why did arthur miller write a view from the bridge

Miller heard a story of some men coming over to work illegally and being betrayed which inspired him to write A View from a Bridge. It was originally a one act play, but he changed it into a two-act play later on. The play includes ideas from Greek tragedies, which is where the character of Eddie links into.

Full Answer

What is a view from the bridge by Arthur Miller about?

Arthur Miller explores the genesis of 'A View from the Bridge' and the influence of the social, aesthetic and personal on this work. He describes the universality and timelessness that the role of Greek tragedy plays within 'A View from the Bridge', with Alfieri as the Chorus.

When was a view from the bridge first performed?

A View from the Bridge is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was first staged on September 29, 1955, as a one-act verse drama with A Memory of Two Mondays at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway.

What is the role of Alfieri in a view from the bridge?

He describes the universality and timelessness that the role of Greek tragedy plays within 'A View from the Bridge', with Alfieri as the Chorus. David Thacker, director, exemplifies the role of Alfieri, as the voice of reason and sanity.

What was the purpose of A View from the Bridge?

Arthur Miller's 'A View from the Bridge' describes the social problems encountered by both established and recent immigrants coming to America to seek work. Written in 1955, the play portrays issues relevant to today's culture.

Did Arthur Miller Write A View From the Bridge?

A View from the Bridge is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was first staged on September 29, 1955, as a one-act verse drama with A Memory of Two Mondays at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway.

What is the social background of the play A View From the Bridge?

The play is set in the 1950s, at a time when there were significant immigrant populations in New York City, especially from Italy, who often lived together in particular neighborhoods such as the one in which Eddie lives.

When was A View From the Bridge written?

1955A View from the Bridge / Date written

How is the theme of conflict presented in A View from the Bridge?

Conflict is initially introduced to the audience through the difference between law and justice. The contrast between Eddie and Alfieri's perception of law and justice is used by Miller to generate tension and conflict which ultimately leads to Eddie's regression and nemesis.

What genre is a view from the bridge?

Drama; Family Drama; Tragedy.

What is the main point of a view from the bridge by Paul Mcdonald?

Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER! From a general perspective, the main theme of the story is caring for the less fortunate. At first, the jogger perceives the boy to be a nuisance. However, after interacting with him and recognizing his disability, he becomes willing to assist the boy with his fishing.

How is masculinity presented in A View from the Bridge?

Eddie and Marco are portrayed as the right way to be a man, whereas Rodolpho plays the softer, kinder side to masculinity. The ideal man, as portrayed in the play, is to be strong, independent and to provide income for your family, as Eddie and Marco do.

Is a view from the bridge based on a true story?

The play is set in the 1950s, and is based on an apparently true story told to Miller by a lawyer who worked with longshoremen . It echoes the format of a Greek tragedy, where the main protagonist is propelled helplessly towards his fate, and nothing can be done to alter it.

What does the bridge symbolize in A View from the Bridge?

The Brooklyn Bridge is symbolic of a pathway of opportunity to Manhattan and also the linkage between American and Italian cultures. The bridge, which is very close to the Red Hook community, is a constant reminder of American opportunity and industry.

What are the themes in a view from the bridge?

The play is concerned with how justice and the law are applied. It contrasts the justice dealt out in Italy in ancient times with the justice system of modern America. This can be considered as natural law versus the written law. To be given respect was extremely important to Italian men of earlier generations.

What happens at the end of A View from the Bridge?

Ultimately Marco ends up committing murder to carry out his own idea of justice. Eddie's own knife is turned against him and he dies is in some ways a metaphor for his fall in the play, as it is he himself who has caused his own fall.

Who wrote A View From the Bridge?

Arthur MillerA View from the Bridge / PlaywrightA View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller is a two-act play set by the docks of Red Hook, a working-class part of Brooklyn, New York. It is narrated by a lawyer, Alfieri, and revolves around the Carbone family – Eddie, his wife Beatrice and their niece Catherine.

Who in the play A View From the Bridge says the law all the law is not in a book?

In the final section of the play Marco demands justice and, as he does so, he echoes the sentiments spoken earlier by Eddie. He says, The law? All the law is not in a book (p. 59).

Is a view from the bridge a Greek tragedy?

