Dánisa​ ​Garderes Introduction​ ​to​ ​Literature September​ ​16th.

,​ ​2017 
IFD​ ​de​ ​la​ ​Costa 

“A​ ​view​ ​from​ ​the​ ​bridge”

Arthur​ ​Miller

1.​ ​In​ ​his​ ​first​ ​monologue​ ​Alfieri​ ​claims​ ​that​ ​in​ ​The​ ​Red​ ​Hook
justice​ ​and​ ​the​ ​law​ ​do​ ​not​ ​go​ ​hand​ ​in​ ​hand.​ ​ ​How​ ​does​ ​he​ ​state
this​ ​idea?​ ​What​ ​example​ ​of​ ​this​ ​can​ ​you​ ​find​ ​in​ ​Act​ ​I?

Alfieri​ ​refers​ ​to​ ​the​ ​difference​ ​between​ ​law​ ​and​ ​justice​ ​in​ ​The​ ​Red​ ​Hook​ ​by​ ​stating:​ ​“Oh,
there​ ​were​ ​many​ ​here​ ​who​ ​were​ ​justly​ ​shot​ ​by​ ​unjust​ ​men.​ ​Justice​ ​is​ ​very​ ​important​ ​here.”​ ​In
this​ ​statement,​ ​he​ ​claims​ ​that​ ​“unjust​ ​men”​ ​-criminals-​ ​sometimes​ ​act​ ​in​ ​a​ ​just​ ​way​ ​by
committing​ ​a​ ​crime.
As​ ​Fredericksen​ ​(2017)​ ​explains,
“​Eddie​ ​and​ ​other​ ​inhabitants​ ​of​ ​Red​ ​Hook​ ​have​ ​a​ ​complicated​ ​relationship​ ​to​ ​the​ ​law.​ ​They
have​ ​a​ ​higher​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​familial​ ​duty​ ​and​ ​justice​ ​that​ ​contradicts​ ​the​ ​law’s​ ​mandates​ ​about
immigration,​ ​so​ ​that​ ​they​ ​are​ ​forced​ ​to​ ​hide​ ​their​ ​illegal​ ​family​ ​members​ ​in​ ​their​ ​homes.​ ​(...)
The​ ​story​ ​about​ ​the​ ​boy​ ​highlights​ ​the​ ​conflict​ ​between​ ​a​ ​familial​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​justice​ ​and​ ​the
law.​ ​In​ ​obeying​ ​the​ ​law,​ ​the​ ​boy​ ​betrayed​ ​his​ ​family,​ ​who​ ​sought​ ​their​ ​own​ ​form​ ​of​ ​justice​ ​in
violent​ ​revenge​”.
The​ ​story​ ​that​ ​Eddie​ ​and​ ​Beatrice​ ​tell​ ​Catherine​ ​about​ ​Vinny​ ​Bolzano​ ​is​ ​the​ ​first​ ​example​ ​of​ ​a
person​ ​who​ ​acts​ ​by​ ​the​ ​law,​ ​but​ ​in​ ​this​ ​way​ ​behaves​ ​unjustly.
Later​ ​on​ ​Act​ ​I,​ ​Eddie​ ​comes​ ​to​ ​Alfieri’s​ ​office​ ​to​ ​ask​ ​for​ ​legal​ ​advice,​ ​he​ ​wants​ ​to​ ​do
something​ ​about​ ​Rodolpho,​ ​but​ ​he​ ​committed​ ​no​ ​crime,​ ​so​ ​Alfieri​ ​concludes​ ​there​ ​is​ ​nothing
legal​ ​to​ ​be​ ​done.​ ​Still,​ ​Eddie​ ​feels​ ​it​ ​is​ ​not​ ​right​ ​for​ ​him​ ​not​ ​to​ ​act,​ ​because​ ​he​ ​is​ ​certain​ ​that
