Arthur Miller’s ‘A View From the Bridge’ Essay

Masculinity is a preponderating theme in Arthur moth millers A View From The straddle. The four leading(p) mannish characters in the licentiousness Ed clear, Rodolpho, Marco and Alfieri to each one contact different roles and different casings of hands. moth miller has represented men and masculinity in an unforgiving light in the play. It appears that it is men that confuse and create problems in the characters lives. severally characters actions be naturalized by the conflicting forces of determinism, where every detail and situation is the fateful result of its antecedent states of aff rail lines and freewill. It could be said that the anthropoid characters in A View From The bridge are non playing, but world acted upon.The main character in A View From The Bridge is Eddie. He is forty years of succession, slightly overweight and is exposit as husky. The huskiness employ in the description refers to twain Eddies roughness and his gruelling, burly build. His age suggests experience, an some other(prenominal) manly quality. Eddies bearing reflects his attitude, strong and intimidating. In trying to prove his masculinity, Eddie is the focalisation of m both(prenominal) conversations, as he feels that he must dominate the conversation. Eddies saving is very direct, with blunt wording. He continuously uses contractions and drops the last letter off words, such(prenominal) as in the phrase I didnt say nonhin. Eddies expression is non sophisticated in any sense. This is because Eddie spent his time working quite of dispiritting a proper education. Eddie alike comes from a working gradation family, which would beggarly that his education is contain. The conglomeration of these factors conveys Eddie to be still to a greater extent than than masculine. It is very agnize that milling machine has constructed Eddie to represent the epitome of masculinity but the character has a propensity to be acted upon rather than acted. Although Eddie is portrayed as a very masculine character, the turmoil in his mind is evident to the reader. Within himself he is trying to control his feelings, or act. Instead, it appears that the happenings round him control Eddies actions. When Eddie allows Rodolpho and Marco to stay, he is acting, as he is making the termination as the patriarchal member of the Carbone family. He has the preference of whether to accept them or not. He acts unwrap of freewill. The best example Eddie macrocosm acted upon is when he calls Immigration ab come come forward Marco and Rodolpho. At this express in the play, Eddie thinks that he has no other options.He is struggling to control hisfeelings for Catherine, which on its proclaim is an example of beingness acted upon. Although Eddie knows that these incestuous feelings are not acceptable, he cannot service but feel this right smart. Catherines exploitation relationship with Rodolpho is clearly testing Eddies breakurance. Eddie overly feels that Rodolpho is a bad check on Catherine, as Eddie can no longer control her as he used to. Realistically, this is because Catherine is growing up more than Rodolphos influence. However, Eddie feels that the only solution is to get rid of Rodolpho. By doing this, Eddie hopes that everything will snuff it to its original state, with him being the patriarch. Consequently, Eddie calls Immigration. It can clearly be seen that Eddie is not acting, as eliminating Rodolpho is something that is inevitable if Eddie wishes for things to return to their initial state.Rodolphos appearance in A View From The Bridge is one that is far more womanish and gentle than that of the other characters. He is depict as a slim platinum blond with a nice view. His gentle features are considered womanly, and so he is not considered to be masculine. Rodolphos age can be estimated to be in the mid-twenties. This denotes a lack of vivification experience, another(prenominal) indicator towa rds femininity rather than masculinity. Miller has constructed Rodolpho as a much slight masculine character than Eddie so as to juxtapose the two characters. Unlike Eddie, Rodolpho is a more sage character. He is more cautious in what he says. ascribable to this discretion, Rodolphos speech is very limited in A View From The Bridge. However, his rational behaviour does not stop Rodolpho from being more acted upon than acted.Even though Rodolpho tries to conclude from causing too much of a disturbance in America, he is visibly maddening Eddie by showing core towards Catherine. However, Rodolpho cannot control his feelings. He stands up for his beneficial to have a relationship with Catherine and, disregardless of what Eddie does or says, Rodolpho still has these feelings for Catherine. Rodolpho does not recognize to be attracted to Catherine, it simply happened. The concept that Catherine and Rodolpho both care for each other is not a matter of selection or freewill, it is c learly determinism. For this reason, Rodolpho is more acted upon than acting in A View From The Bridge.Marco is described in A View From The Bridge as a thirty-two year experienced straightforward built peasant. His square build implies strength and an intimidating physique, which evokes an air of