Critical Essay Plans – A View fromthe Bridge

CONFLICT

Question Examples:
Choose a play which deals with conflict within a family or a group of people
Describe the conflict and explain what effects the conflict has on the characters and the events of the play.
OR
Choose a play in which a central character experiences not only inner conflict but also conflict with one (or more than one) other character.
Explain the nature of both conflicts and discuss which one you consider to be more important in terms of character development and/or dramatic impact.

Points for Analysis

  • Eddie is conflicted over his feelings towards Catherine

Start of the play he appears over-protective and unable to let her live her life.

‘Listen, you been givin’ me the willies the way you walk down the street, I mean it.’

  • Conflict between himself and Rodolpho as his relationship with Catherine develops “Katie, he’s only bowin’ to his passport”
  • His inner conflicted feelings have had an effect on his marriage to Beatrice

‘When am I gonna be a wife again, Eddie?’

  • Eddie believes Rodolpho is “not right” and seeks help from the law (Alfieri). His conflicted feelings are clear for Alfieri and he questions his motives.

‘What’re you talkin’ about, marry me! I don’t know what the hell you’re talkin’ about!’

  • Conflict becomes physical as Eddie boxes with Rodolpho. This in turn sees a new conflict arise when Marco challenges Eddie in the chair-lifting competition. (The climax of the first Act is filled with tension)

‘Come on, Rodolpho, I show you a couple a passes’

‘[Marco is face to face with Eddie…the chair raised like a weapon over Eddie’s head]’ [Stage directions]

  • The key scene where Eddie kisses Catherine and Rodolpho. The conflict between all three of these characters (and indeed Eddie’s inner conflict) has spilled over. Even Catherine becomes physically aggressive towards Eddie.

[He reaches out suddenly, draws her to him, and as she strives to free herself he kisses her on the mouth][Stage Directions]

  • The inner conflict of Eddie and the theme of honour as he, ironically, goes against his own beliefs and reports the cousins to immigration. Link back to the Vinny Bolzano story earlier in the play.

“Even those who understand you will turn against you, even those who feel the same will despise you!”

“I want to report something. Illegal immigrants”

  • The heightened conflict between Eddie and Marco as he spits in Eddie’s face while being arrested. The community turn their backs on Eddie.

“Animal! you go on your knees to me!”

  • Eddie’s inner conflict means he is unable to back down. He refuses to attend the wedding and orders Beatrice to stay at home.

“You walk out that door to that wedding you ain’t comin’ back here, Beatrice.”

‘I want my name’

  • The final dramatic conflict at the end of the play when Eddie and Marco fight. Eddie is killed by his own knife, symbolic of the fact that he created his own misfortune.

“[Marco grabs his arm, turning the blade inward and pressing it home]” [Stage Directions]

EDDIE’S JEALOUSY/OBESSION/CHARACTER FLAW

Question Examples:
Choose a play in which a central character behaves in an obsessive manner.
Describe the nature of the character’s obsessive behaviour and discuss the influence this behaviour has on your understanding of the character in the play as a whole.
OR
Choose a play in which a main character has a human weakness, such as ambition, jealousy, arrogance, self-doubt etc.
Explain how the character’s human weakness affects the events of the play and the other characters in the play.

Points for Analysis

  • Start of the play he appears over-protective and unable to let her live her life.This appears more than the normal feelings of care for a niece.

‘Listen, you been givin’ me the willies the way you walk down the street, I mean it.’

  • Eddie tries to control her life and doesn’t want her to grow up or move on. This puts stress on his relationships with both Catherine and Beatrice.

“What’re you gonna stand over her till she’s forty? Eddie, I want you to cut it out now, you hear me?

‘When am I gonna be a wife again, Eddie?’

  • Eddie is so obsessed/jealous that he turns to the law for help. This is completely out of character for Eddie. He appears completely taken over by emotions.

‘His eyes were like tunnels; my first thought was that he had committed a crime, but soon I saw it was only a passion that had moved into his body, like a stranger.’

  • He tries anything to keep Catherine to himself. He even accuses Rodolpho of using her.

“Katie, he’s only bowin’ to his passport”

  • Beatrice makes it clear to Eddie that he must stop chasing Catherine for all of their sakes.

‘You want somethin’ else, Eddie, and you can never have her!’

  • Eddie gives in to his obsessive feelings and kisses her. You could also say that, as it is in front of Rodolpho, he is trying to prove himself to be the alpha male.

“[He reaches out suddenly, draws her to him, and as she strives to free herself he kisses her on the mouth]” [Stage Directions]

  • Eddie is forced to go against all of his morals and beliefs and report the cousins. He sees it as his last chance to keep Catherine to himself

“I want to report something. Illegal immigrants”

  • Marco seeks revenge on Eddie for his actions. The ending is, of course, symbolic in that Eddie dies by his own knife, suggesting that he was the maker of his own misfortune.

“Animal! You go on your knees to me!”