Rodolpho​ ​doesn’t​ ​have​ ​true​ ​feelings​ ​for​ ​Catherine,​ ​in​ ​spite​ ​of​ ​having​ ​no​ ​proof​ ​of​ ​that.​ ​This​ ​is
a​ ​second​ ​example​ ​of​ ​how​ ​justice​ ​and​ ​law​ ​don’t​ ​go​ ​hand​ ​in​ ​hand.
“​Eddie​ ​feels​ ​that​ ​the​ ​way​ ​Rodolpho​ ​has​ ​courted​ ​Catherine​ ​is​ ​simply​ ​not​ ​right,​ ​and​ ​that​ ​he
should​ ​therefore​ ​have​ ​some​ ​recourse​ ​in​ ​the​ ​law.​ ​But​ ​Alfieri​ ​is​ ​bound​ ​by​ ​the​ ​specificities​ ​of
the​ ​law,​ ​which​ ​don’t​ ​address​ ​every​ ​instance​ ​of​ ​right​ ​and​ ​wrong”​ .​ ​(Fredericksen,​ ​2017).
When​ ​Eddie​ ​leaves​ ​Alfieri’s​ ​office,​ ​the​ ​lawyer​ ​develops​ ​a​ ​monologue​ ​in​ ​which​ ​he​ ​reflects​ ​on
how​ ​he​ ​knew​ ​at​ ​that​ ​time​ ​that​ ​tragedy​ ​was​ ​about​ ​to​ ​happen,​ ​but​ ​he​ ​was​ ​powerless​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​it:
“​There​ ​are​ ​times​ ​when​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​spread​ ​an​ ​alarm,​ ​but​ ​nothing​ ​has​ ​happened.​ ​I​ ​knew,​ ​I
knew​ ​then​ ​and​ ​there​ ​–​ ​I​ ​could​ ​have​ ​finished​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​story​ ​that​ ​afternoon.​ ​It​ ​wasn’t​ ​as
though​ ​there​ ​was​ ​a​ ​mystery​ ​to​ ​unravel.​ ​I​ ​could​ ​see​ ​every​ ​step​ ​coming,​ ​step​ ​after​ ​step,​ ​like​ ​a
dark​ ​figure​ ​walking​ ​down​ ​a​ ​hall​ ​toward​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​door.​ ​I​ ​knew​ ​where​ ​he​ ​was​ ​heading​ ​for,​ ​I
knew​ ​where​ ​he​ ​was​ ​going​ ​to​ ​end.​ ​And​ ​I​ ​sat​ ​here​ ​many​ ​afternoons​ ​asking​ ​myself​ ​why,​ ​being
an​ ​intelligent​ ​man,​ ​I​ ​was​ ​so​ ​powerless​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​it.​..”​ ​(pages​ ​43-44).
The​ ​character​ ​of​ ​Alfieri​ ​is​ ​used​ ​to​ ​expose​ ​how​ ​law​ ​doesn’t​ ​alway​ ​have​ ​the​ ​power​ ​to​ ​solve
unfair​ ​situations,​ ​since​ ​law​ ​and​ ​justice​ ​are​ ​not​ ​always​ ​in​ ​harmony.​ ​(BBC​ ​-​ ​GCSE​ ​Bitesize).
 Dánisa​ ​Garderes Introduction​ ​to​ ​Literature September​ ​16th.,​ ​2017 
IFD​ ​de​ ​la​ ​Costa 

