a view from the bridge

Seite 1

Eddie

·

tragic hero of play, fatal flaw leads to

downfall

·

"a

husky, slightly overweight longshoreman." strong, conventional, hard

worker

·

“I took out of my own mouth to give to her.”

sacrifices for family, love

·

“when am I gonna be a wife again?” difficult marriage

·

welcomes

immigrants, generous, follows street law

·

“walking wavy” difficulty expressing, not

articulate

·

"the

less you trust, the less you be sorry." trust issues

·

“Its after eight” overprotective

·

“he’s stealing from me” possessive

·

Catherine lights cigarette, happy to be tended

to

·

"I

guess I just never figured... that you would ever grow up.” can’t let go of

Catherine

·

“he

sings, he cooks” suspicious to different, single minded, undermines

·

“I

don’t know what the hell you’re talkin about!” Alfieri addresses denial,

defensive

·

“suddenly

kisses him” prove Rodolfo gay, assert dominance

kiss Catherine to show

possession

·

street law can’t solve problem, turns to law

·

“I want to report something. Illegal immigrants”

last desperate attempt, breaks own code of conduct, Catherine more important

than honor, can’t accept wrong

·

"quicker get back a million dollars that

was stole than a word that you gave away” understands enormity, consequences

·

“I want my name” image important, want respect

·

looses everything

·

“Eddie,

the knife still in his hands, falls to his knees”

·

“my

B” truly loves B

Catherine

·

desperate for Eddie to admire skirt, seeks

approval

·

“you

ever think of oranges and lemons on a tree?” isolated, naive

·

excited

by R an M, longs for excitement outside world

·

“enthralled”

by song, mesmerised by Rodolfo, instant attraction

·

“I

didn’t mean that” 49 to R, submissive

·

"

you gotta be your own self more." dependent on Eddie, childish

·

“oh

Catherine – oh, little girl” innocent

·

"Why

don't you talk to him, Eddie?’ tries to help, doesn’t understand situation

·

rushes

to R after boxing. loyalty shifts

·

marries

R despite disapproval, gains independence from child controlled by E to woman

·

“who

the hell do you think you are?” assertive, matures, change

·

“This

rat!” looses respect for Eddie, Rodolfo most important

·

“I

never meant to do nothing bad to you” understands situation, blames self

Beatrice

· “I didn’t even buy a new tablecloth” proud housewife, caring

· “when am I gonna be a wife again?” difficult marriage, abandoned

· “I'm just worried about you.", careful not to upset Eddie, knows sensitive, understanding

· “you’re a grown woman in the same house as a grown man” sees love, addresses lightly

· "It means you gotta be your own self more." supportive, caring guardian, best intentions, attempt to solve problem

· “you never think of it, that sardines are swimming in the ocean!” isolated

· “he’s a good boxer, he could teach you” faithful, admiration

· “you want something else Eddie and you can never have her!” sees truth clearly, confronts Eddie, assertive

· doesn’t attend wedding, Eddie priority, loyal

Alfieri

·

“now we settle for half”, bridge between

American law and Street law

·

chorus of Greek tragedy, commenting and

explaining, unable to change

·

“run its bloody course” foreshadow, in

flashback, powerless

·

“I was so powerless to stop it” regret not

intervene

·

warns Eddie “there is too much love for the

niece”, wise, voice of reason

·

“there is only one legal question here” plants

idea for Eddie

·

tells Marco “Only God makes justice”, religious

morals, against violence

Rodolfo

·

“he

comes around – everybody’s laughin’” different, outcast, sense of humor

·

“he

sings, he cooks, he could make dresses”, feminine, contrast to Eddie,

conflict

·

“it

mildly staggers Rodolfo. Marco rises” physically weaker, Marco

protector

·

“I want to go back to Italy when I am rich” heart

in Italy, changes when Catherine

·

“I

will not marry you to live in Italy” American dream, marriage for

citizenship

·

“if

we can tell him we are comrades now” peacekeeper

Marco

·

“the

women wait, Eddie” proud of wife, confident, faithful marriage

·

“you

come home early now” peacekeeper, parent to R

·

“the

chair raised like a weapon over Eddie’s head” warning, physically

stronger, violent if necessary

·

“he

killed my children” family priority

·

“all

the law is not in a book” justice

Characters