“[Marco grabs his arm, turning the blade inward and pressing it home]” [Stage Directions]

KEY SCENE – TENSION / TURNING POINT/ OTHER SIGNIFICANT MOMENT

Question Examples:
Choose from a play a scene in which tension builds to a climax.
Explain how the dramatist creates and develops this tension, and discuss the extent to which the scene has thematic as well as dramatic significance
OR
Choose from a play a scene which significantly changes your view of a character.
Explain how the scene prompts this reappraisal and discuss how important it is toyour understanding of the character in the play as a whole.
OR
Choose from a play an important scene which you found particularly entertaining or particularly shocking.
Explain briefly why the scene is important to the play as a whole and discuss in detail how the dramatist makes the scene so entertaining or shocking.

Points for Analysis

For this type of question it is important that you set the context for the scene you will focus on, as well as explain how your chosen scene leads to the dramatic ending. For ‘A View from the Bridge’ there are a few key scenes you can choose to focus on:
  • Eddie and the boxing/chair lifting with Marco and Rodolpho – the ending of this scene is particularly significant as it is Marco’s threatening behaviour with the chair which foreshadows the ending of the play. It is clear from this point on that Marco and Eddie are enemies and this runs the course to the ending.
  • Eddie kisses Catherine and Rodolpho – this is ultimately shocking for the audience as Eddie has crossed the line of appropriateness and there will be no going back from this point.
  • Eddie phones the immigration bureau – in doing this Eddie has gone against his own morals and beliefs and completely contradicts his early warnings to Catherine. He is no longer the same man and there is no going back for him. This ultimately leads directly to his death at the end of the play.
  • Possible suitable quotes are:

‘Come on, Rodolpho, I show you a couple a passes’

‘[Marco is face to face with Eddie…the chair raised like a weapon over Eddie’s head]’ [Stage Directions]

‘You want somethin’ else, Eddie, and you can never have her!’

[He reaches out suddenly, draws her to him, and as she strives to free herself he kisses her on the mouth][Stage Directions]

“Even those who understand you will turn against you, even those who feel the same will despise you!”

“I want to report something. Illegal immigrants”

“Animal! you go on your knees to me!”

‘He’s a rat! He belongs in the sewer!’

[Marco grabs his arm, turning the blade inward and pressing it home] [Stage Directions]

HONOUR / RESPECT

Question Examples:
Choose a play which deals with the theme of honour, respect, justice or revenge. Explain how the dramatist introduces the theme and discuss how significant it is in adding to your understanding of character and/or the play as a whole.
OR
Choose a play in which a power struggle is central to the action.
Explain briefly the circumstances of the power struggle and discuss the extent to
which it contributes to your appreciation of theme and/or character in the play as awhole.

Points for Analysis

  • Eddie warns Catherine about the need for honour within the community. He supports this with an anecdote about Vinny Bolzano

‘Just remember, kid, you can quicker get back a million dollars that was stole than a word that you gave away.’

  • Eddie is embarrassed and humiliated by Rodlopho. He feels that his good name is being tainted by association with him

“Paper Doll, they’re callin’ him, Canary. He’s like a weird.”

  • Eddie tries to show his dominance over Rodolpho by teaching him to box. He deliberately wants to show him to be weak

‘Come on, Rodolpho, I show you a couple a passes’

  • Marco stands up to Eddie and challenges his position as the dominant alpha male. The fact that he does not physically hit Eddie (unlike what Eddie does to Rodolpho) shows Marco to be more honourable and respectful

[Marco is face to face with Eddie…the chair raised like a weapon over Eddie’s head]’

  • Eddie gives in to his passions and forces himself upon Catherine. Here he loses the respect of the audience. He also strives to show his dominance over Rodolpho by kissing him too – perhaps in a bid to prove that he is gay.

[He reaches out suddenly, draws her to him, and as she strives to free herself he kisses her on the mouth]

[Rodolpho flies at him in attack. Eddie pins his arms, laughing, and suddenly kisses him]

  • Eddie feels disrespected by Rodolpho and rages at Alfieri, making his own personal feelings for Catherine entirely evident.

'I take the blanket off my bed for him, and he takes and puts his filthy hands on her like a goddam thief!'

  • Alfieri tries to persuade Eddie not to go through with his actions. He reminds him of the importance of honour and highlights how he will be treated by his community.

“Even those who understand you will turn against you, even those who feel the same will despise you!”

“I want to report something. Illegal immigrants”

  • Marco demands revenge and spits in Eddie’s face. He shames Eddie in front of the entire neighbourhood. Catherine accuses him of being a ‘rat’.

“Animal! you go on your knees to me!”

  • Even in the wake of his actions, Eddie still believes that he is in the right and demands respect from all those around him. He wants both Marco and Rodolpho to apologise for their behaviour./accusations

“You walk out that door to that wedding you ain’t comin’ back here, Beatrice.”

‘I want my name’

  • Rodolpho tries to keep the peace in a final display of respect. Marco, instead, follows the code of his own country and seeks revenge for Eddie’s dishonourable actions by killing him.

“It is my fault, Eddie.Everything.I wish to apologize. It was wrong that I do not ask your permission. I kiss your hand.”

“Marco grabs his arm, turning the blade inward and pressing it home’