A View from the Bridge – Quotation Bank 2014-15 (References from Penguin, Modern Classics edition)
“A lawyer means the law in Sicily, from where their fathers came, the law has not been a friendly idea since the Greeks were beaten.” (Act 1, p4)
The quote talks about one of the themes in the play: justice and the law. The quote from Alfieri is foreshadowing of evens to come later in the play concerning Eddie and the two immigrant brothers: Rodolpho and Marco. We find out when Eddie goes seeking the help of Alfieri to get him the “justice” he thinks he deserves. As he believes Rodolpho and Catherine’s marriage is a sham and it is in order to make Rodolpho an legal immigrant. He believes this is unjust and that the law should be capable of making a case against Rodolpho. We find out from this that Eddie is a man who does not understand the reasons for the limitations of the law.
Alfieri is aware that the law, despite its limitations, must be upheld. However he also understands its inability to dispense total justice. Another example of the theme of justice and the law in the play is seen when Eddie considers call the Immigration Authorities. Although Alfieri warns Eddie that if he betrays the brothers he will be breaching the code of his people and that they will turn against them. By doing this Alfieri is placing the law against justice. He is stating that it would be unjust to betray the Italians, even if he was upholding the law by reporting them.
“No – no, you gonna finish school.”( Act 1, p7)
This is when Catherine and Beatrice are telling Eddie about the job she has found and wants to take, but Eddie isn’t as keen on the idea as the girls.
This illustrates how stubborn Eddie can be – Catherine hasn’t even had the time to explain the job and Eddie has already decided that she is staying on at school.
It also at this early stage portrays how protective Eddie is over Catherine as he doesn’t want her to leave the household (as he loves her).
This is one of the first times we see Eddie over-caring about Catherine as she is a young adult but Eddie won’t let her make her own decisions and is telling her she is staying and finishing school without compromise.
Just remember, kid, you can quicker get back a million dollars that was stole than a word that you gave away. (Act 1, p13)
CONTEXT: Eddie says this to Catherine after they have been talking about Vinny Bolzano. This section relates to the themes of family/community loyalty and American law.
ANALYSIS:
•Reveals/exposes irony and madness of Eddie’s character
•Lectures Catherine about how they must not tell anyone of cousins & warns of consequences
•Story and comment foreshadows Eddie’s fate
•Spends rest of play ‘giving away words’ – contrasts with Marco’s silence
•Tragedy fore-grounded – Eddie is aware of consequences/own fate but cannot control his own self-interest – cannot escape fate
•Remains powerless (like Alfieri) or too mad to stop it
•Miller sets up Eddie so vehemently against betrayal that his transition to betrayer seems illogical
•Set-up requires him to undergo a drastic change/complete breakdown
•Force of transition reinforces his self-destructive madness & deepness of unspoken love of niece
This directly foreshadows what happens later in the play when Eddie betrays his family, Rodolpho and Marco by exposing them to the Immigration Bureau. This scene reveals how Eddie’s love and possessiveness of Catherine caused him to go against, not only his own, but the whole communities values in attempt to have her. Family loyalty is very important within the Italian communities and how Eddie’s values are showcased makes his later actions even more shocking as he so quickly condemns Vinny Bolzano’s actions and advises Catherine to be cautious of the information she gives away within this part of the play. It also shows how destructive Eddie’s actions will be and how difficult it will be to redeem himself and regain his honour and respect in the community.
‘The older one is sick in his chest. My wife she feeds them from her own mouth.’ (Act 1, p18)
Shows how bad the conditions are back in Italy and shows the difference between him and Rodolpho as Rodolpho is only there to have fun whilst Marco is there to feed his children.
“What’s the high heels for, Garbo” (Act 1, p22).
Said by Eddie, directed at Catherine. This is when Catherine comes through dressed for going out but Eddie doesn’t agree with the heels she is wearing.
This shows that Eddie is very controlling over Catherine, even though she is old enough to be independent and make her own decisions, Eddie feels the need to have control over Catherine’s life.
“Eddie- he is sizing up Rodolpho, and there is a concealed suspicious: Yeah, heh?
Rodolpho- Yes! Laughs indicating Catherine: especially when they are so beautiful
Catherine: You like sugar?
Rodolpho: Sugar? Yes! I like sugar very much!”(Act 1, pp22-23).
- This is the first indication that Eddie feels slightly threaten by the fact the there is new young man within the house who will possible take some of Catherine’s attention away from him and apply it else where
- This is shown by the fact that Eddie is sizing Rudolpho up which means he is trying to get an idea of his size and strength so if he has to he can over power him and put him back in his place
- This foreshadows how Eddie will not be happy when Catherine and Rudolpho are together because of the fact that he loves Catherine too much and that he will never be happy if they are alone together or spending time together.
