A View From the Bridge - The whole of this play involves symbolism, on many different levels.

` A View From the Bridge The whole of this play involves symbolism, on many different levels. The end scene, in which Eddie takes his own life with his own knife is symbolic of the self-destructive nature that led to such an ending. As Arthur Miller wished to write 'a modern Greek tragedy´ it is likely that the symbolism of the dagger is Eddie´s sexuality, which drove him to his drastic actions and eventually death. During the confrontation earlier in the play Marco raised a chair like a weapon, symbolic of the fight yet to come. Rudolpho danced with Catherine when she had previously been attending to Eddie, symbolic of him taking her from Eddie´s life. Therefore it seems natural to reason that Miller intended the title of the play to have some significance other than the geography of the location. The most obvious interpretation is of the audience sharing with Alfieri an unbiased overview of the unfolding of events. It is like being able to see from a bridge over a river, our vision uncluttered by opinions as it would be by the side of the river, or perhaps even as part of the river. The spray and swirling of currents of a river could represent the uncertain nature of life that clouds our perceptions and the flow of water the rush of emotions that carry us from birth to death. Though, even Alfieri is not completely removed from the happenings of the play, he takes an

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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The Crucible - summary.

Act One Summary: Miller prefaces the action of the play with a historical description of the Puritan society in which the play is set and an analysis of the Salem witch trials. To the rest of the European world, the inhabitants of Massachusetts were considered fanatics who shipped out products of slowly increasing quantity and value. At this time the town of Salem, established only forty years before, is barely more than a small village. The Puritans lived a strict and somber way of life, and had a predilection for interfering in others' affairs to guard against immorality. The Puritans carried with them an air of innate resistance and believed that they held in their hands "the candle that would light the world," a belief that modern Americans still share. Miller claims that the Salem tragedy developed from a paradox: for good purposes, even high purposes, the people of Salem developed a theocracy to keep the community together, but all organization is grounded on the idea of exclusion. The witch hunt was not mere oppression, but also an opportunity for everyone to express publicly his guilt and sins under the cover of accusations against the victims. The play is set in Salem, Massachusetts in the spring of 1692, and the first act begins in a small upper bedroom of the home of Reverend Samuel Parris, who kneels in prayer at the bed of his daughter, Betty, a ten year old

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Why and How Does Eddie Carbone Change As The Play Progresses? What Leads to His Death? How Do You Think an Audience would respond To the Changes in his Personality As They Watch Him Destroy Himself?

A View from the Bridge Why and How Does Eddie Carbone Change As The Play Progresses? What Leads to His Death? How Do You Think an Audience would respond To the Changes in his Personality As They Watch Him Destroy Himself? Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge is set in the 1950s, when communities were forced to reconcile between American culture and the Italian community culture that surrounds. The cultural and moral difference between the two provides one of the great conflicts in the play. Eddie is made to choose between the two, which questions his loyalty to his family. The play explores relationships. Eddie Carbone is a tragic protagonist who needs to believe that his masculinity denies any sexual desires. To him, being homosexual is "not right"; this shows his insecurity of being a dominant character. His strong emotions for his niece suggest incestuous desires. Becoming suspicious of his own motives, Eddie doesn't realise these feelings until at the very end. His feelings for Catherine are suppressed. He transfers this sexual frustration into a hatred for Marco and Rodolpho, which causes him to act completely irrationally. Eddie's fear need to secure his good name from Marco is a result of his failure to 'protect' Catherine. The community witness his loyalty die away due to his commitment to keeping Catherine to himself, and turning his vengeance into a need for

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does Miller use the concept of witchcraft for dramatic effect and to expose hypocrisy?

