A View From The Bridge

A View From The Bridge

1. Role of the Law

   • Alfieri= lawyer/ Greek chorus
     • "Justice is very important here"
     • "the law has not been a friendly idea since the Greeks were beaten.”
     • "watch it run its bloody course" + "powerless"
       • Law= ineffective?
     • "settle for half"
   • Eddie
     • believes its just to send Marco+ Rodolfo back to Italy
     • neighbourhood sees his actions as wrong
   • Marco
     • believes Eddie has killed his family by reporting them
       • thinks it's just to kill him in return

2. Role of Pride/ Honour

   • "you won't have a friend in the world Eddie"- Alfieri
     • If he reports Marco+Rodolfo= dishonourable
   • "I want my name!"- Eddie
   • Marco spat on Eddie in the street
     • took away his pride
     • humiliated
   • "When can I be your wife again Eddie?"- Beatrice
   • Respect= key theme
   • Eddie lost his pride
     • Rodolfo won Catherine
   • Dominance

3. Importance of Loyalty

   • Beatrice= loyal to Eddie
     • listened to him
     • respected him
   • Eddie= hypocrite
     • "some people ain't people
     • unloyal to Beatrice due to unnatural feelings for Catherine
     • unloyal to Marco+Rodolfo
     • "you can quicker get back a million dollars that was stole than a word you gave away"
       • gave his word away to the immigration bureau
     • only loyal to himself
   • Catherine= loyal to Eddie
     • "I never meant to do nothing bad to you Eddie"

4. Lessons about Parenthood

   • "what are you worried about? She can take care of herself"-Beatrice to Eddie
     • Suggests Catherine is mature
       • contrasting to what we know
   • overprotective
   • Eddie is abusing his power and authority over Catherine
   • Should allow freedom
   • Marco= parent who wants to provide for his family
   • "if I take in my hands a little bird, and she grows and wishes to fly, but I never let her out of my hands because I love her so much, is that right for me to do?"
     • reminiscent of Eddie's behaviour towards Catherine

5. Importance of Justice

   • Key theme
   • Marco wanted Justice after Eddie reported them
   • Eddie wouldn't "settle for half"
     • took justice into his own hands
   • Marco defied the law to get his justice
   • Eddie thought he wanted justice for Catherine
     • thought Rodolfo was "just after his papers"
     • but was in denial
       • trying to justify his unnatural feelings for Catherine
   • 1950's: justice= crucial
   • Eddie wants Marco's apology not just Rodolfo's
     • won't "settle for half"

6. Eddie's death- Catherine's fault?

   • "she sat on her heels beside him"
     • like a loyal dog
   • lights his "cigar"
     • sexual connotations
   • No
     • Eddie= mentally unstable
     • didn't mean to fall in love with Rodolfo
     • doesn't control Eddie's feelings
     • Eddie= manipulative
       • made her feel guilty
   • led Eddie on
     • flirting

7. Eddie's death- his fault?

   • Yes
     • "goodbye forever"
       • ironic- said to Rodolfo
         • he had to say "goodbye forever" as he died
     • He created tensions due to his feelings for Catherine
     • He reported Marco+Rodolfo to Immigration Bureau
   • No
     • Beatrice allowed her cousins to stay in the first place
     • Catherine= immature
     • Marco disrespected him