This quote also begins to show the growing relationship that Rudolpho and Eddie will share through the wording of there speech.
- When Catherine asks Rodolpho if he likes sugar it is thought to have the regular meaning of just having sugar within his Coffee but it also may mean the way that sugar is referred to it as a symbol for a lady and this annoys Eddie because he sees it in this flirty way.
- Rudolpho replies in the same quite flirty way towards Catherine as the way that sugar has a second meaning again but it is see as a bit more serious this time because of the fact that they have both realised the second meaning.
- This annoys Eddie because of the fact he wants to be this way with Catherine because of his secret love for her and he also sees it as a sign of disrespect from Rodolpho because of the fact that it is with one of his relatives and has a clear second meaning but he has not asked Eddies permission and he also does it in Eddies house which really annoys him because Rodolpho has walked in and basically taken all the attention away from him.
“Believe me, Eddie, you got a lotta credit comin’ to you” (Act 1, p26).
Eddie is having a conversation with his friends Louis and Mike about the two illegal immigrants, Marco and Rodolpho, who are being housed by Eddie and Beatrice. Louis praises Eddie with the comment “Believe me, Eddie, you got a lotta credit comin’ to you". This phrase is significant as it shows in the beginning of the play Eddie is a good man with good intentions and he was liked by everyone in their community. However it is also ironic as later in the play Eddie phones the immigration bureau and everyone turns their back on Eddie, so he receives the opposite of "credit".
“Katie, he’s only bowing to his passport.” (Act 1, p29)
CONTEXT: Catherine and Rodolpho come home from the cinema later than expected and Eddie talks to Catherine about his worries involving Rodolpho.
ANALYSIS:
- The beginning of eddie showing Catherine his distaste for Rodolpho in a direct manner.
- Eddie is seeking to destroy Catherine and Rodolpho’s relationship because he dislikes Catherine’s ancreased absence from the household and wishes her to be round him more again – it’s beginning to emerge the Eddie cares for Catherine more than he should
- Eddie wishes for the defamation of Rodolpho because he doesn’t believe that he has respect for Catherine and he strongly dislikes him for that because Eddie wants the best for Catherine
- Eddie is trying to twist and influence Catherine’s thoughts in the hope that she will break it off with Rodolpho so that Eddie doesn’t have to intervene further
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. (Act 1, p33)
CONTEXT: Alfieri describes his first impressions of Eddie on his first visit to the lawyer. Eddie seeks to have Catherine and Rodolpho’s relationship stopped by American law on the grounds that Rodolpho is ‘not right’ and that he wishes only to marry her for a passport.
ANALYSIS:
•Alfieri seems to fear Eddie as a paranormal beast (remnant of Greek/Roman tragedy
•Eddie seems almost possessed, emphasising Alfieri’s feelings of powerlessness to control him
•Passion = passion for niece
•Unreleased & suppressed in his subconscious – stranger to Eddie’s conscious self
•Actively denies thoughts of incest (why he is unable to take responsibility for actions later
•Self-interest and self-denial is his tragic flaw
•Style of Alfieri as chorus – dramatic & literary descriptions (repeated in later descriptions) – tale of Eddie becomes almost legendary
•Creates significance for audience – learn lessons from story/tragedy
“You have no recourse in the law, Eddie.” (Act 1, Page 33)
CONTEXT: Eddie goes to Alfieri for the first time
ANALYSIS:
- Alfieri is trying to explain to Eddie that what he claimsagainst Rodolpho cannot be backed by the law as said earlier“the law is very specific,” It needs hard evidence.
- There is no legal action that Eddie can take against Rodolpho thatwould prohibit his marriage to Catherine.
- A contrast between Italian and American communities/cultures; if they were in Italy, in Eddie’s eyes this marriagewould not take place as there the law consists of mutual respect and active justice, not from a book.
- Despite Alfieri’s bad feelings about Eddie’s obvious love for Catherine he is true to American values and tells him there is nothing he can do.
‘He could be very good, Marco. I’ll teach him again.’ (Act 1, p45)
Eddie referring to teaching Rodolpho to box again is a subtle threat- that should Rodolpho continue to displease him with his lack of respect- Eddie will box with him again and perhaps that time Rodolpho will get considerably more than just a surprise. The threat is directed to Marco, as Eddie knows he could easily best Rodolpho in a battle of physical strength he views Marco as the danger to him. Even the fact that he is sizing up the two cousins he is lodging in his house as the enemy illuminates how twisted and paranoid he has become. Ultimately he is challenging Marco to either stand up for his brother or remain detached from the conflict.
