1. A View from the Bridge Introduction
Does anyone know what bridge this is?

2. What is drama?
Comedy
Tragedy

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

4. WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK!
Greek Tragedy
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.

5. WRITE THIS INTO YOUR NOTEBOOK!
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.

6. Information about the play
Written by Arthur Miller in 1955.
Miller got the idea for the plot from a lawyer friend, who told him about a longshoreman who had ratted to the Immigration Bureau on two brothers, his own relatives, who were living illegally in his home, in order to break an engagement between one of them and his niece.
Coupled with his interest in the docks in New York’s Brooklyn harbour, and the Italian immigrant communities that primarily worked and lived there, he created what became the play A View from the Bridge.

7. 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?

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

9. 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.

10. In this play look out for themes like…
Violence
Love
Honour
Justice &
The Law
The Role of Women
Community
Betrayal
Immigration
Masculinity

11. Keeping Track of Themes
Use the Tracker Tables provided

12. Homework
Read to p.39