A View From The Bridge: Justice and The Law

A View From The Bridge: Justice and The Law

1. Justice and The Law

   • "civilized" American law vs. "uncivilized" Italian tradition
     • When the American justice system is incapable of bringing the characters the kind of justice they think they deserve, everything goes haywire.
       • They resort to their unspoken codes of their Italian roots. This results in stuff like bloody revenge and duels in the streets.
   • The Red Hook community knows that the law does not provide justice.
     • Eddie and Marco want justice but Alfieri warns that the law cannot help.
       • If he obeys the law, he lives.
   • Alfieri establishes importance of Justice and the Law in his opening speech
     • "In Sicily, from where their fathers came, the law has not been a friendly idea since the Greeks were beaten.."
   • Vinny Bolzano: Obeying the law yet doing something unjust - (Foreshadow)
     • they grabbed him in the kitchen and pulled him down the stairs...And they spit on him in the street, his own father and his brothers. The whole neighbourhood was crying."
     • "a guy do a thing like that? How's he gonna show his face?"
   • Eddie is warned by Alfieri to allow C & Rs wedding - suggests his feelings for C are "unnatural".
     • "When the law is wrong it's because it's unnatural, but in this case it is natural and a river will drown you if you buck it now."
     • Eddie ironically snitches on M & R to immigration Bureau - he has no fixed principle of justice, his feelings dictate what he believes to be 'just'.
       • Betrayal of Family and Community - Like Vinny
     • Morally and legally you have no rights, you cannot stop it; she is a free agent.
   • Alfieri tries to make Marco realise who is the real 'judge' of events - God.
     • "You hear? Only God makes justice.".
     • To promise not to kill is not dishonorable.
     • That one! I accuse that one!