A View From The Bridge: Respect and Reputation

A View From The Bridge: Respect and Reputation

1. Respect and Reputation

   • One of Eddie's main concerns is Respect (or lack thereof) and honour
     • works hard to support his family and has a proud sense of personal honor.
     • At the beginning of the play, he is a respected, well-liked member of his community.
     • the play follows his tragic demise as he loses the respect of others and his good reputation.
       • infuriated when Marco spits on him and accuses him of turning him in to the Immigration Bureau
         • reputation is tarnished and his neighbors Lipari, Louis, and Mike ignore and ostracize him.
       • Alfieri ends the play by affirming that he still mourns Eddie respectfully, granting Eddie some vestige of a positive reputation after all.
     • constantly worries about being disrespected or dishonored by Catherine, Beatrice, Marco, and especially Rodolpho.
       • "I want my name, Marco!"
       • "I'm ashamed. Paper Doll they call him. Blondie now."
       • "Katie…if you wasn't an orphan, wouldn't he ask your father's permission before he run around with you like this?"
       • I want my respect. Didn’t you ever hear of that? From my wife?
   • matters of personal honor and reputation are of great importance in the close-knit community of Red Hook.
   • To Marco, Respect is also incredibly important and Eddie's betrayal is a direct lack of respect for he and Rodolpho.
     • When Marco yells this in front of the whole community, he's launching a full-out assault on Eddie's reputation
       • "That one! [Eddie] He killed my children! That one stole the food from my children!"
     • Marco sees the only way to regain his honour would be to murder Eddie - Spitting on him in front of his family and community is not enough
       • "Everybody knows you [Marco] spit in his [Eddie's] face, that's enough, isn't it?"
       • Warned by Alfieri that Killing Eddie is is not honourable.
         • "To promise not to kill is not dishonorable."