Eddie and Beatrice tell Catherine about a boy who ‘snitched’ on his own uncle to immigration, Eddie is outraged by this, and lectures Catherine beforehand how she is never to do such a thing. ‘Him, you’ll never see him no more, a guy do a thing like that.’ Eddie tells Catherine. He tells how the boy was rejected by his own family. This point is not so significant now, but later in the play it becomes more important after Eddie reports Marco and Rodolfo to immigration. We also pick up that Eddie tells Beatrice to tell Catherine most of the story, as if it was an indirect threat-‘Tell her about Vinny.’
Marco and Rodolfo arrive. As soon as we see Rodolfo take off his hat, we see his blond hair. Immediately we think how he does not fit in with his Italian roots-traditional black or brown hair and dark skin. Maybe we subconsciously get the impression he is slightly different. ‘How comes your so light and he’s so dark Rodolfo.’ Catherine says to him. Catherine appears quite interested in Rodolfo, ‘You’re married too? No?’ This we can predict will not go down well with Eddie. Soon Eddie starts to direct his questions and conversation towards Marco, practically ignoring Rodolfo, stage directions read, ‘He is coming more and more to address Marco.’ When Rodolfo sings Jazz to Catherine she is clearly very impressed by this- ‘Let him finish, its beautiful.’ When Rodolfo sings, he sings about possession, which is relevant to the situation, but not necessarily obvious to the audience at this point. ‘Its tough to love a girl that’s not your own…I’m gonna buy a paper doll I can call my own,’ Rodolfo sings.
Eddie makes an excuse to stop Rodolfo singing, but it appears to the audience his motive is to with him hating Catherine’s attraction to Rodolfo at this point-‘Hey kid, wait a minute.’ ‘We never had no singers here…and all of a sudden there’s a singer in the house, y’know what I mean?’ Eddie then makes it clear to Catherine he doesn’t want her impressing Rodolfo by telling her to take her high heels off-‘What’s the high heels for, Garbo?’ At the end of this scene Catherine and Rodolfo begin to flirt with each other-Catherine, ‘You like sugar?’ Rodolfo, ‘sugar? Yes! I like sugar very much!’ This long section creates expectations in the audience because we can see something happening between Rodolfo and Catherine and we know this is going to trouble Eddie very much-stage directions state ‘…his face puffed with trouble.’ We can predict something bad is going to happen because of Eddie’s feelings towards Catherine, which are obviously going to be un-returned. When Eddie sees the chemistry between Catherine and Rodolfo, it will only antagonise his feelings further.
Alfieri confirms this in a brief speech to the audience-‘There was a trouble that would not go away.’
The next scene opens with Eddie waiting outside their house for Catherine, to get back from a date with Rodolfo. Beatrice goes outside and talks to Eddie. She directly tells him that she thinks he is jealous of the couple-‘Your just jealous.’ Eddie talks of how Rodolfo sings on the ships, say that he embarrasses himself-‘Paper Doll they’re callin’ him, Canary. He’s like a weird. He comes out on the pier, one-two-three, it’s a regular free show.’ It appears that Eddie is indirectly calling Rodolfo gay. Beatrice then goes on to talk to him about their relationship. She is worried about the physical side of their relationship-When am I going to be your wife again, Eddie?’ Eddie claims he hasn’t been feeling to good, he is uncomfortable with the subject-‘I aint been feelin’ good,’ ‘I got nothin’ to say about it!’ In my opinion I think Eddie’s excuse of not feeling too good, is true, only because he has feelings for Catherine only it appears he doesn’t know that, it’s a subconscious feeling. The audience may pick this up, causing more expectations of disaster because Beatrice and Eddie’s marriage is slightly unstable.
To our surprise, when Eddie talks to Louis and Mike, they mention Rodolfo and about how funny they think he is. They aren’t really talking about it as a compliment, in fact, it is an indirect insult. We think this because the stage directions tell us how hysterical Louis and Mike find the conversation. ‘He’s always making little remarks, like y’know?’ This may surprise the audience because we automatically think that Eddie is just jealous and making excuses for his jealousy. But when we hear it from some one else, as indirect as it may be, our opinions may altar slightly as there may be slight truth behind what he is saying.
When Catherine returns from her date with Rodolfo, Eddie talks to her. He indicates that she will have to choose, and makes her feel guilty-‘don’t break my heart Katie.’ Eddie then tells Catherine how he thinks Rodolfo is using her just for citizenship-‘He marries you, he has the right to be an American citizen.’ Catherine is obviously very hurt by this, ‘I don’t believe it and I wish to hell you’d stop it!’ Our expectations as the audience have grown, there is conflict between Catherine and Eddie now, the two that were so close. Disaster becomes a clear idea. Eddie has lost the control he once had over Catherine, she doesn’t listen to him anymore and has her own opinions.
