Introduction
1. All great tragedies – main character tragic flaw – Eddie, in play we are studying is “obsessive need to control Catherine (niece)
2. In “a view from the bridge” – main character – Eddie – is tragic hero
3. A tragic hero – character in work of fiction – who commits action or mistake – leads to downfall/defeat
4. Eddie – character we study, tragic hero because – inability to let go of Catherine – leads to betraying his family - tragic error of judgement
5. Leads to downfall/ defeat
6. In essay – analysing how Eddie presented in all 3 extracts – examining how develops/ changes as character
“A view from the bridge” - controlled assessment
Act 1 Analysis
Analysis of extract 1 (30 minutes):
This extract – Arthur Miller – uses different language techniques/ stage directions
In order present Eddie, to audience as:
Over protective, supportive, secretive, dominant and well respected.
Over protective
Extract clearly presents us – character, has compulsive need to over protect Niece - Catherine - to control her and prevent losing her.
Clearly see this when he says:
“You look like one of them girls that went to college. Where you goin?
Shows curiosity on one level
Shows underlying protectiveness and possessiveness
Infers is afraid of losing her
Asserting his powerfulness, hold he has over her,
Shows the want to protect and control her
“Where you going all dressed up?”
Repeats what previous quote shows
Hunger and need to know where she is going
In order to protect her from other men, to lose her to
Supportive
Arthur Miller - uses short sentences/ language technique’s - present Eddie as supportive uncle - expected to see
Although see underlying motives beginning to arise.
Portrayed when says:
“Beautiful. Turn around, lemme see the back. (She turns for him). Oh, if your mother was alive to see you now. She wouldn’t believe it.”