"On December twenty-seventh I saw him next. I normally go home well before six, but that day I sat around looking out my window at the bay, and when I saw him walking through my doorway, I knew why I had waited" (Act 2, pg 53)
Said by our narrator Alfieri, just before they have their conversation and Eddie makes the decision to call the Immigration Bureau. Important in developing Alfieri's role as the wise character who knows it all. He just knew to stay behind, almost like a sixth sense. Builds a bit of tension too by saying he knew why he waited, this intrigues the audience.
"I'm warning you - the law is nature. The law is only a word for what is right to happen. When the law is wrong it's because its unnatural, but in this case it is natural and a river will drown you if you don't buck it now." (Act 2, p 54)
Context: Alfieri desperately tries to get Eddie to rid his mind of Catherine and the thoughts of calling the Immigration Bureau; but Eddie has made up his mind, and leaves at the end of the quotation. Alfieri say's this to Eddie after he come to him hoping that Rodolfo has broken the law and can be punished for marrying Catherine. Alfieri is trying to tell Eddie that he must let his feelings go and understand that the law can't help him in this situation.
Analysis:-Alfieri’s tone emphasises that he knows how this is going to go, warns and foreshadows what will happen to Eddie later.
-The final outcry before the turning point in the play; the way Alfieri says it clarifies what Eddie going to do.
-Asks Eddie to stop thinking about Catherine in order to save himself is an empty request, as Alfieri knows it is too late, he recognises that there is no way that Eddie can come back to the ‘angel’ he was at the beginning of the play, and he couldn’t stop the ‘dark figure’ from entering the door.
- When Alfieri says 'the law is nature' he means that it is what should naturally not happen because it is of danger to people
- He is trying to tell Eddie that in some cases the law is wrong or does not apply and by saying this he is trying to say he cannot do anything to help him because he is a lawyer
- Also he is trying to suggest Eddie needs to let go
- It is like Alfieri knows what is going to happen next at this instant because he says that if he doesn't let go something bad will happen and he was right
- Gives the effect that Alfieri is wise but Eddie is not listening almost like he is talking to the audience and giving a clue what will happen next
"And look at the way you look at me! Like I was the enemy!"(Act 2 , p60)
CONTEXT:This is after Eddie has called Immigration and Beatrice has just told him that there are other lodgers with Rudolfo and Marco so Eddie starts yelling at Catherine and Beatrice to get the cousins out.
ANALYSIS: This shows that Catherine and Beatrice have figured out what he's done. He knows that they are in danger and reacts quite violently to the fact that there are others which gives him away. They know that he's betrayed them and given the cousins over to immigration. He has betrayed not only his family but also his culture and the morals he stated at the beginning of the novel. They also realise the full consequences of what he's done.
There is irony in the fact that he says "like I was the enemy" when in fact he is and was from the start. He is the one that has given them up and he is trying to deny it but is giving himself away by denying it so much.
“only blood is good, he kissed your hand” (Act 2, p70)
- Now Eddie is controlled by a mad rage, he truly wants revenge, wants blood
- Before he would have been slightly fine with the apology, but now he realises he can never get Catherine back he wants more
- The ultimate sign of respect and he will not accept it, highlights self want
- Contrasts with the Eddie kisses, he kissed rodolpho as a sign of disrespect, rodolpho kissed him as a sign of respect, but he doesn’t register that in his moment of anger and grief
- Foreshadows end, the loss of blood Eddie loses in his tragic death
- Highlights the dramatic change in Eddie, before he would of accepted the apology, but now there is a new trouble in the way and the ‘stranger’ inside him ‘takes over’ and demands the ‘right justice’
- Beatrice is questioning the new change in Eddie, tells the reader that before Eddie would of accepted the apology and maybe moved on, whereas now Beatrice is shocked to see how much revenge Eddie is seeing fit for the situation
- He then states that what has happened means nothing, that not, an apology means nothing, highlighting how violent Eddie has become over the course of the play, linking back to the boxing scene, when he goes out of his way in order to just throw a punch at Rodlolpho
You want somethin' else, Eddie, and you can never have her!(Act 2, p70)
CONTEXT: Beatrice’s final, most direct reference to Eddie’s feelings for Catherine. It is her final plea out of desperation before Marco arrives at the house.
ANALYSIS:
•First time Eddie seems to realise his true feelings and recognise his own madness
•Up to this point, only referred to indirectly – no one has dared actually tell Eddie what is wrong with him
•When Eddie realises his demon he is powerless to stop it
•Lunging forward in attempt to kill Marco – feeling of inevitability
•Sicilian revenge – cannot pull back or regain sense of reason – gone too far
•Recognition of sexual taboo & what it drove him to makes more determined to seek revenge or success/honour in his death
•No power to deny claims but instead follows destructive path