After Catherine and Eddies fight, Beatrice talks to Catherine. She tells her that Eddie is not her father and that he shouldn’t tell her what to do. ‘He’s not your father, Catherine. I don’t understand what’s going on here.’ Beatrice brings up Catherine’s immaturity towards Eddie. Catherine-‘He thinks I’m a baby.’ Beatrice-‘Because you think you’re a baby.’ She discreetly tells Catherine she is jealous of her-‘You think I’m jealous of you honey?’ ‘Well you should have thought of it before…but I’m not.’ Expectations in the audience are created because Beatrice is suffering in her relationship with Eddie, looking at Catherine and Rodolfo make her happy and Beatrice will favour Catherine in disputes between Eddie and Catherine.
Eddie goes to see Alfieri. After he has explained the problem, he asks about law advice-he is taking this situation very seriously. Eddie tells Alfieri that he thinks Rodolfo is gay-‘The guy aint right.’ ‘…he makes a new dress. I mean he looked so sweet there-like an angel-you could kiss him he was so sweet.’ Alfieri bluntly tells Eddie that the only illegal thing happening here is, ‘the way in which they entered the country.’ Eddie refuses to touch upon that boundary, ‘Oh, Jesus, no, I wouldn’t do nothin’ about that.’ Alfieri then says ‘She wants to get married, Eddie. She cant marry you can she?’ Stage directions describe Eddie as furious at this remark. Alfieri concludes this scene by telling the audience he can see the outcome unfolding-‘I knew where he was heading for, I knew he was going to end.’- a very accurate prediction.
By this point expectations of disaster and tragedy in the audience are high. Alfieri has just told the audience he knew Eddie was going to end. That is a vital point in his speech, it tells us he is going to literally end. So far, in the play we have seen how important Catherine and Eddie’s relationship is. We have realised that Eddie has feelings for Catherine, more than what he likes to believe himself. We have established that Eddie is very against the idea of Catherine and Rodolfo, because of his jealousy and fear of loosing Catherine.
All the characters are at the house for a family meal. After they all discuss some of the places Rodolfo and Marco have been. In conversation Eddie gently warns Rodolfo about Catherine-‘It aint so free here either Rodolfo.’ ‘But in your town you wouldn’t just drag off some girl without permission, I mean. You know what I mean Marco, it aint that much different here.’ They have a small argument. Catherine then asks Rodolfo to dance, in spite of Eddie. Rodolfo says no at first, in deference to Eddie. Eddie mentions Rodolfo’s many talents, hinting he thinks he is gay-‘But if I could cook, if I could sing, if I could make dresses, I wouldn’t be on the waterfront. (He has been unconsciously been twisting the newspaper into a tight roll. They are all regarding him now; he senses he is exposing an issue and is driven on.) I would be someplace else. I would be like in a dress store. (He has bent the piece of paper and it suddenly tears in two).’ This long piece of text has significant stage directions. They show how Eddie’s anger doesn’t shine through verbally, but physically. He is sometimes unable to express his feelings.
Eddie then offers to teach Rodolfo boxing, possibly putting on a brave act for Catherine, trying to bond with Rodolfo. His real motive is clear to us, the audience…he wants to take out his anger, he wants to hit Rodolfo. He also wants to show he is much stronger than Rodolfo, he wants to prove something to himself and to almost scare Rodolfo. Rodolfo shows how he does have respect for Eddie-‘I don’t want to hit you Eddie.’ Eddies ends up hitting Rodolfo-what he wanted.
Marco has become aware of what is happening between Rodolfo and Eddie now and is not too pleased. He steps in to show Eddie who is really the strongest. Marco challenges Eddie to a chair-lifting contest. Marco wins and conflict between Marco and Eddie has now begun. Stage directions tell us, ‘Marco is face to face with Eddie, a strained tension gripping his eyes and jaw, his neck stiff, the chair raised like a weapon above Eddies head-and he transforms what might appear like a flare of warning into a smile of triumph, and Eddies grin vanishes a he absorbs his look.’ To the audience Marco’s look is warning Eddie. Marco is wary of Eddie now and will protect Rodolfo as best he can. This last scene has added to the expectations of this audience because Eddie has had conflict with every main character, tragedy is even more inevitable.
Act two begins now, opening with Catherine and Rodolfo. Catherine discreetly asks Rodolfo if he is just marrying her for citizenship. She asks him if they could live in Italy to see how he reacts. He reacts badly, he doesn’t want to know and thinks Catherine is mad. She then tells Rodolfo how she is scared of Eddie, then asks him straight. ‘Would you still want do it if it turned out we had to live in Italy?’ Rodolfo is absolutely furious by this thought-‘My heart dies to look at you, why are you so afraid of him?’ Rodolfo tells Catherine that Eddie is in the wrong and that she needs to let go of him as well-‘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 that right for me to do?’
Rodolfo and Catherine sleep together. This is not openly shown but the audience can predict that it happens - further tragedy for Eddie.
