1. Miller’s A View From the Bridge
Notes
Miller’s
A View From the Bridge

2. Characters Theme Topics Symbols Conflicts
Eddie Carbone: longshoreman, married to B.
Beatrice Carbone: homemaker, married to E., takes niece in after her mother dies
Catherine: raised by her aunt & uncle
Marco: relative of B. Entered US illegally
Rodolpho: bro of M. Both come to stay w/B, E, & C
Alfieri: lawyer, acts as the chorus: comments on the action.
Moral responsibility
Loyalty/ betrayal
Justice and the law
The tragic force of obsession
The need for a name (public esteem)
Brooklyn Bridge
High heels
Vinny B.
Taxi cab in Italy
Paper doll, blonde, submarines
Eddie’s rocker
Telephone
Lighting Eddie’s cigar
3 different types of language
Man v. man
Man v. self
Man v. society
Man v. nature

3. What is Tragedy? Aristotle Shakespeare Miller Classic definition:
Unity of time/ place
Hero must be of great stature
Hero’s fall is due to a flaw in his nature
Must produce catharsis
Renaissance = rebirth of classics
Writers modeled their works on classic works, but wanted to make them better
They modified Aristotle’s #1 and kept 2, 3, and 4 the same.
Modern definition:
A common man can be a tragic hero
Modified A’s 1
Might do A’s 2
A’s 3 not imp.
Hero still has a flaw, but it’s produced by society, etc.