Paper 2: A View From The Bridge: characters and themes

when and where was it set and why is that significant

• Set in the 1950’s (written in 1955) Red hook Brooklyn 

• Lots of immigrants in New York at the time 

• Tensions between American and Italian identities 

• Women's rights movement started 2 years prior to when it was set 

describe the character of Eddie

• Tragic protagonist  

• Raised Catherine like a daughter. His love turns into an oppressive form of love because he doesn't want her to grow up 

• At the beginning he is honourable, in the middle we find out he snitches on the immigrant causing the audience to lose respect for him, at the end the audience may gain that respect back because Alfieri likes him 

• As the play develops, we notice an incestuous desire from Eddie and Beatrice also picks up on it and tries to stop it 

• He feels threatened by the Italians because he is not the man of the house anymore 

• He is fixated on Rodolpho's sexuality and kisses him to prove Rodolpho is gay. He also doesn't sleep with Beatrice. Pretty sus if u ask me 

describe the character of Beatrice

• Suspicious about eddies feeling for catherine and Rodolpho 

• Encourages catherines independence

• Beatrice stands up for Eddie but she is still sus. She doesn't respect him 

• Loves her husband. He dies in her arms 

describe the character of Catherine

• Looks up to Eddie, her father figure 

• Treated like a child but wants to be an adult 

• Become more mature as the play goes on, job wise and love wise 

• Heavily influenced/ manipulated by Beatrice and Rodolpho 

• Shows independence when she yells at Eddie  

describe the character of Marco

• Eddie respects Marco more than Rodolpho  

• Spits in eddies face and accuses him of betrayal 

• Stabs Eddie with his own knife 

• Cousin from Italy 

• Traditionally masculine, hardworking, sense of honour and justice, which is why he wants revenge on Eddie 

describe the character of Alfieri

• Italian/ American lawyer 

• Helps Eddie with legal action. For example, the separation of Catherine and Rodolpho 

• Tells Eddie to let Catherine decide things herself because Rodolpho has not broken any laws 

• Helps bail Marco out but asks him not to kill Eddie 

describe the character of Rodolpho

• Spends on clothes, sings in a high-pitched voice, cooks, and sews. Makes him a suspected gay 

• Eddie claims he only wants to marry for a green card 

• Sometimes his behaviour is similar to eddies. By calling Catherine a little girl and telling her what to do 

describe the characters of Mike and Louis

Joke about how strange Rodolpho is 

describe the character of Immigration officer

• Illustrates the difference between justice and law 

• They follow the law but don't carry out justice 

describe the theme of immigration, home, and belonging

USA is an immigrant nation founded by Europeans 

• So, it's ironic that they don't welcome foreigners 

• It is the land of opportunity which in his case is not always a good thing because they are always living in hiding and constant fear

Marco and Rodolpho have ambivalent feelings about immigration 

• They miss home, seen when Rodolpho and catherine are looking at fountains, but they also chose to come to America 

Eddies home is his identity, and he feels like the Italians are intruding 

Catherine tries to find her own home through looking for jobs and her relationship with Rodolpho 

describe the theme of love and desire

Marco and Bea's love cause them to move to America 

• To support their family 

Eddie has fatherly love for Catherine, but he crosses the line towards possessive which ultimately drives him away from the family 

Eddie has repressed desires 

• Dubious motivations 

• Doesn't have sex with Bea 

• Gay??? 

• Incestuous desire for Catherine 

describe the theme of respect, honour, and reputation

Eddie cares about respect 

• He is scared about being dishonoured by Catherine and Beatrice 

Eddie regrets reporting the immigrants because it was made public 

Eddie is overly protective over his reputation, and it makes people lose respect for him 

describe the theme of justice and the law

Narrator is a lawyer but is powerless at times 

Justice isn't carried out 

• Eddie wants justice for his family 

• Alfieri wants Marco to leave justice to God 

• Immigration laws 

describe the theme of maturity and independence

• Women in 1950’s 

• Beatrice helps Catherine gain independence 

• Eddie overestimates his own maturity  

• There’s irony in the fact that Catherine only learns how to be independent from others 

• Catherine is still controlled by the wedding which is shown when she asks Eddie to come to the wedding. She also gets controlled by Rodolpho 

describe the symbol of the Brooklyn bridge

Alluded in the title but not explicitly said 

The bridge doesn't belong to Brooklyn or Manhattan 

• Between two worlds 

• Shows contrast between... 

• Childhood and adulthood 

• Italy and NYC 

• Rodolpho vs Eddie 

describe the symbol of the paper doll

• Connection to fragility because it is feminine 

• Song talks about possessing the doll  (not a human being) 

• Eddie is jealous of the song because it brings Catherine and Rodolpho together 

• Song keeps getting mentioned (Motif)