Eddie returns home shortly after, he is drunk-stage directions state ‘ he is unsteady-drunk.’ As he enters he soon realises what has happened and orders Rodolfo to, ‘Pack it up. Go ahead. Get your stuff out of here.’ But Catherine then says she is going as well. Eddie, losing all meaning finds the one way he feel she can express his feelings for Catherine, he kisses her. But in a pathetic attempt to show Rodolfo as gay, Eddie kisses him. Stage directions-‘…she strives to free herself, he kisses her on the mouth.’ ‘Eddie pins his arms laughing and suddenly kisses him.’ Again Eddie warns Rodolfo to leave and refuses to let Catherine go. By this point in the play the audience will have probably realised tragedy is not far off. Eddie did the most surprising and astonishing thing he could have done, he kisses Catherine because it is the only way he feels he can express his feelings. But instead it destroys Eddie and Catherine’s relationship completely.
Eddie pays Alfieri a final visit. Again Alfieri tells him that he has no rights and there is no law. He tells Eddie he has to let go-‘Let her go and bless her (A phone booth begins to glow on the opposite side of the stage; a faint, lonely blue.)’ This in my opinion is the most important piece of stage direction. It creates an expectation in the audience unlike any other quote. It tells the audience immediately this telephone plays a role. Eddie has become desperate. The expectations are obvious, he is going to report Rodolfo and Marco to immigration. The audience think back to the story of Vinny and hoe tragic his story was, he was rejected by his family. The audience predict this is what will happen to Eddie.
As the audience could predict Eddie reports Marco and Rodolfo to immigration.
From that point onwards we know it really is ‘the end’ for Eddie. There is no chance that he can rectify and of the damage he has done.
Eddie returns home, trying to act casual. Catherine, Rodolfo and Marco have moved upstairs. Beatrice has an argument with Eddie about his previous actions and the issues of their physical relationship come into context briefly. Beatrice tells Eddie that it is his fault, ‘ what you did to her, in front of him…’ Amazingly Catherine finally stands up for her self in front of Eddie-‘I’m gonna get married Eddie.’ Which adds to the expectations off disaster because Catherine has finally learnt to stand up to Eddie, she isn’t trying to please him, she is her own mind which is something Eddie wont have experienced before. At a last grasp at hope, Eddie says to Catherine, ‘If you wanna go out, like…I mean I realize maybe I kept you home to much.’ And still continues to push with another excuse that Rodolfo isn’t right for her. The audience see this as a desperate last attempt from Eddie to keep Catherine.
Immigration arrive for Marco and Rodolfo. Eddie pretends he knows nothing about the immigrants-‘who? We got nobody here.’ It doesn’t take long for Beatrice to realise that Eddie is behind it-‘My God, what did you do?’ As immigration take away Marco and Rodolfo Marco spits in Eddies face. This is the biggest insult for Eddie, he is very hurt-‘That’s the thanks I get? I take the blankets off my bed for yiz. You gonna apologize.’ Now this has happened the expectations in the audience are fairly certain-Marco is the stronger man, he is furious with Eddie, understandably-‘That one, he killed my children! That one stole food from my children.’ What is Marco going to do? The question that plays the mind until the very end. That is a wonderful way to create expectation. Not only did Marco spit in his face, but he humiliated him in front of the entire neighbourhood, and the entire neighbourhood turned their back on Eddie. Eddie feels as low as possible he has lost everything that meant any value to him.
Alfieri now has to make Marco promise not to hurt Eddie until the hearing, this takes a lot of persuading, creating more expectations because it makes us wonder what Marco is feeling and about how hard it is for him to promise. Catherine makes a point about Eddie, how she feels about him-‘Nobody is going to talk to him again.’
When Marco does make the promise, he is expecting Eddie to apologize to him.
It is Catherine and Rodolfo’s wedding day. Eddie is on his last straw. He tells B that if she goes to the wedding he will leave her-‘You walk out that door, you aint comin’ back.’ This leaves the audience wondering, what could happen to their marriage who is she going to choose? Whoever she does choose will be the others disaster. Catherine finally does stands up to Eddie, harshly, like a woman. She calls him a ‘rat’ and says ‘He bites people in their sleep! He comes when no body’s lookin’ and poisons decent people. In the garbage he belongs.’ A surprise in the audience and some tension because we wonder what will happen to Eddie now?
Rodolfo comes and warns Eddie, he warns him that Marco is coming and suggests ways of solving the argument-Eddie ignores him bluntly. Marco calls Eddie out. At this point expectations peak, the audience are on the edge of their seats, desperate to know…what will Marco do? Well after a few insults, their question is answered. As Eddie takes out a knife, our predictions are confirmed. Marco turns the knife. In the street in front of the neighbourhood, ‘He dies in her arms’ Neither Eddie nor Marco could give into their beliefs and priorities. But Marco, the stronger man, won the battle.
At the end of ‘A view from the bridge’ Alfieri concludes, a very well though out ending, as he is the chorus in the play. This play is a classic tragedy, and in this essay I have written an account of the main events, and the expectations of disaster and tragedy the audience receive. In this play I think the best indication of disaster is when the telephone booth lights up. It answers most of the plays out standing questions up to that point. For example, How will Eddie cope? What will Eddie do? And so on. Overall I think this is a good play, it has been written with excellent use of ‘brooklynese’ language and Arthur Miller has used stage directions very well. It is a good storyline and gives the mind a lot to think about. A very thought provoking play.
AMANDA ROGERS 10J COURSEWORK DRAFT 2