masculinity. His age puts him between Eddie and Rodolpho. Throughout the play, Marco is play as quiet, yet thoughtful. His colloquy is minimal, until the concluding sequence where the conflict between him and Eddie erupts. Although his dialogue is entirely different to that of Eddie, the pair are both seen as masculine characters. This is because Marco is cocksure with himself, and does not feel it is necessary to talk of the t admit or dominate the conversation. In doing so, his cartel shines by as being masculine. Again, Marco is a character that appears, in most cases, to be more acted upon than acting.Marcos strong and static persona allows him to understand and recognise eleme nts in the characters more so than Eddie and Rodolpho. He sees Eddies challenging nature towards Rodolpho and challenges Eddie back. In this sense, Marcos actions are acted. He understands what is happening and uses his own freewill to make a decision of what to do. However, the last(a) sequences are clearly an recitation of how Marco is more acted upon than acting. When Marco spits in Eddies face, it is the sexual climax of Eddies attitude and actions that cause him to do so. After trusting Eddie, Marco has been proverbially stabbed in the back. However, Marcos reaction was eminent. Eddies current dislike of both Marco and Rodolpho would eventually hail at a confrontation.Marcos reaction was clearly determinism it was the inevitable result of its previous states of affairs. In this style, the character of Marco is more acted upon than acting. Similarly, when Marco kills Eddie, it is inevitable. If not for Eddies death, the play would be waiver nowhere. Eddies sanity is que stionable towards the end of A View From The Bridge. If Eddie were to survive the stabbing, at that place would be no closure for any of the characters. When Eddie pulls the knife out and attempts to stab Marco, it is clear that he is not thinking rationally. Marco thusly acts in self defence when he stabs Eddie. He knows that one of them will die in the struggle, and sees that his killing of Eddie is the only way he will come out alive. For this reason, Marco acts not out of freewill, but stabs Eddie as thither is no other way for the battle to end. Hence, Marco is moreacted upon than acting. However, this attribute is not shared by all of the manful characters in A View From The Bridge.The final male character in A View From The Bridge is Alfieri. Alfieri is the oldest of the characters, described as being in his fifties, good turn grey and portly. His age implies much life experience, as does his generously proportioned physique. His appearance is also one of a higher class t han the rest of the characters. Alfieri speaks with distinction. Unlike Marco and Eddie, who feel the privation to express their masculinity, Alfieri is confident in himself, and so needs not demonstrate this through his oral communication.For this reason, Alfieri remains to be a masculine character even though his language is very poetic and eloquent. For example, when consulting Eddie and Marco, he says To annunciate not to kill, is not dishonourable. As wellspring as showing Alfieris intelligence, the dictation gives his words a scale of importance. Alfieris masculinity shines through in his instructing and fantabulous manner. Unlike the rest of the male characters in A View From The Bridge, it is felt that Alfieri is not being acted upon, but is acting.As Alfieri is not directly involved in the tangled relationships that take place in the apartment, he has the advantage of having a less mad reaction to the occurrences. Alfieri also has the advantage of being able to thin k about things rationally before offering an opinion. When attempting to guide Eddie in his turmoil, Alfieri informs him that he can take no licit action. In doing so, Alfieri is acting out of freewill. Nothing is forcing him to tell Eddie this. Theoretically, Alfieri could ignore the legal aspect and tell Eddie to take his chances. Instead, Alfieri offers his own advice, to let her go. Although Alfieris reason to seek resolution may be seen as more acted upon than acting, his pressure in guiding Eddie to do the right thing, or lack thereof, is freewill, as Alfieri made the choice in not forcing Eddie to stop acting in the manner that he was. For this reason, Alfieri is acting more than he is acted upon.Although each of the male characters in Millers play A View From The Bridge represents a different role and different type of man, each of their actions can be seen as either an act of freewill or an act of determinism. In manyinstances, it appears that there is no other way for th e consequent to occur. At other times, the characters make choices, utilization their freewill. As Eddie, Rodolpho and Marco are all emotionally involved in the relationships in the play their actions tend to be acts of determinism. All ternary are trapped in gender roles, not wanting to appear weak. As Alfieri is more of an onlooker in the play, his actions are a result of freewill. Confident with his masculinity, he is able to decide what to do, not be forced into doing something. For this reason, the male characters in A View From The Bridge can be said to be predominantly more acted upon than acting.