Discuss How Your Chosen Scene Is Important

To ?A View From The Bridge? As A Whole And Consider How A Essay, Research Paper

My

scene starts with Eddie?s speech, just before the immigration officers enter

the apartment.? A sudden intrusion into

any scene, in any play can cause tension, but in ?A view from the Bridge? all

of the characters know, or suspect, that it was Eddie who called for the

Immigration officers, so dramatic tension is raised even more.? It ends when the officers take Marco and

Rodolpho.? I chose this scene because

tension is raised to a peak, and the relationship between Beatrice and Eddie is

stretched, as is the relationship between Eddie and Catherine.My

scene clearly segregates the divide between Eddie and the Italians (Marco and

Rodolpho).? From their very first

introduction there have been signs of rivalry between Eddie and Rodolpho and in

this scene it comes to a climax.? It is

placed in the second half of the play, so characters have had time to

develop.? Aside from the hatred between

Eddie and Rodolpho, Marco stands up for his younger brother, and at the end of

this scene, it is even stronger than that of Eddie towards Rodolpho.? Marco shows this hatred by spitting in Eddies

face.? Marco: ?That one!? He killed my children!? That one stole the food from my children!?With

Eddies speech, there is a question mark or an explanation mark at the end of

virtually every sentence.? ?And look at

the way you talk to me! Like I was an enemy! Like I ?? This shows Eddies increasing

anger.? The dramatic tension rises at a

very sharp rate in a matter of lines.?

?Go. Go.? Hurry up! Well, what?re

you lookin? at??? Although he is telling

Catherine and Beatrice that he is only trying to watch out for Marco and

Rodolpho, Arthur miller has used subtext, so that what Eddie is really trying

to do is to warn Catherine and Beatrice that he has called for the immigration.

Earlier in the play we see Eddie call the immigration bureau, however, when the

officers arrive, he tries to deny all knowledge of calling for them.? ?Where?s who?? and ?We?ve got nobody here?

are just two examples.With

the sharp, fast and frantic movements of the immigration officers the tension

rises.? The movement of Beatrice clearly

displays her feelings of disbelief, and Arthur Miller uses the term

?motionless? twice in stage directions.?

This increases the tension for the audience ? with a main character

walking around number by shock.When

Beatrice begins to realise the senerity of the situation, she repeats typical

American expressions.? ?Oh, Jesus,

Eddie?, ?Oh, my God, my God!?? Her

dialogue suggests that she is very shocked with Eddies actions.? This is about the time that Catherine also

begins to speak, (as she re-enters the stage) making up an alibi for the Italians,

even though she knows that they are illegal.?

Tension increases as the audience realises that this may not work. ?They

ain?t no submarines. He was born in Philadelphia?.As

the officers are taking Marco and Rodolpho away, the first officer addresses

them in Italian ?Andiamo, andiamo?, which, roughly translated means Hurry up or

faster, faster.? This suggests Italian

roots ? which could make Marco and Rodolpho feel intimidated, as if the

officers are higher than they are, because they managed to get a green card,

whereas the brothers had to enter America illegally.? This is only brief, but would add tension if the audience manages

to spot it.For

a second time in the play we see Catherine choose Rodolpho over Eddie, as she

?throws herself into Rodolpho?s arms.??

Simple words like enraged (Eddies reaction) in the stage direction add

emotion to the characters, increasing tension to an extraordinary high.? ?Accusingly? in Marco?s reaction, yet

another example of how powerful stage directions can be.? As the audience does not see the stage

directions, this all depends on the ability of the actors.? Even a simple gesture, such as a hand held

up to stop a person talking, can increase tension, and in my chosen scene there

is plenty of evidence of this.Marco

and Rodolpho are led off the stage, whilst the audience is left pondering what

Eddies next action will be.? Amazingly,

the simplest turn from Lipari (the butcher) and his wife can anger Eddie even

more than the thought of Catherine and Rodolpho being together.? ?Lipari!?

For Christ?s sake,?? is all that Eddie can say, trying to regain

friendship, unsuccessfully.? Where this

occurs, the tension has dropped since Marco and Rodolpho?s departure, but

leaves the audience hanging ad Alfieri appears, almost as if just the image of

him reminds us of his warning, ?you won?t have a friend in the world, Eddie!?

even the ones who feel the same will despise you! Put it out of your mind!

Eddie!?

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