1. Introduction LO: To understand the course specification.
To begin to understand the context surrounding the play

2. IGCSE Literature
Paper 1: 60% of GCSE SA: Unseen poetry (20 mark question) SB: Anthology poetry (30 mark question) Comparison of two poems from the anthology. SC: Modern Prose Of Mice and Men (40 mark question)
Paper 2: 40% of GCSE
SA: Modern Drama A View from the Bridge (30 mark question)
SB: Literary Heritage Macbeth (30 mark question)

3. IGCSE Literature
Paper 1: 60% of GCSE SA: Unseen poetry (20 mark question) SB: Anthology poetry (30 mark question) Comparison of two poems from the anthology. SC: Modern Prose Of Mice and Men (40 mark question)
Paper 2: 40% of GCSE
SA: Modern Drama A View from the Bridge (30 mark question)
SB: Literary Heritage Macbeth (30 mark question)
This is what we are going to start working on first.

4. Assessment ObjectivesAO
Objective
Your own version
AO1
Demonstrate a close knowledge and understanding of texts, maintaining a critical style and presenting an informed personal engagement.
AO2
Analyse the language, form and structure used by writer to create meanings and effects.
AO3
Explore links and connections between texts.
AO4
Show understanding of the relationships between texts and contexts in which they were written.

5. A View from the Bridge AO Objective AO1
Demonstrate a close knowledge and understanding of texts, maintaining a critical style and presenting an informed personal engagement.
AO2
Analyse the language, form and structure used by writer to create meanings and effects.

6. What might this tell us about the play?
Starter
What might this tell us about the play?

7. Symbolism
Bridges can symbolize division, in much the same way as walls can (e.g. ‘the grass is greener on the other side.) Historically, Brooklyn Bridge separated Italian Americans in Brooklyn from modern, intellectual America.
Bridges can be sign as a symbol of ‘hope’, as they provide access to other places. The Brooklyn bridge offers a way into Manhattan – the home of vast wealth and opportunity in New York.
Bridges can also provide a vantage point, from which the view is more clear. From a large bridge, an observer may see whole communities functioning.

8. Context
What is context?

9. Context - relevant background information and influences on a text.
Recent history
The Author’s life
The Author’s opinions
Society of the time
Politics of the time

10. Arthur Miller Make your own notes
Arthur Miller was born in New York himself, in 1915 to a Jewish family who were originally from Poland.
In his younger years, Miller worked in a warehouse in Brooklyn, whilst saving money to go to university.
He began to write plays whilst he was a student, and continued to do so after he graduated and became a journalist.
Before he made his name as a writer, he also worked back in Brooklyn on the dockyards. Here he befriended a number of his Italian co-workers, who used to tell him stories about their lives.
One of these stories, about illegal workers who were betrayed, formed the basis of A View from the Bridge, written in 1955.

11. What is drama?
Comedy
Tragedy

12. What is a tragedy? What do you expect to happen in a tragedy?
Make your own notes
Tragedy
What is a tragedy? What do you expect to happen in a tragedy?

13. Aristotle Make your own notes The hero must be the protagonist.
They must:
be noble
have a tragic flaw (hamartia)
bring about his/her own downfall through an error in judgement or weakness in character (weakness is sometimes hubris, pride)
affect the whole community through his/her actions.
However, modern tragedies focus on normal working class people who have flaws. Miller was a real proponent of this idea of a modern tragedy.

14. Let’s review your handout
Plot structure –
Let’s review your handout

15. The Chorus in Greek Tragedy
The chorus often set the mood of the play, interpreted the events, and generalized the meaning of the action, expounding the central themes of the play.
The chorus has been called the ideal spectator, bridging the gap between the players and the audience. Occasionally, the chorus served to relieve tension, or to give the background of events affecting the action of the drama.
 Moreover, the chorus had a dual character, as narrator and as an actor, for it often conversed with and gave advice to the characters. The leader of the chorus had a special importance, acting as spokesman for the group.
Make your own notes

16. WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK!
Greek Tragedy
WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK!
Prologue
Greek tragedies often contain a prologue, where an individual character gives background information to the audience, which allows them to understand the context of the upcoming drama.
Tragic Hero
In ancient tragedies, the main character (the protagonist) usually has a tragic flaw, which often brings about their own downfall. Their downfall brings the audience to feel pity or fear. Often, the actions of a tragic hero affects their whole community.

17. Post War 1950s America Make your own notes
Many Americans feared that victory in World War II would be followed by the return of 1930s-like hard times. Instead, post-war America experienced a dramatic economic boom, sustained prosperity, and a huge population increase.
It had been a long and difficult war and by the 1950s people were finally managing to throw off the shackles and begin to enjoy themselves again.
Soldiers who had returned from war were finally able to reintegrate themselves into home-life again and so started to marry and have children. This initiated a time of the ‘baby boom’ with birth rates higher than ever before.
The post war years however had the most profound effect on the younger generation. Teenagers became ‘teenagers’ for the first time in the modern sense and music, fashion and consumerism were revolutionised.
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18. Consumerism Consumerism Make your own notes
Unlike previous Americans, those in the 1950s lived in a time when consumer values dominated the American economy and culture.
The "good life" was defined in economic terms and the dynamic economy provided more leisure and income.
Above all, Americans were confident the good life was permanent and they enjoyed flashy cars, televisions, and an openness about sex.
In some ways mass marketing and consumerism brought about a material conformity where everybody wanted the ‘in thing’. However, America was still made up of dissimilar people. While some celebrated conformity, others revelled in unconformity and standing out from the crowd. However, socially Americans were challenged by a rebellious youth culture and the alienated and divisive civil rights struggle.
What seemed so prosperous and secure was in reality none of those things.
Print

