A View from the Bridge – Notes

A View from the Bridge Notes Just remember, kid, you can fast get back a million dollars that was stole than a word that you gave away. Eddie speaks this bring up in pretend I, while eating dinner with Beatrice and Catherine. This quote reveals the irony and madness of Eddies character. In the beginning of the play, Eddie tells the story of a young boy who called immigration on his relatives. Eddie lectures Catherine somewhat how they must(prenominal) tell no sensation about Marco and Rodolpho, the illegal immigrant cousins the family will be hiding. However, in the end of the play, Eddie obviously calls Immigration on these cousins, just exchangeable the boy.Miller sets up Eddie so vehemently against betrayal that his transition to the betrayer seems illogical. The set-up requires Eddie to undergo a drastic change, if non complete breakd possess, within the play to make such a transition. The force of this transition reveals no exactly his self- damaging madness, but the deepness of his un mouth love for his niece. This quote as well as reveals that Eddie bangs his own fatehe knows what will happen to him, but cannot escape his fate. Much like Alfieri, Eddie watches himself make decisions he knows will not hardly ruin his reputation in the residential district, but also possibly kill him.Eddie may know the consequence of what he does, but remains low-powered or too mad to stop it. His eyeball were like tunnels my first thought was that he had committed a crime, but soon I adage it was only a passion that had moved into his body, like a fantastical. In this quote, found in actuate I, Alferi describes Eddies appearance at their first meeting, to the audience. Alfieri almost seems to fear Eddie as a paranormal beast, a remainder of the great Greek or Ro while tragedy. Alfieri truly believes that Eddie was possess with, passion that has moved into his body, like a stranger, and was unable to control him.The passion that Alfieri describes is the passion for his niece Catherine. The passion, unreleased and suppressed in his unconscious was a stranger to Eddies conscious self that actively denied any thoughts of incest or otherwise. This quote also reveals the style of Alfieri. Alfieri tells the tale of Eddie Carbone as if he is a legend. Eddie is described with dramatic and literary descriptions that are unusual in the dramatic form. Eddie then whyOh, B. Beatrice Yes, yes Eddie My B. This quote occurs at the conclusion of the play and is spoken between Eddie and Beatrice.As Eddie lies dying in Beatrices arms, the peer divulges some sort of reconciliation and repair of their torn and battered relationship. Beatrice, even under such horrible circumstances, is able to forgive Eddie. Eddie constantly dominates Beatrice throughout the play, but in this tiny moment Eddie involve Beatrice more(prenominal) than she needs him. It is the first time the audience hears that Eddie needs and it is the first time that he honestl y needs Beatrice. Beatrice is the tirelessly forgiving character of the play. She is terribly jealous of her niece, who receives more attention from her husband than she does, but liquid forgives Eddie in the end.This final scene was one of the major alterations of the revised script of A View from the Bridge. In the original version, Eddie dies at the feet of Catherine. However, because of Beatrices increased presence in the revised version and downscaling of the relationship between Eddie and CatherineEddie must return to Beatrice. Beatrice is the only female who, in the end, needs him. Catherine, now beyond his control, no longer judges his approval. Thus, Eddie is force to Beatrice and for the first time he seeks out Beatrice, her forgiveness and love. Beatrice You want somethin else, Eddie, and you can never have her This quote, spoken by Beatrice in the conclusion of Act II to Eddie, is the first time that Eddie seems to realize his true feelings for Catherine and greet hi s own madness. Until this moment, no one has directly spoken about Eddies feelings for Catherine. Although they are obviously known by Beatrice and Alfieri, know one has dared to actually tell Eddie what is wrong with him. But even when Eddie realizes his demon, the love for his niece, he is powerless to stop it. Eddie lunges forward and attempts to kill Marco. In this moment of Sicilian revenge, Eddie cannot pull himself back or rule any sense of reason.Perhaps even the recognition of the sexual taboo makes Eddie even more determined to seek revenge or at least find some sort of success or take note in his death. Eddie does not even have the power to deny Beatrices claim, but instead remarks through his destructive path. This moment may bring Eddie out of his madness enough to lie in Beatrices arms as he bleeds to death. Once he has recognized his sinful love for Catherine, Eddie seems to find himself once againwhich may explain why he is able to reconcile his relationship with Beatrice. Most of the time we judge for half(a) and I like it better.Even as I know how wrong he was, and his death useless, I tremble, for I confess that something perversely pure calls to me from his memorynot purely good, but himself purely And yet, it is better to settle for half, it must be And so I mourn himI admit itwith a certain alarm. This quote deals with the central conflict of A View from the Bridge the self will verses the will of the lodge. The exclusively man that Alfieri describes in Eddie is the self-interested man. Eddies actions within the play are completely motivated by his own desires at the outgo of others.Thus, humans must act halfway to preserve the rules of the community and lives of others. The idea that Alfieri suggests, that Eddie acted as a whole soulfulness, un giveed and uninhibited is true. However, Eddies one was at the expense of his own family and eventually himself. He only take flight restraint because he escaped consideration of other large number or the community at large. Eddies wholeness is a whole interest in his own life. His tragic spot is this self-interesta flaw that seems both admirable and alarming to Alfieri. Themes The irrational human animal picpicEddie looses control of his actions in the play. Driven and possessed by incestuous love for his niece, Eddie resorts to desperate measures to protect his identity and realise in the community. Alfieris commentary a great deal remarks on this theme. Alfieri seems constantly amazed by Eddies actions and his own reactions to the events of the play. Alfieri sees his own irrational thinking, just as he recognizes Eddies irrational