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Introduction
A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
Does anyoneknow whatbridge this
is?
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ENGLISH LITERATURE EXAM
ONE PAPER (2 hours)
Section A: PROSE
Close reading of extract from set text
Extended writing on set text
Section B: DRAMA
Close reading of extract from set text
Extended writing on set text
Section C: POETRY
Guided response to unseen poem
We will be reading OfMice and Men
We will be readingAView from the Bridge
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Unit Objectives
yAt the end of this unit, you will be able to:
y Respond to text critically, sensitively and indetail,selecting appropriate ways to convey your response,
using textual evidence where appropriate.y Explore how language,structure and forms contribute
to the meaning of texts.
y Explore relationships and comparisons between texts,
selecting and evaluating relevant material.y Relate texts toyour social, cultural and historical
contexts and literary traditions.
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Greek Tragedy
y Does anyone know what a Greek tragedy entails?
Prologue
Greek tragedies often contain aprologue, where an individual
character gives backgroundinformation to the audience, which
allows them to understand thecontext of the upcoming drama.
Tragic Hero
In ancient tragedies, the maincharacter (the protagonist)usuallyhas a tragic flaw (hamartia), whichoften brings about theirowndownfall. Their downfall oftenbrings the audience to feel pityorfear. Often, the actions of a tragichero affects their wholecommunity.
Keep these ideas in mindwhilst reading the play
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Information about the play
y Written by Arthur Miller in 1955.
y He got the idea for the plot from a lawyer friend, whotold himabout a longshoreman who had ratted to theImmigration Bureau on twobrothers, his ownrelatives, who were living illegally in his home,in orderto break an engagement between one of them andhisniece.
y Coupled with his interest in the docks in New Yorks
Brooklyn harbour, and the Italian immigrantcommunities thatprimarily worked and lived there, hecreated what became the playAView from the Bridge.
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y From what Ive told you so far, can you answerthe followingquestions?
y Where does the play take place?y When (time period) does theplay take place?
y What is the general plot of the play?
y What sort of characters will be involved?
y Who will be the tragic hero?
y What will be his downfall?
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Cast of Characters
yAlfieri - lawyer
y Eddie Italian immigrant
y Beatrice - Eddies wife
y Catherine their orphaned niece
y Rodolfo and Marco Beas cousins
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Themes
yAtheme is an idea that runs through a text. A textmay have onetheme or many. Understanding thethemes makes the text more than'just' a story - it
becomes something more significant, becausewe're encouraged tothink deeper about the storyand work out what lies beyond theplot.
yYou will likely encounter a theme-based question
on your English Literature exam, so it is a goodidea to reallyknow and understand the themes ofthe play.
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Love
y There are different kinds of love from whatcharacters do welearn about the different sorts oflove?
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Justice and the Law
y From the very beginning, it is established thatjustice and thelaw are going to be important inthe play.
y The play encourages us to ask what is justice?What makesjustice?
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Honour
y Connecting the themes ofJustice and the Lawand Love is thetheme ofHonour.
y Honour is shown to be very important, especially
to the male characters. It means far more to themthan the law.To be honourable is to be respected.
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Act One
y The stage directions:
y What clues do the stage directions give us about thesetting ofthe play.
y What clues do the stage directions give us aboutthecharacterswho will inhabit the stage?
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Act 1: The prologue
y Continue on, reading Alfieris prologue, stoppingjust beforeEddie starts to speak.
yWhat does Alfieris prologue tell us about justice
and the law?yWhat sort of history surrounds the charactersin
the play, and why do you think Miller has includedthisinformation?
y How does Alfieri describe the setting?
yWhat does he foreshadow happening?
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Act 1:Eddie and Catherines initial conversation
yWhat sort ofrelationshipdo Eddie and
Catherinehave? Usespecificexamples from
the text toback up yourpoint.
