Creating Tension and Presenting the Themes in A View from the Bridge

Creating Tension and Presenting the Themes in A View from the Bridge

Miller uses the climax of act 1 to create tension for the audience

through the acting and the situation the characters are in, and to

present the key themes of the play to the audience. Firstly, he uses

dramatic irony to give the audience an insight into how the story is

going to end, which creates frustration and tension for them, as

although they can see how the story is developing, the characters

can’t, this ties in with the theme of a Greek tragedy where there is a

predestined conclusion. He uses the fact that in the 1950’s and

especially in dockside and urban households, masculinity and being the

‘man of the house’ was a huge part of family life. He combines this

with Eddies desire to control and obsession with authority, to put the

audience on a knife-edge, as to when one of the characters will lose

control and lash out. Miller also expands on the situation of

relationships in the play, both within the family, and outside. This

ties in with Eddie’s apparently incestuous feelings for Catherine, and

this creates suspense and tension throughout the audience, as they

don’t know what is going to happen about it. Stage Directions, play a

large part of ‘A View From The Bridge’, as they give it the final

touches which create tension for both the characters and the audience,

they help show what a character is feeling, which allows the audience

to empathize with the character, making it all the more believable and

therefore creating more tension as they want to know what will happen.

Alfieri’s monologue is also a main contributing factor to the tension,

which slowly builds throughout the entire scene. The audience share

Alfieri’s perspectiv...

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...the play, just over there to send money home,

but now it seems like he is taking an active part, and defending

Rodolfo against Eddies slanderous onslaught.

In conclusion, I feel that Arthur Miller creates tension in the climax

to Act 1 in “A View From The Bridge,” in many different ways. These

include the exploration and presentation of many of the key themes

that Miller has sewn throughout the play, comprising mainly of:

masculinity, incest, Greek tragedy, jealousy, pride and obsession. He

uses surprise, and a ‘factor of the unknown’ to keep the audience in

suspense as to when Eddie will lose control, but never in doubt to the

fact that he will. All in all Miller uses a variety of techniques and

themes to create tension for the audience and keep them in suspense

for the whole play, and successfully draws on this to build huge

climaxes at many points.