don't know; nobody knows! I'm not a baby; I know a lot more than people think I know. Beatrice says to be a woman, but then why don't she be a woman?'
The characters are developing and Catherine doesn't understand and doesn't know what to think. She is trying to understand what is going on and what people are trying to say, but she also wants to prove herself and show she isn't a baby.
Things start to get more intimate and Rodolpho relates Catherine to nature and shows what Eddie is doing to her:
'Catherine. If I take in my hands a little bird. And she grows and wishes to fly. But I will not let her out of my hands because I love her so much, is it right for me to do? I don't say you must hate him; but anyway you must go, mustn't you? Catherine?
This could also be interpreted as the bird being held like Rodolpho is holding Catherine. They hold each other and Rodolpho leads her towards the bedroom, showing Catherine as being defenceless and he is protective over her. This is a dramatic movement because the audience assume they will have sex.
When Eddie comes in the audience can anticipate something will happen because he comes in drunk with many bottles:
'[Light rises on the street. In a moment Eddie appears. He is unsteady, drunk. He mounts the stairs. He enters the apartment, looks around, takes out a bottle from one pocket, puts it on the table. Then another bottle from another pocket, and a third from an inside pocket. He sees the pattern and cloth, goes over to it and touches it, and turns towards upstage.]
Catherine enters from the bedroom first and tries to act naturally. Eddie mockingly asks if Rodolpho has been making her a dress, making the point that he thinks Rodolpho is gay.
When Rodolpho appears from the bedroom Eddie realises what might have happened and the audience feel tension because they don't know what he will do. There is a dramatic pause before Eddie tells Rodolpho to get out.
Catherine follows Rodolpho and the audience can see that her loyalty is now with him instead of Eddie and she stands by Rodolpho.
'I just can't stay here no more. You know I can't. [Her sobs of pity and love for him break her composure.] Don't you know I can't? You know that, don't you? [She goes to him.] Wish me luck. [She clasps her hands prayerfully.] Oh Eddie, don't be like that!
This shows her desperation because she loves Eddie and wants him to agree. She doesn't know what else to do but she has decided to be a woman. What just happened in the bedroom with Rodolpho might have helped her to make this decision.
When Eddie intimately kisses her on the mouth he is showing that she is his not Rodolpho's. This is a shock to the audience and might cause them to wonder if Eddie wants a relationship with Catherine.
Rodolpho pulls Eddies arm away and tells him to stop it. He is appalled by what Eddie has done and might also be jealous. He tells Eddie that Catherine will be his wife, demanding and taking control. Eddie mocks and taunts Rodolfo until Rodolpho flies at him and Eddie kisses him. This is completely unexpected and shocks the audience even more than when Eddie kisses Catherine. The audience are horrified, as is Catherine who has realised that Eddie thinks Rodolpho is gay and she doesn't know what to think.
As Eddie leaves the apartment he tells Rodolpho to get out alone, threatening him. The audience are not sure if Catherine is going to go with him and it is almost left on a cliff hanger because they don't know what is going to happen. The lights go down leaving a tense atmosphere.
This scene is particularly dramatically effective because of the fast pace and suspense. There is a lot of varying emotion and the audience never know what is going to happen next.
Eleanor Luckcock L5R
