“There is a pause, an awkwardness,” this adds to the tense atmosphere. Eddie makes the other characters feel on edge. Catherine tries to break this tension by asking Rodolpho to dance. The audience is aware that this is the wrong thing for Catherine to do as Eddie is already clearly ‘livid and this would simply provoke him further. He doesn't like Rodolpho touching Catherine. Rodolpho tries to protest against dancing because he can tell Eddie doesn't like it. He is being polite and respectful. The stage directions again, show this. "Eddie freezes", "feeling Eddie's eyes on his back".
While Catherine and Rodolpho are dancing the others are talking about how good Rodolpho is. Eddie obviously doesn't want to hear this. The audience is aware of them talking about Rodolpho when they shouldn't be and then can see that all the ‘winding up’ of Eddie is going to lead to some kind of reaction. They can see it's making Eddie angry. "He has been unconsciously twisting the newspaper into a tight roll". This body language is another dramatic devise shown by stage directions. It is building up the atmosphere and tension. "He has bent the rolled paper and it suddenly tears in two" You can tell Eddie wants to hit Rodolpho because he is very angry, the newspaper tearing shows when Eddie has taken as much as he can handle.
The theme of manliness comes in now. Hitting another man shows authority and is thought to be showing that you are manly. Eddie uses the excuse of boxing to show off and possibly humiliate Rodolpho. Eddie wants to show up Rodolpho and bully his manliness. Eddies knows Rodolpho is weak and feels he can take advantage of this. Suspense and tension are built up by Stage directions. "He is weirdly elated, rubbing his fists into his palms". Eddie knows Rodolpho doesn't box so Eddie uses the excuse of teaching him so he can hit him. There is a release of tension when Eddie hits Rodolpho. Finally Eddie had reacted to the ‘winding up’ he received early, the audience has now got what it expected.
There is the theme of brotherliness as well. Rodolpho and Marco stick up for each other. When Eddie hits Rodolpho, Marco threatens Eddie. Marco builds up the tension again. He challenges Eddie to lift up a chair. When Eddie can't Marco goes and lifts it up. Marco is proving to Eddie that he is manlier than he is. That he can be as much of a man as Eddie thinks 'manliness' is. It is also intended as a threat. "He transforms what might appear like a glare of warning into a smile of triumph, and Eddie's grin vanishes as he absorbs his look" Any superiority that Eddie may have achieved by hitting Marco has been wiped in an instant and Marco has now managed to humiliate and test Eddie’s manliness.
Arthur Miller uses the theme of 'manliness' to build up the tension and the conflict between the characters. Eddie's stereotypical ideas of 'manliness' can also be seen in the second key scene I have chosen to comment on.
Eddie arrives home drunk on the night before Christmas Eve. Rodolpho and Catherine have been left alone together for the first time in the flat. Eddie sees Catherine come out of the bedroom, already he would have had his jealously boiling up inside him ready to surface. He makes a sarcastic comment to Catherine. "Rodolpho makin' you a dress?" He is criticizing Rodolpho's 'manliness'. As Eddie has feelings for Catherine and doesn't like Rodolpho seeing her he questions Rodolpho's 'manliness' as he doesn’t fit in with the other longshoremen. Rodolpho makes dresses, cooks and sings. These aren’t stereotypical things for a man to do then. Because of this Eddie thinks that Rodolpho might be homosexual, or rather he wants to think. Eddie is even more shocked when Rodolpho emerges from the Bedroom. "Eddie sees him and his arm jerks slightly in shock". Rodolpho knows of Eddie’s feelings towards himself and Catherine and is aware that Eddie might do something. The atmosphere created is tense. Eddie starts shouting at Rodolpho to leave. "Get your stuff and get outa here". He can't stand the thought of Catherine being with Rodolpho. The shouting creates dramatic effectiveness.
Catherine tries to go but Eddie grabs her arm. Catherine becomes scared of Eddie. She knows she can't stay anymore. She wants to get away from Eddie before he does something to hurt her. Eddie is in tears because he doesn't want Catherine to go. Catherine becomes torn between the two. She knows she can't stay with Eddie but she doesn't want to hurt him. Eddie is determined to make her stay. He is still treating her like a child. His incestuous love is another reason to make Catherine stay. Eddie suddenly pulls Catherine towards him and kisses her. She tries to free herself. "He reaches out suddenly, draws her to him, and as she strives to free herself he kisses her on the mouth". This is a hugely significant moment in the play as there is now no going back for Eddie, all his power that he had has now gone with that action.
Rodolpho and the audience would be appalled at this. Rodolpho tries to pull Eddie off Catherine. He is angry with Eddie. He thinks that Eddie should have respect for her, "have respect". The anger builds up between Rodolpho and Eddie. They are both fighting for Catherine’s love but Rodolpho is also angry at the lack of respect shown by Eddie. Rodolpho tries to hit Eddie but it is already obvious that Rodolpho is weaker from the previous boxing incident. "Rodolpho flies at him in attack". Eddie pins him and kisses him as well "Eddie pins his arms, laughing, and suddenly kisses him". The audience is shocked and appalled this is now the very end of Eddie’s power and dignity. Eddie kisses Rodolpho because he thinks of Rodolpho as a woman and unmanly. Eddie is showing his feelings regarding Rodolpho and his sexuality to Catherine by kissing him. He is proving to them that Rodolpho is homosexual. He is also humiliating Rodolpho in front of Catherine by kissing him, Eddie is showing his superiority by being able to mock Rodolpho whilst fighting. This moment shows the theme of 'manliness', because Rodolpho is good at doing stereotypical feminine things Eddie thinks he is homosexual. It also shows the theme of relationships. Eddie shows his incestuous feelings about Catherine by kissing her and the scene shows how their relationship has changed from uncle and niece love to Catherine being scared of Eddie after he has shown his true love. This is a very dramatic moment in the play. Catherine and Rodolpho are both shocked and angry at Eddie's behaviour and feelings. The atmosphere is tense Eddie and Rodolpho want to fight but each is waiting for the other to make the first move. "They are like animals that have torn at one another and broken up without a decision, each waiting for the other's mood". At this point in the play the audience would be wondering what was going to happen next between them. This is dramatic effectiveness.
Arthur Miller's 'A view form the bridge' shows different views on relationships in the Italian immigrant community of Brooklyn. It allows the audience to sample this different society. Arthur Miller uses accents to make the characters more believable.
The play is a tragedy; it traces the downfall of the individual Eddie. The play is also ironic. Early in the play it was said that Eddie would be praised for letting the immigrants stay but eventually that decision leads to his death. This play shows the reality of the American dream. Arthur Miller questions the Dream in the play. He shows that it isn't as easy as people think to make a living in America, as the story of this family shows.