behavior. Irrationality is also how Alfieri defines acting wholly. The human animal becomes irrational when he acts fully on his instinctsjust as Eddie does in the play.Alfieri proposes that humans must act as a half, or restrain some of our instinctual needs or wants for reason. Nonetheless, Alfieri still admires the irrationalt he unleashed human spirit that reacts as it will. totallyegiance to community law There is great conflict between community and American law in the play. The community abides by Sicilian-American customs protects illegal immigrants within their homes, values respect and family, is hard working and know the exaltation culture, has strong associations with names, believes in trust and wants revenge when a member has been wronged.Some of these values, however, come in conflict with those of the American system of justice. Eddie Carbone chooses to turn against his community and abide by the state laws. He looses the respect of his community and friendsthe name and personal identity he treasures. Eddie Carbone, with a stronger allegiance to the community, reverts back to another custom of Sicilian-Americans revenge. Not only is Eddie pulled back to the values of his community, but the final victor of the play is symbolic of community valuesthe Italian, Marco. Thus, the minute community is stronger than American law.Motifs Homosexuality Although specifically articulated, homosexuality or what makes a man not unspoilt is a persistent theme of the novel. Eddie obviously identifies Rodolpho as homosexual because Rodolpho sings, cooks and sews a dress for Catherine. Eddie also questions Rodolpho because he does not like to work and has bleach blonde hair that makes him look more feminine. Eddie gives Rodolpho several tests of his masculinity. In the first he teaches Rodolpho how to box and the second, more blatantly, Eddie kisses Rodolpho on the lips.Many critics think that this kiss is a sign of Eddies own suppressed homosexual feelings, an easy parallel with his kiss with Catherine. Miller seems to take no stand every way, and the sexuality of Rodolpho or Eddie is unclear. However, the stereotypes of the gay man and societal implications of being gay are obvious. Louis and Mike, when berateing about Rodolpho, clearly think there is something wrong with him and Edd ie speaks directly to Alfieri about the specific things that bother him about Rodolpho. femininity The idea of what makes a woman or what defines a woman is very prevalent in the text.Catherine and Beatrice talk specifically about the terms in their conversation in Act I. Beatrice thinks Catherine needs to grow up and become a woman. To do this she needs to decide by herself whether she wants to marry Rodolpho. She needs to stop walking about the house in her slip in front of Eddie, and not sit on the surround of the tub while Eddie shaves his beard. In essence, being a woman means reserve and modesty in front of men, and independently making decisions. The idea of independence or separation from Eddie is coupled with the decision to find another male to attach to, a husband.Catherines attempt at womanhood is deciding to marry Rodolpho and follow his rules rather than Eddies. Community Community is a powerful context for the play it dictates very specific norms and rules for the family that controls the actions of the characters. All of the characters are forced to reconcile between American culture and the Italian community culture that surrounds. The ethnic and moral difference between the two provides one of the great conflicts in the play. The tight community around them also creates great tension in the Carbone family because they are constantly being watched.The neighbors knew when Marco and Rodolpho arrived, saw Marco spit in Eddies face and Eddie die by Marcos hand. The community is the watcher the group controls and monitors the behavior of every member. Although Eddie takes a cheering turn away from the community by calling the Immigration Bureau, he still needs acceptation and spends his last moments fighting Marco for his good name in the community. Symbols High Heels picpicFor Catherine, game heels are representative of womanhood, vamp and sexiness.She has just started wearing high heels around the community and to school and obviously en joys the attention she gets from men. They are also symbolic as a rite-of-passage to womanhood. As Eddie strongly disapproves of her wearing them, Catherine purposefully rebels against her uncle every time she puts them on. The high heels give her sexual power over menthey look, stare and gawk at her beauty. Eddie thinks the heels are gravid for the same reasons Catherine loves them. Eddie is fearful that, if she looks attractive, some man will ask her out and she will leave the house.Eddie has a powerful reaction when she wears the high heels, as if she must take them off so they do not arouse him or anyone else. Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is symbolic of a pathway of opportunity to Manhattan and also the gene linkage between American and Italian cultures. The bridge, which is very close to the exit Hook community, is a constant varan of American opportunity and industry. From the bridge, one can see the community below and, like the title of the book, one can see the en tire community and seek great abstract meaning from his viewpoint.Alfieri is symbolic of the person on the bridge looking down upon the Red Hook community or, perhaps, he is the bridge himself, allowing the people to cross into Manhattan and modern, intellectual American culture. Alfieri attempts to unite the American laws with Italian cultural practices and negotiate a organize in between the two. Alfieri, narrating the story from the present looking back to the past, has the same vantage point as one looking from the bridge. After some time passes, he is able to process the events and see the greater societal and moral implications it has for the community as a whole. ItalyThe origin of the majority of the people in the Red Hook community, Italy represents homeland, origin and culture. What the country means to characters greatly varies. Catherine associates Italy with mystery, romance and beauty. Rodolpho, on the other hand, is actually from Italy, and thinks it is a place with little opportunity that he would like to escape from. All of the characters, as much as love the benefit of living in the U. S. , still strongly hold to Italian traditions and identify it as home. Italy is the basis of the cultural traditions in Red Hook and unites the community in common social practices and religion.