2.​ ​Alfieri​ ​describes​ ​Eddie​ ​as​ ​a​ ​good​ ​man.​ ​How​ ​far​ ​do​ ​you​ ​agree
with​ ​him?​ ​Give​ ​evidence​ ​from​ ​the​ ​text​ ​to​ ​support​ ​your​ ​views.

In​ ​drama,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​three​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​know​ ​a​ ​character:​ ​by​ ​what​ ​he​ ​does,​ ​by​ ​what​ ​he​ ​says,​ ​and
by​ ​what​ ​other​ ​characters​ ​say​ ​about​ ​him.​ ​Eddie​ ​is​ ​described​ ​as​ ​a​ ​good​ ​man​ ​by​ ​Alfieri,​ ​though
he​ ​also​ ​says​ ​that​ ​he​ ​was​ ​“acquainted​ ​with​ ​the​ ​family​ ​in​ ​a​ ​casual​ ​way”​ ​(p.​ ​38),​ ​therefore​ ​he
didn’t​ ​know​ ​Eddie​ ​deeply.​ ​Alfieri​ ​supports​ ​his​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​Eddie​ ​based​ ​on​ ​the​ ​way​ ​Eddie​ ​lived:
“He​ ​was​ ​as​ ​good​ ​a​ ​man​ ​as​ ​he​ ​had​ ​to​ ​be​ ​in​ ​a​ ​life​ ​that​ ​was​ ​hard​ ​and​ ​even.​ ​He​ ​worked​ ​on​ ​the
piers​ ​when​ ​there​ ​was​ ​work,​ ​he​ ​brought​ ​home​ ​his​ ​pay,​ ​and​ ​he​ ​lived”.​ ​(Alfieri,​ ​p.​ ​18).
In​ ​Act​ ​II,​ ​Catherine​ ​tells​ ​Rodolpho​ ​about​ ​Eddie:​ ​“He​ ​was​ ​good​ ​to​ ​me,​ ​Rodolpho.​ ​You​ ​don’t
know​ ​him;​ ​he​ ​was​ ​always​ ​the​ ​sweetest​ ​guy​ ​to​ ​me.​ ​Good.​ ​He​ ​razzes​ ​me​ ​all​ ​the​ ​time​ ​but​ ​he
don’t​ ​mean​ ​it.​ ​I​ ​know.​ ​I​ ​would​ ​just​ ​feel​ ​ashamed​ ​if​ ​I​ ​made​ ​him​ ​sad.​ ​(...)​ ​I​ ​want​ ​him​ ​to​ ​be
happy;​ ​I​ ​mean​ ​–​ ​I​ ​like​ ​him,​ ​Rodolpho…”.
From​ ​these​ ​lines,​ ​we​ ​learn​ ​that​ ​Eddie​ ​has​ ​been​ ​a​ ​good​ ​fatherly​ ​figure​ ​to​ ​Catherine​ ​and​ ​he
has​ ​earned​ ​her​ ​love.
On​ ​the​ ​other​ ​hand,​ ​analyzing​ ​Eddie’s​ ​speech​ ​we​ ​find​ ​repeatedly​ ​statements​ ​that​ ​show
sexism​ ​and​ ​homophobia.​ ​For​ ​example,​ ​he​ ​doesn’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​allow​ ​Catherine​ ​to​ ​take​ ​a​ ​job​ ​that
would​ ​allow​ ​her​ ​more​ ​independence,​ ​he​ ​tries​ ​to​ ​control​ ​Catherine’s​ ​clothes,​ ​criticizing​ ​the
length​ ​of​ ​her​ ​skirt​ ​-“I​ ​think​ ​it’s​ ​too​ ​short,​ ​ain’t​ ​it?”,​ ​p.​ ​4-​ ​ ​and​ ​the​ ​way​ ​she​ ​walks​ ​-​ ​“Catherine,​ ​I
don’t​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​pest,​ ​but​ ​I’m​ ​tellin’​ ​you​ ​you’re​ ​walkin’​ ​wavy”,​ ​p.​ ​6-.​ ​He​ ​implies​ ​several
times​ ​that​ ​Rodolpho​ ​is​ ​homosexual,​ ​repeating​ ​“He​ ​ain’t​ ​right”,​ ​p.​ ​40.
Even​ ​observing​ ​Eddie’s​ ​actions,​ ​he​ ​doesn’t​ ​act​ ​like​ ​a​ ​good​ ​man.​ ​He​ ​denies​ ​his​ ​love​ ​to​ ​his
wife​ ​-Beatrice​ ​complains​ ​that​ ​she​ ​hasn’t​ ​been​ ​“a​ ​wife”​ ​for​ ​three​ ​months-,​ ​and​ ​he​ ​is
excessively​ ​controlling​ ​over​ ​Catherine,​ ​confusing​ ​a​ ​fatherly​ ​role​ ​with​ ​a​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​“owner”​ ​of​ ​the
girl​ ​-he​ ​complains​ ​to​ ​Alfieri​ ​that​ ​Rodolpho​ ​“is​ ​stealing”​ ​from​ ​him-.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​end,​ ​he​ ​lets​ ​his
forbidden​ ​desire​ ​and​ ​sexual​ ​love​ ​for​ ​his​ ​niece​ ​blind​ ​him,​ ​consequently​ ​betraying​ ​his​ ​values​ ​of
honour​ ​and​ ​his​ ​own​ ​family,​ ​lying​ ​to​ ​his​ ​wife​ ​and​ ​leading​ ​to​ ​his​ ​murder.
As​ ​a​ ​tragic​ ​hero,​ ​Eddie​ ​is​ ​too​ ​complex​ ​to​ ​be​ ​defined​ ​as​ ​good​ ​or​ ​bad.​ ​He​ ​needs​ ​to​ ​have​ ​some
goodness​ ​in​ ​him​ ​so​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​can​ ​feel​ ​empathic;​ ​however,​ ​he​ ​must​ ​make​ ​a​ ​tragic
mistake​ ​which​ ​should​ ​be​ ​punished,​ ​so​ ​the​ ​public​ ​can​ ​reach​ ​the​ ​catharsis​ ​in​ ​the​ ​tragic​ ​end.