How does Miller use the concept of witchcraft for dramatic effect and to expose hypocrisy? Arthur Miller wrote this play in accordance and reference to the persecution placed upon him and many others by the committee of un-American activities. He was persecuted for his way of thinking, and this inspired him to write the play " The Crucible" to make people realise that history is being repeated. In his mind, the way he and the other communists were treated bared a great likeness to that of the "witches" of Salem and the way the Jews were treated during the holocaust. In the sixteen hundreds Salem was ruled by a theocracy so their ideas of truth and justice would have varied from ours. The puritans ideology was that if the bible says its so, it's so. Most of us are now aware that most of the bible is not to be taken literally, but symbolically. The play itself is based upon the idea of witchcraft and the outcome of hypocrisy and the drama that revolves around it. Lies are a force for destruction; it rips apart a whole community in a dramatic manner. This "game" results in death for the accused and it wouldn't be believed if it wasn't for selfish ministers out to save their status, reputation and money. The innocents are condemned to death. The question is 'How does Miller use the concept of witchcraft for dramatic effect and to expose hypocrisy?' In basic terms, I have to show

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Diary 1 - Hopes and Fears.

Diary 1 Hopes and Fears Dear diary (Marco), Today was the day before my brother Rodolfo and me prepared to leave from Sicily and begin our journey to America. I don't know why I feel so heartbroken about leaving, but I know I have to leave because if I don't things will be worse for me and especially for my family. My oldest son is sick in the chest and I don't know if ill be able to support my wife and kids if I stay in Sicily because there is absolutely no work and no work means no money, no money means I cant afford to get medicine for my boy while feeding my family at the same time. That's why it's vital that I go to America, the land of opportunity! Where there is always work! So if I could get work once in America then I would make some money and I could afford to feed my family properly, buying the medicine that my son needs so dearly to survive. Who knows maybe after a couple of years in America I'll have a good enough job making enough money to bring my whole family over, that's my dream and something that would make me really happy. I cant wait to go to America I'm so excited and I know that Rodolfo is to, I think he's even more excited than I am and that's probably because he's a young lad looking forward to growing up in America. I'm really worried about going to America because of the immigration laws in the country and how were going to get in without

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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By What means does Miller create a sense of Expectations within his audience in the final section of Act 1?

By What means does Miller create a sense of Expectations within his audience in the final section of Act 1? A View from the Bridge A view from the bridge is a play about a couple called Eddie Carbone and Beatrice who are married. Eddie is an Italian longshoreman working on the New York docks. Beatrice has a niece called Catherine who lives with Eddie and Beatrice. When Eddie's wife's Cousins, Marco and Rodolfo seek immigration from Sicily. Eddies agrees to shelter them. Trouble begins when Catherine falls in Love with the glamorous younger brother Rodolfo which makes Eddie very Jealous. Eddie's baffled Jealousy culminates in an unforgivable crime against his family and Sicilian community. The Story ends in a Tragedy. Firstly, Miller uses language to create suspense and tension. For example a quotation containing Similes would be ''His eyes were like tunnels''. In this quote, found in Act I, Alfieri describes Eddie's appearance at their first meeting, to the audience. Alfieri almost seems to fear Eddie as a paranormal beast, a remnant of the great Greek or Roman tragedy. Alfieri truly believes that Eddie was possessed with, "passion that has moved into his body, like a stranger," and was unable to control him. The passion that Alfieri describes is the passion for his niece Catherine. The passion, unreleased and suppressed in his unconscious was a stranger to Eddie's

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Explore the role of Alfieri in Miller's 'A View from the Bridge.'

A View from the Bridge Explore the role of Alfieri in Miller's 'A View from the Bridge.' Arthur Miller is now regarded as one of the world's greatest dramatists. In his plays he explores the struggles of the ordinary man against authority and insurmountable odds. It is his ability to dramatize the attempts to find the balance between the different conflicts of life that is Miller's feature as a writer. "Many of his plays look at the position of the individual in relation to their responsibilities and position in society and may be seen, as a result, to be political." (Tim Bezant.) While exploring human faults he also talks about the hidden emotions within people. This is significantly highlighted throughout his world-renowned theatrical production of 'A View from the Bridge', in which he conveys his true feelings through the themes and messages portrayed on the historical and cultural context of the period. Miller completed the two-act version of the play in 1956, the same year in which it was performed at the Comedy Theatre in London. During this epoch he was called to testify in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee to name the people of communist sympathizers, the height of the McCarthy Era. Miller refused to do so and so was admired by people for his strength and loyalty. In 1957, Miller was charged with contempt by the U.S. Court of Appeals. Miller's own

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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The Crucible - analysing acts 3 and 4.

