The Significance of the Title of A View from the Bridge

A View from the Bridge is written by Arthur Miller. Miller became interested in the work and lives of the communities of dock workers and Longshoremen of New York’s Brooklyn Harbor, and where he had himself previously worked. In 1947, he was told an interesting story about another longshoreman in the area who had snitched to the Immigration Bureau on his own relatives. The Longshoreman was attempting to prevent the marriage between one of the brothers and his niece. Eight years later, in 1955, A View from the Bridge, based on the story of that same Longshoreman, was produced. Miller intended for the play to be a Greek tragedy.

The play tells the story of Eddie Carbone, a Brooklyn longshoreman working in the New York docks. His wife, Beatrice’s cousins seek refuge as illegal immigrants from Italy. Trouble begins when his niece, Catherine becomes attracted to the younger of the two immigrants, Rodolfo and Eddie’s desires for his niece drives him to his own destruction. The play is set in New York in the 1950s in an Italian immigrant community. This essay will explore the different meanings of the title and how it is significant.

The bridge is a metaphor. A bridge connects two places together but keeps them separate. It shows you ‘a’ view from where you are, you can see in front of you and behind you. It is the bridge in New York which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, two different communities which are connected but are kept apart.

The characters: Eddie, Catherine, Beatrice, Marco, Rodolfo and Alfieri make bridges or connections between other characters. Catherine is trying to build bridges; her growing up is a bridge as well. For example, the audience sees Catherine crossing the bridge from a girl to a woman. This is shown by t...

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...e Greeks were beaten,’ and ‘Justice is very important here.’

In conclusion, the effective title of the play ‘A View from the Bridge’ is significant as it gives different views to people as if the characters stepped on the bridge. I believe that the main reason for the naming of the play as ‘A View from the Bridge’ is the obvious metaphor of Arthur Miller’s perspective. The play shows us the Italian and American way of life and a bridge between characters. Alfieri is in many ways like Arthur Miller, when he first heard the tale of the longshoreman, he is the teller of an incredible story that he cannot change. Arthur Miller demonstrates life and corruption on the docks and streets in the Italian-American community. The area can be viewed from the bridge, and as the title says ‘a’ view, it is like Arthur Miller showing his objective view and perspective of the play.