A View from the Bridge has elements of a classical (or ancient Greek) tragedy although it is actually a modern tragedy.

What are 3 interesting facts about Arthur Miller?

The standard details about Arthur Miller's life are well known. He was married to Marilyn Monroe. He testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee (and was convicted of contempt of Congress). He wrote Death of a Salesman, considered by some t0 be the great American drama.

What is Arthur Miller's view from the bridge?

Arthur Miller explores the genesis of 'A View from the Bridge' and the influence of the social, aesthetic and personal on this work.

Who is the voice of reason and sanity?

David Thacker, director, exemplifies the role of Alfieri, as the voice of reason and sanity. Clips from the BBC Omnibus 1987 National Theatre production and from the 1986 BBC Broadcast Archives illustrate the points made.

Why did Arthur Miller write a view from the bridge?

Although, Miller did not end up writing the screenplay because of the pressure from the McCar thy-led House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to turn the evil mobsters described in the screenplay into evil communists, which completely changed the context.

What is the view from the bridge about?

A View From the Bridge was born from Miller’s intrigue to write about the Italian immigrant society in the docks of Brooklyn (Marino 2015). One day he noticed the graffiti on the piers’ walls and sidewalks, which read, “Where is Pete Panto?” The same graffiti appeared on subway stations and office buildings in downtown Brooklyn. By doing some research, Miller discovered that Pete Panto was a young longshoreman who challenged the Mafia that was leading the seaman’s union but then disappeared mysteriously, which ended the thread of the suspected corruption within the union (Marino 2015). Miller had a fascination with the idea of writing about Panto’s tragic ending, so he started researching the Brooklyn docksides underworld by visiting piers and trying to find out the truth of what had happened to Pete (Stapinski 2016). Although, Miller was surprised by the silence of the longshoremen who were afraid of exposing their bosses, which was the Omerta tradition that came from the lands of Sicily (Marino 2015).

What was the relationship between Arthur Miller and the HuAC?

The relationship between Arthur Miller and the HUAC cannot be called amicable to any extent. The Committee managed to cause the playwright some troubles. He was called before the committee on June 21, 1956, and asked to disclose the names of suspected communists. Miller immediately agreed with the rights of the HUAC to inquire into the political activities. However, in contrast to other witnesses who refused to cooperate, he did not invoke the protection of the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination. Rather, he cited the guarantee of free speech and the right to stay silent, protected by the First Amendment (Glass 2013). After his denial, Miller was praised by fellow artists ever since. Despite this, Miller’s close friend and director Elia Kazan agreed to give out the names of suspected communists, which contributed to the rivalry between the two.

What is the bridge in the title of the play?

The bridge in the title of the play refers to the Brooklyn Bridge that connects the borough and Manhattan. Miller used the bridge as a device to explain the symbolic connections between the Italian-American community in New York and their Sicilian roots. “But this is Red Hook, not Sicily. This is the slum that faces the bay on the seaward side of Brooklyn Bridge. This is the gullet of New York swallowing the tonnage of the world. And now we are quite civilized, quite American” (Miller 1995, p. 2). The quote represents the fact that Sicily and Red Hook were connected and estranged simultaneously. For instance, Red Hook heavily relied on industrialization and modernity while Sicily was rather traditional and primitive, as reflected in the character of Marco. The main character of Eddie is rather Sicilian than American in his morals; for instance, he despised the fact that the US law could not help him ( Eddie Carbone n.d.).

What is the movie "A View From the Bridge" about?

Print. Text. When it premiered at Broadway's Coronet Theatre in 1955, Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge" dramatized the family tenement life and the slang of thousands of Brooklyn-Italian longshoremen—dockworkers like the play's tragic hero, Eddie Carbone.

Who was the narrator of the play "The Old Waterfront"?

It was shared with Miller by his friend Vincent "Jim" Longhi, who was then a Red Hook waterfront lawyer like Alfieri, the play's narrator that he inspired. About a year after Miller's death in February 2005, and a few months before Longhi passed away, I happened to interview the lawyer about the old waterfront.

Who was the hero of the criminal docks?