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Act 1:Discussing the arrival of the cousins
yWhat clues are there that the cousinscoming to America isntentirelylegit?
y How is the theme of honour evidentin this section of thescene?
yWhat impressions do you get of
y Eddie
y Beatrice
y Their relationship
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Act 1:Catherines News
y How does Eddie react tothe news of Catherines
job? Why?yWhat sort of relationship
to Beatrice and Catherinehave?
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Task
y Create a table like the one below in your notes, to recordwhat we knowso far about Eddie, Catherine and Beatrice. Usequotations from theplay to support your comments. This will aid youlater when you revise.
CHARACTER WHAT WE LEARN QUOTES
Eddie - Protective of, and concerned for, hisnieceCatherine.
You look like one of them girls thatwent to college
Catherine
Beatrice
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Giving Advice to the Actors
y On your Literature exam, you could be asked aquestion thatinvites you to give instruction/adviceto a person playing acharacter in the play.
If you were directing aperformance of the play, howwould youadvise the actorsplaying these three main roles?Give reasons foryour commentson:
Tone of voice for each characterTheir physical movementsThe useof costume and makeup
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Act 1:Eddie Caves In
yWhat are your thoughts and feelings regardingEddies reaction toCatherines work proposal?
y What sort of hopes does Eddie have for his niece?
y Beatrice mentions that Eddie always seems to havean excuse forkeeping Catherine close. What areyour thoughts and feelings aboutthis?
yWhy does Eddie give in?
yWhat advice does Eddie give Catherine? Whatdoes this tell usabout his character?
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Act 1:Vinny Bolzano
y How does the mood in thehouse change, once Eddie hasacceptedCatherines news?Why?
y
Why are Eddie and Beatrice sonervous?y What happened to Vinny?yWhat do we learn about the
Red Hook community, through
the story about Vinny?y What is Eddies opinion on
what Vinny did?
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Consider the Following....
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Act 1:The Arrival
y How do the two men think ofEddies home?
yWhat are their hopes for
coming to America?y How do the two men treat
Eddie?
yWhat does Catherine think of
the two men?y How do Marco and Rodolfo
describe life in Italy?
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Act 1:Marco and Rodolfo
yWhat is Rodolfosdream? Is it realistic?
yWhat is Marcos
dream? Is it realistic?yWhy does Eddie stop
Rodolfo from singing?
yWhat sort ofrelationship do Marcoand Rodolfo have?
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Act 1 :Marco and Rodolfo
y Create a chart, similar to the one we created earlier,forMarco and Rodolpho
CHARACTER WHAT WE LEARN QUOTES
Marco
Rodolfo
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Act 1:Growing Suspicion
y How does Eddie react toCatherines shoes?
yWhy does Eddie start to viewRodolfo with suspicion?
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Act 1:Foreshadowing
Who can ever know what will be discovered?Eddie Carbone hadnever expected to have adestiny. A man works, raises his family,goes
bowling, eats, gets old, and then he dies.
Now, as the weeks passed, there was a future,there was a troublethat would not go away.
What does Alfieris speech tell
us about:
How much time has passed.What has happened, or whatwillhappen?
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Act 1:Eddies Growing Concerns
yWhat do we learn has happened in the weeks thathave passed?
yWhat is Eddies view of Rodolfo? Use examples
from the text to support your answer.yWhat is Beatrices view ofRodolfo? Use examples
from the text to support your answer.
y Ofhim?Boy, you sure dont think much of me.
What does this quote tell us about Eddie?y How does Eddie rateRodolfos masculinity, versus
that of Marco? Why do you think he does this?
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Act 1:Marital Troubles
yWhy is Beatrice upset?
y How does Eddie react?
yWhy do you thinkEddie has had troublesin his marriage?
y How does Beatrice feel
about Eddies concernfor Catherine? Is shejustified?
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Act 1:An Outsiders Opinion
yWhat do Mike and Louis think ofMarco and Rodolfo? Usespecificexamples from the text to support
your answer.y How does Eddie react to their praise
for Rodolfo?
yWhat does this tell us about his
feelings for Rodolfo, and about Eddieas a character?
