Consider the Importance of Conflict in a View from the Bridge - Look Closely at Two Scenes Where Conflict Is Made Especially Evident on Stage

Conflict is an integral part of any play. Without conflict, it is almost impossible to have a play. This is especially true with a tragedy as in "A View from the Bridge". The conflict in most plays whether it be open and between two characters or indeed internal conflict nearly always has a role in shaping the course of the play. Aristotle said that a tragic hero must go through four stages. One is called "Peripateia" which is when the hero suffers a complete and utter downfall from a position of prosperity or status into utter misery and catastrophe, not unlike Eddie Carbone. The next one is "Hamartia" which is the one fatal or tragic flaw that the hero must have. Anagnorisis which is when the hero realises his mistakes and finally "Cartharsis" which is when the audience is cleansed of any bad feeling or negative emotion towards the hero in question. Eddie Carbone fulfils all of these roles from his fall from grace when he betrays Marco and Rodolpho to his redemption when he finally realises his mistake as he is dying. As with any tragedy we see our hero, Eddie Carbone in a relatively good position at the beginning of the play but as it progresses we can see his fortunes dampen steadily. As with many tragedies we see Eddies throw himself into a situation from which he cannot escape. Eddie does not want Catherine to be with Rodolpho who he believes is marrying her in order to become an American citizen, and takes the only option that will get rid of him, reporting him to the authorities. This breaks the Sicilian code of family loyalties and a situation in which there is no way for him to get out, he is caught in a situation as a result of his own actions. He does not want Catherine to marry Rodolpho, who he believes is not good enough for her and it is this belief which ultimately leads to his downfall. The external conflict and internal conflict greatly affects Eddie's actions thus showing how important conflict is in any play, particularly in a tragedy.

The play was first staged on the 29th September 55 at the Coronet theatre in Broadway. The author, Arthur Miller, was in the public eye for the 40s and the 50s because of a conflict with the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) which was a committee designed to find and persecute communists and communist sympathizers throughout the era of McCarthyism in the USA, throughout the course of the Cold War. Miller came to the attention of the committee shortly after he released his play "The Crucible" as many interpreted it as comparing the actions of HUAC to the witch hunts of the 17th century. In May 1957 he appeared before the committee and when asked to name communists and other communist sympathizers he declined, leading him to be held in contempt of Congress, fined 500 dollars, imprisoned for 30 days, "blacklisted" and disallowed a US passport. In 1958 his conviction was overturned by the court of appeals, which ruled that Miller had been misled by the chairman of HUAC.

There are many examples of conflict in "A View from the Bridge" ranging from the open conflict we see between characters and the very sets. Before the play has even begun we can see numerous examples of conflict in the set. Dominating the stage would be the poor tenement building that the majority of our characters live in. This is in stark contrast with Alfieri's office which would probably look smart and posh. This lets us now the difference between the two areas and that they belong to two different "factions". Also there is the telephone box which may or not be covered up, If it is not then at the beginning of the play it confuses us but as the play progresses we start to get an inkling of what it means and it could be said as a forewarning of the conflict that will eventually come.

Then there is the very strong thematic conflict in the play between American-civil law and the Sicilian family loyalties. That is exactly what "View from the Bridge" is all about, the meeting of two different cultures and their struggle to coexist. To break your familiys' trust, to betray them is the ultimate crime to Sicilians and almost inevitably ends in blood. Early on in the play we get an idea of the depth of these loyalties and the consequences if you betray them... On pgs 23 to 24 we hear the story of Vinny Bolzano a kid who "snitched" to the Immigration Bureau on his illegal immigrant Uncle and what happened to him as a result.

Catherine: What was he crazy?

Eddie: He was crazy after, I tell you that, boy

Beatrice: He had five brothers and the old father. And they grabbed him in the kitchen and pulled him down the stairs. And they spit on him in the street, his own family.

This shows what one could expect if you betrayed your family and is a premonition of Eddie's fate. The story is also quite ironic as the Vinny Bolzano story comes into telling as a result of Eddie's warning Catherine and Beatrice not to tell anyone about Rodolpho and Marco; when in fact it is he who betrays them on pg 67. The fact that the people in the play are Sicilian, and have the Sicilian family loyalties is a key part of the play. It is precisely this loyalty which makes what Eddie does so unacceptable. As a result of his telling not only does Eddie and Marcos' relationship become unrepairable but Marco "dishonours" Eddie's name ( very important considering this is an area where your name means everything),making their conflict inevitable as a result. "I want my name, Marco, give me my name and we both go to the wedding.

One of the main conflicts of the play is law against justice. To what extent should we obey the law, even if it gets to the point where obeying the law means that justice is not given. This extract is from just after the Immigration Bureau takes Macro and Rodolpho and puts them in jail on pg 79.

Marco: (gesturing with his head- this is a new idea to him) Then what is done with such a man?

Alfieri: Nothing. If he obeys the law, he lives. That's all.

Marco: (rises, turns to Alfieri) The law? All the law is not in a book.

Alfieri: Yes. In a book. There is no other law.

Marco: (his anger rising) He degraded my brother. My blood. He robbed my children, he mocks my work. I work to come here, mister!

Alfieri: I know, Marco-

Marco: There is no law for that? Where is the law for that?

Alfieri: There is none

Marco: (shaking his