a view from the bridge catherine essay

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The presentation of Catherine and Beatrice in Arthur Millers A view from the Bridge, is extremely significant to the progression of the plot.

Catherine and Beatrice

The presentation of Catherine and Beatrice in Arthur Miller’s ‘A view from the Bridge’, is extremely significant to the progression of the plot. Catherine is presented to the audience as being, young, naïve, and at a stage in her life where she is just entering womanhood.  Beatrice, on the other hand, is house-proud, assertive when necessary and incredibly loyal. The two main female figures in the play, and their development of character, aids and fuels the plots progression- leading to Eddie’s downfall.

        Early on in the play, it becomes obvious that Catherine is very affectionate towards Eddie, with Eddie naturally having assumed a protective role. The warm and affectionate scene where Catherine lights the cigar, has an obvious phallic meaning and from here the audience start to understand Eddie. Catherine is very emotional, taking everything anyone says to heart, as shown when Eddie rapidly destroys any hopes Catherine may have had about starting a job.

        Despite the fact that at this point, Eddie’s feelings for Catherine are shown to be only that of a loving father, later on in the play Catherine becomes a clear love interest. However, because of Catherine entering womanhood, Eddie is not the only male who view his niece as a very feminine and attractive. Eddie accuses Catherine of ‘walking wavy’, causing other ‘men’s heads to turn like windmills’. This simile makes it clear that Catherine is rapidly growing up and slipping out of Eddie’s hands. An inarticulate man, Eddie’s feelings for Catherine manifest themselves into shear protectiveness and eventual rage.

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        As well as entering womanhood and attracting male attention, it is very clear Catherine is pretty, perhaps even beautiful, with Eddie saying ‘you’re like a madonna’. The obvious adoration perhaps foreshadows Eddie’s onset of inappropriate and incestuous feelings. Catherine growing up, or entering womanhood, is also shown through the symbol: high heels. ‘What the high heels for, Garbo’ draws attention to Catherine’s new emphasis on looking feminine and attractive. This quote also portrays Catherine as being quite childish; as Eddie’s mocking tone makes it apparent that he does not consider it appropriate for her to be drawing attention to her matured figure.

        Catherine is also portrayed as becoming more and more interested in figures of the opposite persuasion, as when the complication of the plot arrives, (Rodolfo and Marco acting as the catalyst) she boldly says ‘You married too?’ The obvious romantic interest in Rodolfo is particularly prominent and obvious in Act 2, when she discusses returning to Italy with Rodolfo. Moreover, Catherine is perceived and presented to be naïve, as when asking Rodolfo if he was hungry, he replied ‘not for anything I can eat.’ Her sexual naivety is also demonstrated when, upon being asked if he likes sugar, Rodolfo teasingly replies ‘I like sugar very much.’ Another example of this is her exclamation of ‘teach me, Rodolfo!’

In addition to this, Catherine is naïve when it comes to her uncle as well. She ‘walks around her slip’ and ‘sits on the tub when he’s shaving’ clearly emphasizing her naivety and her perhaps slightly inappropriate behavior, that could be interpreted as sexual, now that Catherine has entered womanhood.

Despite this, as the plot progresses Catherine’s character develops and changes as she becomes more determined and assertive. She also becomes more opinionated, calling Eddie a ‘rat who belongs in the sewers.’ This obvious negative, derogatory tone to her voice shows her newfound maturity and determination to chase ‘independence’ (marry Rodolfo) and lead her own life, away from the danger and violence she now associates with her uncle’s irrational, incestuous behaviour.