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Act 1:Eddie and Catherine Talk
y How does Eddie treat Rodolfo?
y How does Rodolfo treat Eddie?
y What does Catherine think of the relationship
between Eddie and Rodolfo? What does this mean forherfuture?
y What clues are there that Eddie is uncomfortable withCatherinegrowing up?
y How does Eddie react when he finds up CatherinelikesRodolfo?
y What are your thoughts and feelings regarding Eddiestheoryabout Rodolfo?
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Act 1:Beatrice and Catherine Talk
y How does Beatrice treat and regard Catherine?
yWhat does Beatrice think of the relationshipbetween Catherineand Eddie?
yWhat does Beatrice encourage Catherine to do?y Do you feel thatBeatrice has any ulterior motives
behind her advice?
y
How has the connection between Eddie andCatherine changed?
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Alfieris speech to the audience
It was at this time that hefirst came to me.... Iremember himnow as hewalked through my
doorway His eyes werelike tunnels; my firstthought was that hehadcommitted a crime.
What sort of image does this paint in your mind ofEddie?Whatdoes it suggest?Has Eddie, at this point, committed a crime?
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Act 1:Eddie consults Alfieri
y Alfieri tells Eddie theres nothing illegal about agirl fallingin love with an immigrant. Is thisreally what is botheringEddie?
y
How does Eddie judge Rodolfos intentions?Does Alfieri buy intohis theory? Do you?
y Examine the way Eddie speaks in this scene. Howwould youdirect an actor to do these lines?
y What does Eddie imply about Rodolfosmasculinity? Heisjustified in his claims?
y Can Eddie use the law to help him at this stage?
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...every mans got somebody he loves, heh?But sometimes...therestoo much. Youknow? Theres too much, and it goes
where it mustnt. A niece, sometimes evena daughter, and he neverrealizes it, but
through the years there is too much lovefor the daughter, thereis too much love for
the niece. Do you understand what Im
saying to you?
What isAlfieri trying
to say toEddie at thispoint?
Is there anyelement of awarning inhis advice?
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WHAT OTHER WAY CAN ITEND?
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yWhy does Eddie get angry when Alfieri says thatCatherine cannotmarry him?
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There are times when you want to spread analarm, but nothing hashappened. I knew, Iknew then and there I could have finished
the whole story that afternoon. It wasnt asthough there was amystery to unravel. Icould see every step coming, step afterstep,like a dark figure walking down the halltoward a certain door.I knew where he washeading for, I knew where he was going toend.And I sat here many afternoons askingmyself why, being anintelligent man, I wasso powerless to stop it...
Examine the languageused by Alfieri.
What clues does he
give us that somethingbad is going tohappen?
Why does he feel
powerless?
Could whateverhappens have beenprevented? How?
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Alfieris role in the play
yWhat functions does
Alfieri have in the play?When he appears onstage, whatpurposedoes he serve?
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Act 1:A Big Happy Family?
y How does Eddie cause discord in the family?
y How are Eddie and Rodolfo different from eachother?
y How do Marco and Rodolfo describe life in Italy?How does itdiffer from that in America?
yWhat sort of relationship do Marco an Rodolfohave?
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Act 1: The Fight
yWhy does Catherine ask Rodolfo to dance?
y How do the other characters react to the coupledancing?
y
What more does Eddie learn about Rodolfo thatmakes himuneasy?
y Do you feel he is sincere when he says hed be likein a dressstore?
y
Why does Eddie offer to teach Rodolfo to box?yWhat is Marcotrying to prove by lifting the chair?
How does both Eddie and the others react?
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Task
yYou are to choose one of the following:
Write a letter, as
Marco, to his wifeand children back
home in Italy.
Use the worksheetprovided as a
prompt.
Write a letter, as
Rodolfo, to hisfriends back home in
Italy.
Use the worksheetprovided as a
prompt.
