Who is the most striking character in the play A view from the bridge?
Who is the most striking character in the play A view from the bridge? After reading A view from the bridge, I am certain that the most outstanding character in the play is Marco. Marco is an Italian immigrant that moved illegally to the United States of America with his brother Rodolpho to work as longshoremen. In the play, we are told that Marco's plan is to make enough money to survive and be able to send some of that money to his wife and his three kids back in Italy, who are starving because of war in Italy. Marco physically resembles the Sicilian stereotype, with dark skin and dark hair. He is also very tough and he could easily do his job by himself. In this play, the author uses plot, dialog,
actions and symbolism to emphasize Marco's honour which, in my opinion, is his well-known characteristic. All through the play, we can clearly see that the plot helps us expand Marco's character in our imagination. For example, Marco is an illegal person in the country and so deserves to be locked up, and this might give the reader a less admirable view of him, and it might defend Eddie's action. However the fact that Marco left his family to go to America and earn money to support his family and to save his oldest son, makes the reader not recall about ...
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actions and symbolism to emphasize Marco's honour which, in my opinion, is his well-known characteristic. All through the play, we can clearly see that the plot helps us expand Marco's character in our imagination. For example, Marco is an illegal person in the country and so deserves to be locked up, and this might give the reader a less admirable view of him, and it might defend Eddie's action. However the fact that Marco left his family to go to America and earn money to support his family and to save his oldest son, makes the reader not recall about his unlawful stay and makes his status rise to the one of a champion. In this play, Marco's behaviour leads us to discover Marcos violent side which he uses to protect his reputation in a number of occasions. For example, the killing of Eddie by Marco's own hands at the end of the play, is the final display of his character. Marco's character is certainly shown more by his actions than by his words. In fact, when Eddie was making fun of his brother Rodolpho, instead of replying to him in words, he chose to use his strength to get his point across by lifting the chair. As a final insult to Eddie, Marco decides to spit in his face in front of everybody. This is because in the Italian civilization, that act is considered as a tremendous expression of anger toward a person, and it is hardly ever left without retribution. In addition, the action of going to the church before facing Eddie shows us that he is very spiritual and cares about his soul. Marco is a very respectable man and believes in his tradition, and the author shows us that through a number of symbols. For example, spitting on Eddie's face once he realizes that Eddie turned him and his brother to the police is a symbol of disgust and revolt for Eddie's behaviour. In addition, at the end of the play, we are told that Marco went to church before going to talk to Eddie. This action tells us that Marco is ready to give up his existence and carry out a mortal sin to protect his honour, because what Eddie has done, the breaking of the omerta', the breaking of trust, is something that in his culture must never be left unpunished. All through the first act of the play, Marco is only referred as a unexciting character and the only time we are really aware his personality and his power is at the end of the first act, when he lifts a chair over his head and makes it seem like a challenge to Eddie, as a comeback for disrespecting Rodolpho. But only in the second act his character is fully exposed and we see his image transform into a round character. In this play, Marco is shown as the victim, since he hasn't done anything to Eddie but he still gets arrested. Also, although his brother Rodolpho gets away with it by marrying Catherine, he has no other alternative but to go back to his starving wife and sick children in Italy therefore we feel sorry for Marco. These feelings and knowing that Eddie has no doubts for what he has done makes him furious, and at the end of the play he wants vengeance. I think that this play wouldn’t be anything without the character Marco because without him Eddie would of got away with what he had done and have no regrets.