3.​ ​Comment​ ​on​ ​the​ ​end.​ ​Do​ ​you​ ​think​ ​Eddie​ ​deserves​ ​to​ ​die?
Why?

“A​ ​view​ ​from​ ​the​ ​bridge”​ ​is​ ​presented​ ​as​ ​a​ ​modern​ ​Greek​ ​tragedy.​ ​As​ ​such,​ ​fate​ ​is​ ​what
determines​ ​the​ ​way​ ​events​ ​happen;​ ​in​ ​this​ ​drama,​ ​Alfieri​ ​says​ ​that​ ​this​ ​powerful​ ​force​ ​is​ ​God:
“Only​ ​God​ ​makes​ ​justice”.​ ​(p.​ ​72).
As​ ​all​ ​tragedies,​ ​this​ ​drama​ ​depicts​ ​a​ ​“good​ ​man”​ ​making​ ​a​ ​fatal​ ​mistake​ ​-hamartia-
(Harmon,​ ​2011),​ ​that​ ​will​ ​be​ ​his​ ​downfall.​ ​Eddie​ ​falls​ ​in​ ​incestous​ ​love​ ​with​ ​Catherine,​ ​and​ ​in
his​ ​pride​ ​he​ ​doesn’t​ ​even​ ​accept​ ​it​ ​to​ ​himself.​ ​He​ ​doesn’t​ ​reach​ ​his​ ​anagnorisis,​ ​though
perhaps,​ ​seconds​ ​before​ ​dying,​ ​he​ ​does,​ ​when​ ​he​ ​calls​ ​for​ ​his​ ​wife:​ ​“My​ ​B!”​ ​(p.​ ​79).
 Dánisa​ ​Garderes Introduction​ ​to​ ​Literature September​ ​16th.,​ ​2017 
IFD​ ​de​ ​la​ ​Costa 

In​ ​order​ ​to​ ​evoke​ ​pity​ ​and​ ​fear​ ​from​ ​the​ ​audience,​ ​Eddie​ ​must​ ​be​ ​terribly​ ​punished,​ ​therefore
a​ ​tragic​ ​death​ ​is​ ​appropriate.​ ​In​ ​his​ ​death,​ ​his​ ​two​ ​mistakes​ ​are​ ​solved:​ ​he​ ​appears​ ​to​ ​be
forgiven​ ​by​ ​Beatrice,​ ​who​ ​holds​ ​him​ ​in​ ​her​ ​arms​ ​and​ ​cries​ ​for​ ​him;​ ​Catherine​ ​apologises,
telling​ ​him​ ​“I​ ​never​ ​meant​ ​to​ ​do​ ​nothing​ ​bad​ ​to​ ​you”;​ ​and​ ​Marco​ ​has​ ​vengeance​ ​for​ ​having
been​ ​betrayed​ ​and​ ​turned​ ​in​ ​to​ ​the​ ​Immigration​ ​Bureau.​ ​“Justice”​ ​appears​ ​to​ ​have​ ​been
done.

Bibliography

BBC​ ​-​ ​GCSE​ ​Bitesize:​ ​Justice​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Law.​ ​(n.d.).​ ​Retrieved​ ​September​ ​16,​ ​2017,​ ​from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramaviewbridge/4drama_view

bridge_themerev2.shtml

Fredericksen,​ ​E.(2017).​ ​A​ ​View​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Bridge​ ​Act​ ​1​ ​Summary​ ​&​ ​Analysis​ ​from​ ​LitCharts​ ​|

The​ ​creators​ ​of​ ​SparkNotes.​ ​(n.d.).​ ​Retrieved​ ​September​ ​16,​ ​2017,​ ​from

http://www.litcharts.com/lit/a-view-from-the-bridge/act-1

Harmon,​ ​E.​ ​(2011).​ ​Elements​ ​of​ ​greek​ ​tragedy​ ​and​ ​the​ ​tragic​ ​hero.​ ​Retrieved​ ​September​ ​16,

2017,​ ​from

https://es.slideshare.net/cafeharmon/elements-of-greek-tragedy-and-the-tragic-hero

Miller,​ ​A.​ ​(2015).​ ​Miller​ ​Plays:​ ​1:​ ​All​ ​My​ ​Sons;​ ​Death​ ​of​ ​a​ ​Salesman;​ ​The​ ​Crucible;​ ​A​ ​Memory

of​ ​Two​ ​Mondays;​ ​A​ ​View​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Bridge​.​ ​Bloomsbury​ ​Publishing.