A View from a Bridge

        At the beginning of the play Alfieri appears as a narrator almost like a commentator narrating the action taking place. Alfieri also provides two benefits firstly unlike prose a playwright is unable to command the context and setting without a narrator to explain what is happening and why meaning Alfieri summarises what is going on in the play. Secondly by hinting or telling the audience what to expect, they focus on the ‘how’ not the ‘what’, this is the irony as the audience know more than the actors in the play. Even though Alfieri hasn’t explicitly told the audience but implicitly, with on our mind we expect or predict what is going to occur for instance ‘as powerless as I and watched it run its bloody course…’ He explains to the audience that you should “settle for half” suggesting that he is able to view the tragedy objectively. The audience see the characters presumably through Alfieri’s eyes meaning that the audience suggestion or view is based on his explanations and introductions he sets for the audience. Alfieri’s character is unparalleled; the reason is that he is the mediator between characters and the audience. Therefore with all the qualities that Alfieri has, he is the ‘view from the bridge’ an omniscient character.

        The play opens with an argument this shows that Eddie is argumentative and/or protective, although his hidden intentions could be for Catherine not to leave, actually he probably still sees her as the little girl he was promised to look after and care for.

        Most people in the Community see him as the ‘model man’ in the American Sicilian community. Eddies character is suspicious and not trusting of others we know this because he says “the less you trust, the less you be sorry”. He is mostly concerned about his honour and the good name he has to protect. He is conscious about the arrival of Rodolfo and Marco; to reinforce the danger he tells the story of Vinny Balzano and the consequences he faced, this also ensured that Beatrice and Catherine won’t speak about their illegal immigrant cousins outside the house. Eddie is quite protective over Catherine; he also cares about her future as he was the one who paid for her typing lessons. Furthermore he has a strong emotional problem that will not accept that Catherine is a woman and no longer the little niece he once cared for; he says “I guess I just never figured that you would ever grow up”. However gradually it becomes obvious that he is in love with her, the signs of this issue is that he hasn’t made love to his wife for a long period of time which causes her to believe this as well. He quickly becomes jealous of Rodolfo as he notices an immediate impression that Rodolfo made on Catherine, the book states ‘He looks at Catherine like a lost boy’. The tension mounts when Catherine tells Rodolfo that she loves him, these words made an immediate impact on the shameful emotion hidden in Eddie’s feelings. Also whenever Beatrice or Alfieri mention about the implicit feelings he has for Catherine, he quickly angers and tries to disguise it saying he is the one who looked after her.

        In addition to this, when Eddie eventually becomes obsessive, he tries everything to prevent Rodolfo from marrying her such as when he attempts to discredit him by insulting his abilities as feminine: cook, sing, and sew. He then claims that Rodolfo is homo-sexual and constantly tells Catherine that he is only after her to gain his citizenship. Continuing his attempt to discredit him, he tries to involve the law but finds that there is nothing the law or Alfieri can do to help him other than the fact that Rodolfo and Marco are illegal immigrants.

        Furthermore he makes excuses. For instance hitting Rodolfo and acting as though he was teaching him how to box. He did this in order to hit him. This causes Marco to act as he sees his little brother bullied, he has a test of strength with Eddie by lifting a chair in a position he was able to achieve whilst Eddie couldn’t. This indicates a moment of truth; finally Eddie’s actions bring about what he feared most his position as the man of the house, the respected head is being openly challenged by Marco.

        Focusing on Beatrice who is Eddie’s wife, she has never had any children of her own and treats Catherine as if she was her own daughter, her character is a loving, and caring person who takes in both accounts of a story and suggests the best solution impartially. She defers to Eddie allowing him control the household; she shows anxiety upon the arrival of her cousins and says to Eddie “I’m just worried about you”. There are clues and hints that Beatrice suspects Eddies feelings towards Catherine for instance she avoids the gaze of Eddie when Catherine gets his cigar.

Gradually this becomes obvious when she talks to him about their marriage. “When am I gonna be a wife again, Eddie?” partly of this she supports or encourages Catherine to be more independent as it was Beatrice who persuaded Eddie for Catherine to go to work. She has a sort of practical approach towards situations such as when she says to Eddie “You want somethin’ else Eddie and you can never have her!” Moreover she is extremely upset by the conflict within the family; she constantly tries to bring about a calming atmosphere. However she remains obedient and stays with Eddie due to Catherine’s wedding, Eddie shows that he loved her although never portraying it saying his dying words “My B”.

        In comparison with Marco he also is a calm uncomplicated character, he came to America to look after his family showing responsibility, love and care. He is protective over Rodolfo as he stood up to Eddie during the boxing incident. He has a sense of justice like at the end of the play he takes the law into his own hands despite promising Alfieri, I also believe Marco wouldn’t have killed Eddie if he took out his knife and that his reaction to Eddie’s death was to know what he sees as his duty.

        Catherine on the other hand, is an attractive young woman who is naïve she continuously asks for Eddies approval of what she will do like her job at the start of the play. She also is excited when Marco and Rodolfo arrive and instantly is attracted to him; this causes her to be initially torn because her love for Rodolfo is at odds with Eddies. She attempts to encourage Rodolfo and Eddie to speak however she is prepared to take sides for instance when Eddie boxed with Rodolfo she ran to Rodolfo’s aid, this gives Eddie a shrewd idea of how much she is willing to sacrifice for Rodolfo. Although at the start of the second act she has become quieter and more withdrawn due to her worries between both men she loves; one sexually the other fatherly. She also mourns to Rodolfo saying that. “I mean I know him and know I’m supposed to turn around and make a stranger out of him?” In spite of this, she is mentally strong to leave Eddie and marry Rodolfo this depicts that she has matured and her independence has grown immensely in these times which she has suffered. However when Eddie dies she blames herself and I presume that she was partly -although not a lot- blamed for the death of Eddie.

        In conclusion I believe that all the tension, problems and drama revolve around Eddie, he is the focal point, every thing that Eddie says or does rests on his reactions to the event. At the start this is a minor: will he or won’t he allow Catherine to take a job? Then it becomes more crucial: will he or won’t he understand that he cannot keep Catherine to himself, which he must consider her to live her own life, not rely on him? Eddie is what the play focuses on-his conflict, both within him and with other characters.

At one point or another he has an argument with all the characters and starts them e.g. “I betcha there’s plenty of surprises sometimes when those guys get back there, heh?” even his jokes are bitter and harsh. He has conflict within himself emotionally whether to let go of Catherine or force her to stay, pretending she is still the child he was entrusted with. He has physical conflict, first with Rodolfo then Marco, with tragic results.

        Each conflict creates a tension that once culminates was unleashed on Eddie all the problems that faced him intensified the more he ignored it eventually causing his own death. Therefore I strongly believe that Eddie was most of all to blame for his own death as it was he who built all the conflict and tension between the people he cared for.