        Beatrice, Catherine’s aunt is very house-proud, as shown when upon hearing of the cousins early imminent arrival, says ‘I was going, to wash the walls!’ and ‘buy a new tablecloth.’ The concern over reputation and appearances, portrays her to be ambitiously house-proud and to present her family in the best manner possible. Developing on the idea of Beatrice raising a loving interconnected, tight-knit family. Beatrice’s character is also shown to be very loving. Miller clearly presents the Carbone family as being a loving one, with Beatrice stating ‘you’re a good man!’ and patting his cheeks lovingly. A loving Beatrice is also presented when Eddie placates Beatrice’s concern over not having made appropriate preparations and says ‘you got too big a heart.’ This could also imply that Beatrice is a sacrificing and sometimes gives up what is rightfully hers, to give to others. This is demonstrated when Eddie retells the story of them giving up their bed for 2 weeks so neighbours (after a fire) wouldn’t be homeless.

        Despite Beatrice’s loving, attractive affectionate and house-proud character, she is also able to be assertive in her relationship with Catherine and Eddie. She confronts him about their lack of a physical relationship with ‘when am I gonna be a wife again Eddie?’ This shows her determination to retain her loving husbandly relationship. When Beatrice realises the true extent of Eddie’s feelings for Catherine, she says ‘You want something else Eddie, and you can never have her!’

        Beatrice is also assertive when confronting and advising Catherine on Eddie’s incestuous feelings. Similarly, to Alfieri she is the voice of reason within the play and knows Eddie and Catherine well. She encourages Catherine to move out saying ‘You gotta a nice boy’, clearly exposing how much Beatrice longs for the previous comfort of her own family. This however, could be seen as jealousy on Beatrice’s part. As she longs to be ‘a wife again’, it is conceivable, that she is trying to push Catherine to Rodolfo and therefore leaving her to repair her marriage with Eddie. This is clear when she asks Catherine to dance with Rodolfo to ‘Paper Doll’. These attempts to an extent may even come vicious, as she lays bare to Eddie that he ‘wants something more and you can’t have her!’ Until this point even Eddie himself has not admitted this feelings to himself and so she drives Eddie into a state of confusion and denial, which ultimately lead to his death.

        Throughout all the conflict as the plot progresses, however, Beatrice remains faithfully loyal to Eddie, despite his ultimate betrayal directed at her own family. Situational irony is shown here, as despite Eddie loving Catherine more as a wife with his apparent unnatural, incestuous feelings, Beatrice remains true to Eddie, right up to his final moments.

        In conclusion, Miller’s portrayal of Catherine and Beatrice greatly helps shape the story into the memorable piece of drama it remains today.

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A View From The Bridge (Catherine)

Catherine is a beautiful seventeen-year-old girl. Having rarely left Brooklyn, she's incredibly naïve. She finds it hard to stand up to her father figure, Eddie, because he's done so much for her over the course of her life. He's all that she knows. CATHERINE: Don’t, don’t laugh at me! I’ve been here all my life. Every day I saw him when he left in the morning and when he came home at night. You think it’s so easy to turn around and say to a man he’s nothing to you no more? You don’t know – nobody knows! I’m not a baby, I know a lot more than people think I know. Beatrice says to be a woman but – then, why don’t she be a woman! If I was a wife I would make a man happy instead of going at him all the time! I can tell from a block away when he’s blue in the mind and just needs to talk to somebody quiet and nice. I can tell when he’s hungry or wants a beer before he even says anything. I know when his feet hurt him – I mean, I know him, and now I’m supposed to turn around and make a stranger out of him? I don’t know why I have to do that, I mean

A View From the Bridge

By arthur miller, a view from the bridge themes.

The law is multifaceted in this play. As a lawyer Alfieri speaks for the official law, but it is clear that this kind of law cannot reach into the personal lives of the characters and accomplish what they want it to. It cannot provide real justice and serves to frustrate and rend lives apart (as with the brothers being rounded up by Immigration). Moral law is different. While Eddie adheres to the official law when he reports on his wife's cousins, he breaks a moral code, and his community condemns him for it. Marco , by contrast, violates the official law but adheres to the moral law. It is this tension between the types of law that provides nuance and complexity to the story.