The Crucible Play Written by an American Playwright Arthur Miller, 1953 The last two acts of The Crucible are highly dramatic. Focusing on two key moments, explore and analyse their significance to the play as a whole. You must comment on how these relate to the social and historical context of the play. Introduction This essay is set out to analyse and explore on two key moments in the play called The Crucible. My two key moments are in both Act 3 and Act 4. Act 3 explains why she dismissed Abigail Williams, the servant of theirs, and her affair with John Proctor, he husband. Act 4 is the moment where John Proctor signs a paper showing his confession that he was seeing the Devil. Now I am going to explain in more detail what happened ACT 3 Just before this key moment, Proctor admits that he had an affair with Abigail Williams. Then the key moment starts of with Danforth ordering Parris to bring Elizabeth to the court, because Proctor states that Elizabeth never lies and will agree with him that he had an affair. If Elizabeth admits to firing Abigail for her affair with Proctor, Danforth will charge Abigail. Cheever brings Elizabeth to the court, where she says that she fired Abigail because she displeased her, and because she thought that her husband fancied Abigail. She says that Proctor never committed lechery. Proctor cries out for Elizabeth to tell the truth for

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Crucible confession

'In what ways does Miller succeed in making the moment when Proctor tears up his confession particularly dramatic?' The Crucible is a play about the mass hysteria and persecution, which eventually led to the tragic Salem witch trials in 1692. It was written by Arthur Miller in 1953 and was performed all over America in the 1950's. It was set in the late 17th Century and follows the life of a farmer falsely accused of witchcraft. The tragic drama was set in Salem at the time of the famous witch trials and gives the audience an insight as to a possible story that may have occurred. The play shows how a calm, farming community can be rocked by fear and paranoia of the devil. The play leads the audience through a time period of around 3 months; starting with the first accusations made by troubled youths, through the trials of those accused and finally concludes with the false execution of a hero, broken down and built up again through the play. When the play was first released and performed in 1952 it was not accepted by society. This is because many of the people that became aware of the play and its themes related it to the communist trials of the time. The communist trials were trials of those thought to be supporting the expanding communist community in the 1940's and 1950's. People were called upon to name those they believed to be communist in front of a court. This had

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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A View from the Bridge

20th Century Drama: A View from the Bridge By Devesh Amar Arthur Miller was born in New York City on October 17th, 1915. His parents were both immigrants in the United States and lead a prosperous life because of the success of his father's clothing manufacturing business. But the arrival of the disastrous Wall Street crash distorted his business along with the rest of the American economy. As the result, Miller worked as a warehouseman. 'A View from the Bridge' was in a single act in its first version and was produced this way first in verse in 1955. This was then revised and was extended into a two-act play in 1956 when it was presented at the Comedy Theatre in London. In this assignment I will be discussing the role of the protagonist in 'A View from the Bridge', and I will look into his downfall and the part that he played in it. I will also be looking at the Aristotelian elements of a tragedy that Miller has used, and I will be highlighting and explaining the important dialogue and stagecraft. The play is set in a domestic area of New York called Red Hook and he describes it as 'the slum that faces the bay on the seaward side of Brooklyn Bridge'. It has its roots in the late 1940's when Miller became interested in the everyday lives and work of the dockworkers of New York's Brooklyn harbour, where he had previously worked. He described it as a 'dangerous and

  • Word count: 6287
  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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