In the play, Arthur Miller uses a number of dramatic devices many of which are seen in the first act but their significance only becomes
apparent to the audience in the second act. These dramatic devices are: use of language, dialogue and its sub textual meanings, stage directions, characters’ actions, props and lighting.
USE OF LANGUAGE
The first dramatic technique I am going to analyse is the use of language in Alfieri’s speech at the start of the play. Miller has put this at the start of the play to prepare the audience for what will happen later on in the play.
The speech starts to develop tension because there are a lot of negative and violent words used. For example, Alfieri uses terms such as ‘Machine Gun.’ The effect of using a term like this is to create tension for the audience, as they now know that something bad is going to happen later on in the play. As the play progresses the audience realise that this is the only time when Alfieri uses negative and violent language. So his words take on a deeper meaning when the audience realises this.
I am now going to look at Eddie’s language in the first act. His speech is simple but at the start of the play his words are more vibrant towards Catherine as he tells he that she is “walking wavy.” At the same time he also refers to her as a “Madonna.” This gives the audience the idea that she is pure and she is a virgin and Eddie wants her to stay as she is.
“ Listen, B., she’ll be with a lot of plumbers? And sailors up and down the street?” This illustrates Eddie’s feelings for Catherine and it can also mean that he does not want any other men looking at Catherine or marrying her.
Eddie’s dialogue changes when the cousins arrive. He uses working class American colloquial words, such as “Yiz have a nice trip?” when he asks the cousins Marco and Rodolfo about their journey.
Eddie wants to make it clear that he is the man of the house and that he is in charge. These expressions are only used in the first act when he is speaking to Marco and Rodolfo. This builds tension because the audience know that Eddie is going to start trouble with Marco and Rodolfo later on.
DIALOUGE AND ITS SUBTEXTUAL MEANINGS
The next dramatic technique I am going to look at is the dialogue and its sub-textual meanings. The first part of the play contains some dialogue that creates tension for example when Eddie, Catherine and Beatrice are waiting for Marco and Rodolfo to arrive they have a conversation about
“ Oh Jesus no. I wouldn’t do nothing about that, I mean-’’
This is ironic because Eddie is disgusted by the thought of him betraying his own family but Eddie will betray his family later on in the play.
Some other parts release tension after a tense moment. For example Eddie, Catherine and Beatrice were having a conversation about Spiders “Just be sure there’s no spiders in it will ya?” Millar has put this dialogue in deliberately to release tension after the tense moment of the waiting for the cousins.
In the dialogue between Eddie, Marco and Rodolfo. Eddie is very provocative.
STAGE DIRECTIONS
CHARACTERS ACTIONS.
PROPS AND LIGHTING
Another dramatic technique I am going to analyse is the way the props and lighting are used in the play. There is a telephone booth and Alfieri’s desk. These will build tension later on in the play ecspcially the telephone booth. “ there is also a telephone booth…”
As this is a stage prop it will be used later on in the play in act two but it will build tension throughout the first act and the first part of the second act. This is because the