Desire in this play is fraught with tension because it is not directed in the proper channels. Eddie desires Catherine , his niece. Even though they are not related by blood he is her guardian and has raised her like a daughter. He ignores his own wife while he acts in an immoral and harmful fashion toward Catherine, at times raging, treating her like a baby, kissing her, mocking her, and forbidding her from marrying and moving out. He may also desire Rodolpho , his buried homosexuality manifesting itself when he kisses him. Here, his desire is cruel and spiteful, reflecting his discomfort with his latent thoughts. Overall, desire broods, simmers, and eventually explodes in violent ways.

Money and social class lurk below the surface of the characters' tempestuous emotions. They all talk of work and money and "stealing"; their goals are to make money to support themselves or their family, be comfortable and be able to buy luxuries like a motorcycle, and/or be autonomous. Eddie uses the fact that he provided materially for Rodolpho to condemn him for "stealing" Catherine, while Marco's temper flares not only because of the shame brought upon himself and his brother but because Eddie's snitching has essentially doomed Marco's children because they will no longer be able to rely on their father for financial support. Though the romantic tensions might be there regardless, money clearly exacerbates them.

While the community of Italian-American immigrants and naturalized citizens is largely in the background except for Louis , Mike , and Alfieri, it is very clear that it is nonetheless an important component of the story. Eddie isn't just hurting Catherine, Beatrice, Marco, and Rodolpho by turning the brothers in to immigration officials; he is betraying his community by ignoring the dangers of working with the government, getting Lipari's relatives deported, and generally eschewing the unspoken rule that one looks out for one's own. In America , ethnic enclaves were tightly-knit because they had to be; they needed to survive in a country hostile to them.

Self-denial

Eddie is a paragon of self-denial. He has inappropriate feelings for Catherine and sublimates them so deeply that he can no longer think clearly. He accuses Beatrice of disrespecting him when he has not slept with her for months, rages at Catherine for favoring Rodolpho, convinces himself that Rodolpho is after Catherine's passport, and eventually becomes convinced the best course of action is to betray his community by turning the brothers in to Immigration. He continues to deny his true feelings almost until his dying breath. Furthermore, he may even be sublimating homosexual tendencies, which would add the incredible depths of denial this man possesses.

Gender Roles

Gender roles in this play reflect the traditional ones that predominated in 1950s America. Men speak for women, control them, and mostly dictate what they wear and where they go. Beatrice chooses to stay with Eddie even though he treats her miserably, which may be because she sees him as the authority, or she does not respect herself, or she knows she needs him because a single woman of her age and social class would find life very difficult. But the men are also stuck; what is masculine and what is manly is clearly defined and when someone deviates from that, such as Rodolpho, they are subject to mocking, curiosity, and/or outright hostility. If Eddie does indeed have homosexual leanings, it is no wonder he buries them.

Home means different things to different characters, but all try to mediate between the Old World and the New. While Marco sees Italy as his true home, Rodolpho wants to make his in America. Catherine is a product of America as well, but Eddie and Beatrice seem to retain more traditional views regarding gender, authority, and freedom. Alfieri is the bridge between these homes, but his uneasy position and his lack of ability to influence events calls into question whether or not it is possible to be truly part of both worlds.

A View From the Bridge Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for A View From the Bridge is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

WHT is Eddie attitude to the change in chatharine?why?

Eddie doesn't like the change in the way Catherine acts towards him, this is do with her finding independence through Rodolpho. Rodolpho's presence makes Eddie try and put Catherine off of Rodolpho because he likes her.

How would chatharine react to Eddie consern

What specific concern are you referring to?

BY making historical allusion to these characters, hat tone is set up in the play? Explain ideas fully.

The tone is even, fair, and straightforward. The mood is tense, simmering, wrought, and brooding.

Study Guide for A View From the Bridge

A View from the Bridge study guide contains a biography of author Arthur Miller, literature essays, 100 quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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Essays for A View From the Bridge

A View from the Bridge literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller.