Longhi told Miller tales of the criminal docks, and particularly of his great hero, the martyred rebel longshoreman Pete Panto. Miller remembered touring the homes of longshoremen, "tuning my ear to their fruity, mangled Sicilian-English bravura.".

Did Miller throw the script into a trunk?

The studio head offered to greenlight Miller's waterfront story as long as its controlling racketeers were recast as Communists. Miller refused and , according to Longhi, "threw the script into a trunk.". (Kazan would soon find another docks project with writer Budd Schulberg—what later became "On the Waterfront.".

What is the importance of Italian loyalty in the play A View From The Bridge?

Daniel Bishop In the play ‘A View From The Bridge’ Arthur Miller constantly conveys the extreme moral importance of loyalty towards others, be it strangers or close family in a closely linked Italian-American community in 1950’s Brooklyn.

What is Alfieri's opening speech about?

Alfieri’s opening speech gives us a brief insight into the ways of this Italian community. He describes how people are still very Italian, keeping to superstitions when he says, “I often think that behind that superstitious little nod of theirs lie three thousand years of distrust”; this also shows how long they can hold a grudge, being very honourable.

Why does Alfieri say Eddie shouldn't turn in his letters?

Alfieri shows great sense of loyalty as he is a man of the law but still believes that Eddie shouldn’t turn them in because of trust, loyalty and the unwritten code . Despite Alfieri’s harsh warnings (which are very accurate) Eddie ignores him and does what he thinks is best and commits one of the ultimate acts of betrayal, the audience now reflects on how serious Eddie was with Catherine about secrecy and wonder how this change of face took place.

What does Marco tell Catherine?

He tells Catherine, “just remember, kid, you can quicker get back a million dollars that was stole than a word you gave away. ” This shows the Italian’s strong grudge again. As an audience, by now have taken in the seriousness of Italian values and the responsibilities that come with them. Marco introduces a new aspect of Italian loyalty through his character, the way he acts and communicates with different characters differently. He is obviously polite to Eddie and has great respect for him for taking him and his brother in, “taking the blankets from my bed” as it is put by Eddie later.

Why doesn't Marco do anything about Eddie?

Marco still doesn’t do anything about this, possibly because he believes it was the alcohol. We have now seen the change Eddie has gone through, all his morals and values which he upheld at the start of the play have all but deteriorated, and worse, he doesn’t realise or care, all he thinks about is himself and how to get himself out of situations.

What is the closing speech of Alfieri?

Alfieri’s closing speech describes how no one wants what they can’t have without risk, unlike Eddie and everyone is better off this way. This play has tested the extremes of Italian loyalty and how important it is otherwise you simply don’t fit in, also how severe the punishments are. Through Eddie the community and the audience become more aware of these things and are reminded why they live by their rules.

Does Marco notice the tension?

Marco acts cool and doesn’t notice (or ignores) the tension until the boxing incident which everyone thinks went a bit far, but the tension is lowered but coffee and conversation, yet, out of loyalty to his brother, Marco still feels the need to subliminally challenge Eddie with the chair incident, giving a warning that he has the power to stop Eddie should this go any further and that if it comes to choosing sides he will defend his brothers honour.

Who wrote A View from the Bridge?

A View from the Bridge is written by Arthur Miller. Miller became interested in the work and lives of the communities of dock workers and Longshoremen of New York’s Brooklyn Harbor, and where he had himself previously worked. In 1947, he was told an interesting story about another longshoreman in the area who had snitched to the Immigration Bureau on his own relatives. The Longshoreman was attempting to prevent the marriage between one of the brothers and his niece. Eight years later, in 1955, A View from the Bridge, based on the story of that same Longshoreman, was produced. Miller intended for the play to be a Greek tragedy.

What is the bridge metaphor?

The bridge is a metaphor. A bridge connects two places together but keeps them separate. It shows you ‘a’ view from where you are, you can see in front of you and behind you. It is the bridge in New York which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, two different communities which are connected but are kept apart.

Who are the characters in the movie "Bridges"?

The characters: Eddie, Catherine, Beatrice, Marco, Rodolfo and Alfieri make bridges or connections between other characters. Catherine is trying to build bridges; her growing up is a bridge as well. For example, the audience sees Catherine crossing the bridge from a girl to a woman. This is shown by t...