Miller's Masculinity in A View from the Bridge

How Does Miller present masculinity in a view from the bridge? Masculinity is an evident theme that runs through the play and is made very obvious through the speech and actions of the characters. The main leading males are Eddy, Marco and Rudolph, [Alfieri could also be considered as a main male role] each playing different roles and different types of men. Arthur Miller does subvert from the theme of masculinity and highlights the ever important theme of femininity throughout, how it compares and fits side long to masculinity too.

The social and historical background of a view from the bridge is represented from Italy in the times of the 1950s. Italy is certainly associated in dramas for the ‘Mafia’, therefore the men are expected to be manly, strong but family orientated due to the fiery passion in the Italian culture. The area of Red Hook in Brooklyn is situated near to the dock which also gives the idea that all men would be strong from lifting on the docks.

The social and historical background to the story makes it that more alive, is that it is known that Miller, [who in fact is polish], use to work in the Brooklyn Naval yard where he befriended Italians who told him stories about men coming over to work illegally and how they were betrayed. In the story the characters background affects their views and behaviour, as well as the theme of the play. All these elements have bearing on the issue of masculinity presented in the play because they all add

Heels Essay

The masculine and feminine roles in the 1950s would have been very stereotypical of what people think the roles of women and men should be.

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The men would go to work each day, bringing home money for the family and the women would have stayed at home raising the kids and up keeping the house. In Red Hook, where it was predominately Italians who came from Italy to work, the men most certainty would be working at the docks as it would be fast, easy money. The audience will be able to tap into these roles, both modern and contemporary audiences, and they would have probably expected it due to the time the play was set.

The apparent roles of women and men is seen quite clearly as Miller does emphasise a lot on the masculinity side through the behaviour and actions of those in the play. Miller presents Eddie initially coming in from a day of work as hard working, high-figured, protective character in his family. The audience will see this and begin to pick it up through the things he say, how he says it and the way he acts. The image of the hard worker comes from one of the first things he says. His friend Louis asks if he is working the next day and Eddie replies with: ” Yeah, there’s another day yet on that ship” which shows Eddie

The high figure statue comes from the way, his niece Catherine dotes on him as he arrives, almost begging for his approval with her new look and making sure he is sat comfortable from his day of work. She continuously asks him, “You like it? ”, taking him by the arm, leading him to his armchair and offering him beer. She sits on her heels beside him, almost implying that she is ”looking up to him” from where she’s sat when talking. Eddie appears to be very protective over his niece through the things he says. Such as: “I think it’s too short aint it? ”,

“Listen you been giving me the willies the way you walk down the street, I mean it”, “I don’t like the looks they’re givin’ you in the candy store”, “The heads are turning like windmills”, “You ain’t all the girls” Eddie is presented first to show that he is the protagonist of the story and the one we will watch develop in character through the play. Miller wanted to show us who the main masculine character will be. The fact that the first main character is male also shows that masculinity is a major element to the play. Eddie and Beatrice fit hand in hand with the masculine and feminine roles.