• “Alfieri’s commentary gives a depth and complexity to what might otherwise have bean a sordid and uninteresting story.”
• “Ultimately, the tragedy of a View From the Bridge is the inability of the main characters to articulate their feelings.”
• “A View From the Bridge explores the difficulties migrants face in adapting to a new culture.”
• American Identity in Roth and Miller
• Clarity, Perspective, and Tragedy in A View from the Bridge

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The Imagery of a View from The Bridge's Tragedy and How The Main Characters Are Unable to Show Their Feelings

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Analysis of The Movie Version Of, a View from The Bridge by Arthur Miller

A view from the bridge: themes of immigration and tragedy.

September 29, 1955

Arthur Miller

Eddie Carbone, Beatrice, Catherine, Alfieri, Marco, Rodolpho, Louis, Mike, Tony, Immigration Officer 1,Immigration Officer 2

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Tragedy in A View from the Bridge

Argues that plays are structured so that the resolution of conflict appears as a “natural” or inevitable consequence of the moral and ethical concerns raised in the play.

In A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller, the downfall of Eddie Carbone is the inevitable consequence of the moral and ethical concerns raised in the play. The structure of the play makes Eddie?s tragic downfall obvious, with the use of structural tragic elements and foreshadows showing to the audience that Eddies downfall is certain. Eddie?s opposition with insurmountable obstacles such as trying to overcome the dichotomy between law and justice and his attempts to impose ?old world? values in a modern and progressive American culture are doomed to failure. His inability to compromise and his refusal to admit his mistakes brings about his defeat at the end of the play, the resolution of conflict appearing as the ?natural? consequence to the audience. The conflict between European ?old world? values with modern American values is an obstacle that Eddie cannot overcome, largely as a result of his inability to compromise. The old world values that Eddie strives to enforce in his life primarily manifest themselves in his over-protectiveness of Catherine. His feelings for her spark his crusade to enforce his traditional Italian values in a culture that embraces freedom, materialism and independence rather than the old values regarding courtship and ?proper? behavior. Eddie cannot enforce these values, and the futility in trying to do so is seen clearly in the conflicts that Eddie has with both Catherine and Rodolpho. He admonishes Catherine for ?walkin? wavy? telling her she is the ?Madonna type?: trying to impose traditional values of chastity and modesty in a modern culture where short skirts and high heels are ?the style now? and flaunting femininity and sexuality is not frowned upon. His conflict with Rodolpho also shows Eddie?s disapproval of modern values, criticising Rodolpho for his carefree attitude to life, spending his pay on ?a snappy new jacket? records, a pointy pair new shoes?. Eddie?s determination to impose his traditional values on youths immersed in American culture and modern values is doomed to failure as his attitudes are shown to be backward and inappropriate and will never be accepted. Eddie?s refusal to compromise and inability to see truth in any opinion but his own leads to a conflict that can only be resolved by his downfall. Eddie?s inappropriate feelings for Catharine are a further obstacle to compromise and facilitate his determination to quash the love between Rodolpho and Catherine, as Eddie is fuelled by feelings of jealousy. His wife Beatrice realises this and says ?You want somethin? else, Eddie, and you can never have her!? Eddies determination is fixated on an impossible and unrealistic goal: to keep Catherine in the role that he has envisioned for her, determined to keep her purity and innocence in his role for her as a ?Madonna?, never counting on the fact that she ?would ever grow up?. Eddie clearly has inappropriate feelings for Catherine as he is reluctant to let her gain her independence by taking a job, and criticises her for flaunting her sexuality by wearing high heels and short skirts. Eddie ?enveloping? Catherine with his eyes is an inappropriate gesture suggesting that his interest in her is more than paternal. Such feelings are also evident with Eddie?s jealousy of the love between Rodolpho and Catherine. He regards Rodolpho with ?concealed suspicion?, taking an immediate dislike to him as Catherine makes it clear that she likes him, exclaiming that he is ?practically blond? and attracted to his good looks and light-heated manner. Beatrice realises Eddie?s jealousy of Rodolpho straight away, saying ?you?re just jealous? as Eddie starts his criticisms of Rodolpho, saying he gives him the ?heebie-jeebies? and ?he?s like a