How Does Arthur Miller Create Tension in a View from the Bridge

Vas Panayi Page 15/12/2008

How Does Arthur Miller Create Tension in A View from the Bridge?

In this essay I will be answering the question “How does Arthur Miller create tension in A View from the Bridge.” The play was written by Arthur Miller in 1955 when it was a one act play, it was first performed in a comedy theatre in London, and it was the later re-written as an extended two act play. The play is about Eddie and Beatrice Carbone and their orphaned niece Catherine, an Italian family living in America, their cousins then come to live with them illegally. Rodolpho one of the cousins starts going out with Catherine. But Eddie is not happy about this, Catherine and Rodolpho then get married, which makes Eddie very angry, Eddie is murdered by Marco the other cousin. There is tension throughout the whole play and it gradually builds until the end.

Arthur Miller creates tension in many ways throughout “A View from the Bridge”, The main way tension is created is through the use of Alfieri, who acts like a Greek chorus. Alfieri tells us what is going to happen when he implies that the story will end with someone’s death. “Let it run its bloody course.” This raises tension because it immediately makes the audience interested in what is going to happen, the audience also want to know who dies, why they die and who kills them. He is also used to tell us when the important bits of the story are coming up. “Eddie had a simple life until the cousins came.” This creates tension because it keeps the audiences focus on the important characters in the play and makes them wonder what will happen next. Alfieri is also used as a narrator because he tells us trouble is coming and Eddie may die. “Eddie never expected to have a destiny…..a trouble that would not go away.” This adds to the tension because it tells the audience that Eddie may die because of this trouble that will not go away, this makes the audience watch the play carefully and wait to see what this trouble may be. He is also used as an actual character in the play tension is created this way by actually talking to Eddie about Catherine and Rodolpho’s relationship. He tells Eddie there is nothing that he can do so if she wants to get married she can do so because she is a grown woman.

“Let her go, that’s my advice she’s a woman now. You’ve done your job now it’s her life.” This raises tension because Eddie becomes more and more frustrated as he is told there is nothing he can do.

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Arthur Miller also uses Eddie’s relationship with Catherine and Beatrice to build tension. Firstly Eddie doesn’t want Catherine to get a job but she does anyway. “What job? She’s gonna finish school.” This creates tension because it shows the conflict between Eddie and Catherine and how Eddie is losing power and respect. Catherine later tells Eddie that she wants to marry Rodolpho, so Eddie tells her that Rodolpho only wants to marry her to become an American citizen. “He marries you he’s got the right to be an American citizen that’s what’s going on.” This builds a great deal of tension because it shows how much Eddie dislikes Rodolpho and thinks he’s only after a green card. Catherine then goes against his advice and decides to marry Rodolpho, Eddie reacts badly to these challenges to his authority by firstly going to Alfieri who is a lawyer and sees there is nothing he can do so he resorts back to the Italian way.

Another way tension is created is by the Arrival of the cousins. Eddie and Beatrice have illegal immigrants living with them.” Come on in.”

This is tense because it is illegal to have immigrants in the house and they may get caught. Another point is when, towards the end of Act one, Eddie calls immigration about Marco and Rodolpho. “Give me the number of the immigration bureau.” This creates tension because Eddie goes against one of his Italian values and snitches on his family.

The most important and effective way Arthur Miller builds tension, is through the use of dramatic devices (stage directions and movement).

At the end of Act one, when Marco towers above Eddie with a chair. “The chair raised like a weapon above Eddies head.” This builds tension because it shows the conflict between the two men and there is no dialogue only stage direction. Where Eddie is boxing with Rodolpho what is being done raises tension. “He feints with his left and lands with his right.”

The tension is created by the difference between what is being said and what is being done. At the end of the play the stage directions show how Eddie is killed. “Eddie lunges with the knife Marco grabs his arm turning the blade inward and pressing it home.” The tension is created because Eddie is killed.

Finally, Miller uses cultural conflicts in “A View from the Bridge” to some tension. He shows how at the beginning of the play Eddie had Italian values and a the play progresses he turns towards American values by going to see a lawyer and the back to Italian and gets himself killed.

This Essay shows how Arthur Miller creates tension in a variety of ways, through the use of Alfieri, Eddie’s relationship with Catherine and Beatrice, the arrival of the cousins, dramatic devices, and cultural conflicts.

I have found that the role of Alfieri was very effective at creating tension because he was used as a narrator by introducing the play, like a Greek chorus by telling us when something bad will happen, he is also used as a character in the play. I also found the use of dramatic devices very tense, the ending was very tense and effective because it showed the audience how Eddie has changed throughout the play and finally how he resorts in trying to kill Marco but his plan goes wrong and he ends up dead.

Overall I found the play very tense and interesting throughout.