19. Working Class America Make your own notes
Red Hook was always known as a tough section of Brooklyn. Al Capone got his start as a small time criminal there, along with his wound that led to his nickname, "Scarface".
In 1950, at the peak of the era of longshoremen 21,000 people lived in the neighbourhood, many of them in row houses second only in age to those in Brooklyn Heights. Most people lived in the Red Hook Houses, built in for the growing number of dockworkers.
After the peak of the 1950s Red Hook suffered a loss of jobs, population and geographical isolation. Over the next decade or so, the neighbourhood bled jobs as shipping underwent a dramatic change. Shipping lines began moving goods in long metal containers, rather than the traditional break-bulk shipping of barrels and bales, which were gathered into large nets and hoisted out of a ship’s hold.
Containerized shipping required greater upland space and fewer hands to load and unload. The waterfront jobs moved to New Jersey, and the economy of the neighbourhood changed drastically.

20. Italian Immigration Make your own notes
Italy in 1955 was a very poor country. During World War 2, Italy – ruled by the Fascist Mussolini – had fought alongside Nazi Germany. Yet the Italians became increasingly anxious about their role in the war and about Fascism, and in 1943, Mussolini was deposed by Victor Emmanuel II, the King of Italy. Italy then switched sides in the war and supported the British allies, but suffered huge losses in northern towns and villages as the Nazis tried to take revenge. After the war, following a referendum, the monarchy was abolished and a republic established. However, the economy was slow to grow, especially in the south, which was less industrialised. With no jobs and no prospects, it was not surprising that many people decided to try their luck in ‘rich’ America. There was a thriving trade in illegal immigration, encouraged by the dockyard owners, who knew that they could get cheap labour from immigrants until they had paid for their passage over. Once they had paid their fare, the immigrants were left to make their own way.

21. Drawing our own conclusions
From what I’ve told you so far, can you answer the following questions?
Where does the play take place?
When (time period) does the play take place?
What is the general plot of the play?
What sort of characters will be involved?
Who will be the tragic hero?
What will be his downfall?

22. Themes
A theme is an idea that runs through a text. A text may have one theme or many. Understanding the themes makes the text more than 'just' a story - it becomes something more significant, because we're encouraged to think deeper about the story and work out what lies beyond the plot.
You will likely encounter a theme-based question on your English Literature exam, so it is a good idea to really know and understand the themes of the play.

23. Themes
Love
Justice and Law
Honour

24. Alfieri’s opening LO: To understand the opening of the text.
To understand the role of foreshadowing in the play.

25. Cast of Characters Alfieri - lawyer Eddie – Italian immigrant
Beatrice - Eddie’s wife
Catherine – their orphaned niece
Rodolfo and Marco – Bea’s cousins

26. Read the opening Points for Discussion
After reading the opening to the text, what significance do you think the bridge plays now?
What do you think this play may be about?
What role do you think Alfieri will play. What kind of character does he seem to be?

27. The Italian American communities
‘Omerta’ is a code of honour that influences people to stay silent and not cooperate with authorities, for example the police, FBI, or immigration powers.
It originated in Southern Italy and Sicily, where Mafia-style organizations were founded, and continue to operate.
When Italians and Sicilians emigrated to America in the early 20th Century, this code accompanied them.
Retaliation against those who inform was common-place, and in many of these communities, being known as a ‘rat’ or a ‘snitch’ was just about the worst thing you could be.
Al Capone, a notorious Italian-American Mafia gangster from the early twentieth century.

28. Questions
Find 3 pieces of information that the text gives us about Alfieri’s appearance and character.
Explain why Alfieri feels the people are uneasy when they walk past him.
What can you infer about justice on the streets of New York at this time?
What can you infer about the neighborhood of Red Hook?
What does Alfieri give away about the story that he is about to tell?

29. Foreshadowing
What is foreshadowing? Can you think of any examples?

30. What is foreshadowing? Can you think of any examples?
Foreshadowing is…
a warning of a future event OR used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary

31. Mindmap the highlighted quotes in your books: what is Alfieri foreshadowing?
‘Unlucky’
‘connection with disasters’
‘‘inclined to notice the ruins in things’

32. How has Miller used foreshadowing in act 1?
In act one, foreshadowing is used to tell the reader that… An example of this is when (briefly explain the scene and add in the relevant quotation) Explain how your chosen quotation proves that Alfieri is foreshadowing something in the play. At this point, the reader might infer…

33. How has Miller used foreshadowing in act 1? Example
In act one, foreshadowing is used to tell the reader that Eddie’s life might end in a tragedy. An example of this is when at the beginning of the play, Alfieri states that he is ‘inclined to notice the ruin in things’ If you are inclined to do something, you have a natural awareness about it. Also, when something is in ‘ruin,’ it is spoilt and no longer seems pleasant. As Eddie continually goes to Alfieri for advice, we can infer that perhaps Eddie will be the subject of this ‘ruin’ and Alfieri has already sensed that something terrible might happen to him. The audience can predict that there is an upcoming disaster, as Alfieri is foreshadowing that someone or something will be ruined.

34. To End…
What role does Alfieri have? Think back to the context.

35. You need to read up to page 23.
Homework
You need to read up to page 23.