chorus girl or something?. In Eddie?s determination to keep Catherine and Rodolpho apart, he constantly criticises Rodolpho. Eddie is keen to find any excuse to try and tear Rodolpho and Catherine apart, accusing Rodolpho of being ?a weird? and then claiming that he is ?lookin? for his break?, using Catherine to get his American citizenship. Ironically, Eddie?s efforts to keep the couple apart only bring them closer together and serve to ostracize himself from Catherine. His criticisms bring him further away from the conclusion that he hopes for. As Eddie refuses to compromise in a situation where his desired outcome is not possible, it is inevitable that a resolution of conflict will only be brought about by the death of Eddie. A View from the Bridge displays tragic elements that add to the tone of inevitability evident throughout the play. Eddie is a modern tragic hero: an ordinary individual whose wish for Catherine not to marry Rodolpho is so intense that he is willing to give up everything else in the pursuit of his convictions. He is ?not purely good, but himself purely? as his beliefs are not perfect, but he is determined to stick by them. Eddie shows the characteristics of the tragic hero as he is of high moral worth but is unmistakably human: he is vulnerable as his pride leads to an error of judgement in regards to Rodolpho. His jealousy of Rodolpho leads him to deceive himself in thinking that Rodolpho ?is not right? and that he is intent on exploiting Catherine?s love for him to gain his American citizenship. Eddie remains the hero of the play rather than being perceived by the audience as a villain as his moral nobility and the dogged determination to pursue his convictions is admirable and he moves the audience to pity as his misfortune is greater than deserved. His refusal to compromise is a heroic quality, but is this flaw which leads to his downfall as he will not ?swallow his pride? and ?settle for half?. The use of Alfieri as the chorus is another tragic element used in the play. Alfieri responds to the action and sets the mood for A View from the Bridge. Being a lawyer, Alfieri is able to give the audience interpretations of the action that cannot be formulated by Eddie?s uneducated group and is able to articulate and explore the ironies and ambiguities of the situation. In this position, Alfieri plays a large part in setting the tone of inevitability through the use of foreshadows. Alfieri introduces himself as a lawyer ?thought of in connexion with disasters? and the play is introduced with Alfieri watching the action ?run its bloody course?, and in doing so makes it immediately clear that the resolution of conflict will only be brought about by an act of violence. Alfieri knows that Eddie?s misconceptions will lead him to tragedy and can do nothing despite the fact he has all the evidence before him. Alfieri?s feeling of powerlessness as he ?lost his strength somewhere? and ?could see every step coming,? adds to the tone of inevitability as the resolution of conflict is predetermined, and nothing can stop the events from running their course. The use of foreshadow is a powerful structural element of A View from the Bridge, making the downfall of Eddie seem to be an inevitable consequence to the conflicts that his actions precipitate. While Alfieri?s comments to the audience use foreshadow to indicate the certainty of Eddie?s downfall to the audience, action in the play also indicates future events. Eddie?s destruction at the hands of Marco is made certain in the chair lifting scene where Marco raises the chair ?like a weapon? over Eddie, warning Eddie against threatening Rodolpho with a show of strength. This establishes Marco as a threat to Eddie as such a show of strength represents masculinity, proving that Marco is more of a ?man? than Eddie and has the power to defeat him. Eddie?s determination to sacrifice everything in his efforts to tear Rodolpho and Catherine apart alienates Eddie from those around him. Eddie stops at nothing in the pursuit of his convictions and in doing so distances himself from those he most loves. His close relationship with Catherine is destroyed by Eddie?s endless criticisms of Rodolpho. Eddie?s efforts to discredit Rodolpho isolate him from Catherine and also force Catherine to become independent from Eddie and make her own decisions, saying ?I think I can?t stay here no more? I?m not gonna be a baby any more!? Eddie?s continued resistance against Catherine?s marriage turns him away from her completely as Catherine comes to think of Eddie as a ?rat? who ?comes when nobody?s lookin? and poisons decent people?. Eddie?s relationship with his wife also becomes tenuous, as Beatrice is anxious for Catherine to gain her independence while Eddie is striving for her to remain a ?baby? under his influence. This creates a lot of tension between them, aggravated by the fact that Eddie expects Beatrice to ?believe? him, saying ?If I tell you that guy ain?t right don?t tell me he is right?. Beatrice?s resistance to Eddie?s claims about Rodolpho leads Eddie to think he has lost his ?respect?. Eddie deludes himself into thinking that Rodolpho ?ain?t right? to justify his efforts to discredit him in front of Catherine and does not care about the effect this has on his marriage. Ironically, it is only at the end when Eddie comes to the realisation that it is Beatrice and not Catherine who is most important in his life. Eddie proves that he will stop at nothing to try and keep Rodolpho and Catherine apart when he ?snitches? on Marco and Rodolpho to Immigration. Eddie secures his own downfall when he rings Immigration as the backlash from the community for such an act is bound to end in the act of violence that is suggested by Alfieri in the beginning of the play as the events will run their ?bloody course?. Early in the play, Eddie describes the fate of Vinny Bolzano who ?snitched to Immigration? on his uncle and was ousted by the community, ostracized for the rest of his life and regarded with scorn and contempt. A similar fate is inevitable for Eddie, who is prepared to give up his status in the community to make Rodolpho go back to Italy, as he sees that as the only option available to him. By ringing Immigration, Eddie?s downfall is secured as Marco is set against Eddie, spitting into Eddie?s face and calling him an ?animal? and the killer of his children. However, it is Eddie?s refusal to admit his mistakes and to admit that he disgraced his name by ringing Immigration that brings about the final confrontation between Eddie and Marco. Marco wants retribution against Eddie for forcing him to go back to Italy, ruining his families chances of ever escaping poverty. Again, Eddie is seeking the impossible: to ?get his name? and dignity from an apology from Marco, when it was Eddie who relinquished his own dignity in the pursuit of his unfortunate convictions. While it is Marco that kills Eddie, it is the knife that Eddie drew that is the instrument for his death, signifying self-destruction. It is this self-destruction that is evident throughout the play as Eddie?s downfall is brought about through his own failings and mistakes, rather than the mistakes of others having an impact on him. In A View from the Bridge it is made evident that American law is not consistent with justice as Eddie?s destruction is aided by the American system of law, his downfall signifying an inadequacy in the legal system. Alfieri is only too aware or the inadequacy of the law, saying, ?Only God makes justice?. The dichotomy existing between law and justice is highlighted by Eddie?s actions of calling Immigration, the only legal solution open to him to get rid of Rodolpho. However, it is this legal solution that conflicts with the moral codes that Eddie abides by. Eddie is able to use the law to try and put an end to a situation, which he only sees as being unjust as ?morally and legally? he has no rights in regards to his efforts to separate Catherine and Rodolpho. In abandoning his moral code to ring Immigration, Eddie brings about his own destruction by Marco, who lives by a traditional moral code and is adamant to bring about justice, whatever the cost. Like Eddie, Marco does not know the meaning of compromise, as he feels obligated to kill Eddie for what he has done. The law proves to be totally incapable of handling a situation where the pursuit for justice is more important than upholding the law, and breaking the law to obtain justice seems insignificant. It is in this situation where the death of Eddie by Marco is made inevitable, as Marco is intent on upholding justice rather than law. The resolution of conflict brought about by the downfall of Eddie Carbone in A View from the Bridge is seen to be the inevitable consequence of the moral and ethical issues raised in the play. Old world values are shown to be inappropriate in American society, and Eddie?s attempts to enforce his old fashioned morals is doomed to failure, leading to an unfortunate conclusion as Eddie lacks the ability to compromise. Eddie?s inappropriate feelings towards Catharine act as a further barrier to compromise, facilitating his determination to try and tear Catharine and Rodolpho apart. Tragic elements also add to the tone of inevitability with the use of foreshadows the use of Alfieri as the chorus and Eddie as the tragic hero, with his vulnerability and misconceptions leading him to self-destruction. His dogged attempts to humiliate Rodolpho before Catherine alienate Eddie from those he most loves, and in ?snitching? to Immigration Eddie ostracizes himself from the whole community. Eddie cannot overcome the insurmountable obstacles that stand in the path for him to enforce his views on those around him, and the impossibility of realising his convictions lead to Eddie?s death, as the resolution of conflict in such a situation can only result from Eddie?s downfall.

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A View from the Bridge

Arthur miller.

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Love—of one kind or another—is the main motivator of Miller’s characters in this play, and drives the major events of its plot. Catherine’s love for Rodolpho and Eddie’s intense love for Catherine lead to the central problems of the play. But even before this, it is Marco’s love for his family that motivates him to come to America, and it is Beatrice’s love for her extended family that causes her to have Marco and Rodolpho stay in her home. Beyond this, though, A View from the Bridge especially explores the way in which people are driven by desires that don’t fit the mold of normal or traditional forms of familial and romantic love. For one thing, Eddie’s love for Catherine is extreme and hard to define exactly. He is very overprotective, and to some degree is a father figure for her. However, as Beatrice subtly hints several times, his love for Catherine often crosses this line and becomes a kind of incestuous desire for his niece, whom he has raised like a daughter. This repressed, taboo desire—which Eddie vehemently denies—erupts to the surface when Eddie grabs Catherine and kisses her in front of Rodolpho.

Eddie may also have other repressed desires. Directly after kissing Catherine, he kisses Rodolpho, as well. He claims that this is to prove that Rodolpho is homosexual (an accusation he constantly implies but never says outright), but as he is the one to restrain Rodolpho and forcefully kiss him, his motivations are dubious. Throughout the play, Eddie is disproportionately obsessed with proving that Rodolpho “ain’t right,” and this fixation on Rodolpho’s sexuality (combined with the fact that he does not have sex with his wife Beatrice) may suggest that there are other motivations behind Eddie’s kissing him.

Eddie is a mess of contradictory, half-repressed desires that are difficult to pin down or define, perhaps even for him. Through this tragically tormented and conflicted character, Miller shows that people are often not aware of their own desires, and reveals the power that these desires can exert over people. Eddie’s suffocating love for Catherine becomes a desire to possess her. He even claims that Rodolpho is stealing from him, as if she were an object he owned. His obsession with Catherine drives him apart from his family and leads him to betray Beatrice’s cousins, thereby effectively ostracizing himself from his friends and neighbors. Through the tragic descent of Eddie, A View from the Bridge can be seen not only as the drama of a family, or of an immigrant community, but also as the internal drama of Eddie’s psyche, as he is tormented and brought down by desires he himself doesn’t even fully understand.

Love and Desire ThemeTracker

Love and Desire Quotes in A View from the Bridge

Listen, you been givin’ me the willies the way you walk down the street, I mean it.

Katie, I promised your mother on her death-bed. I’m responsible for you. You’re a baby, you don’t understand these things.

I’m gonna buy a paper doll that I can call my own, A doll that other fellows cannot steal.

Alfieri: Is there a question of law somewhere? Eddie: That’s what I want to ask you. Alfieri: Because there’s nothing illegal about a girl falling in love with an immigrant.

We all love somebody, the wife, the kids—every man’s got somebody that he loves, heh? But sometimes . . . there’s too much. You know? There’s too much, and it goes where it mustn’t. A man works hard, he brings up a child, sometimes it’s a niece, sometimes even a daughter, and he never realizes it, but through the years—there is too much love for the daughter, there is too much love for the niece. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?

Don’t, don’t laugh at me! I’ve been here all my life. . . . Every day I saw him when he left in the morning and when he came home at night. You think it’s so easy to turn around and say to a man he’s nothin’ to you no more?

Catherine. If I take in my hands a little bird. And she grows and wishes to fly. But I will not let her out of my hands because I love her so much, is that right for me to do?

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