MR Essay Research Paper Coursework A view

MR Essay, Research Paper

Coursework: A view from the Bridge

How does Arthur Miller Present the Stages of Eddie.s Collapse. Is Eddie solely responsible for his own downfall.

I will identify all the stages of Eddie.s collapse from the beginning to his tragic downfall. I will look closely at all events and situations that lead him to his downfall. I shall then decide whether Eddie brings it all upon himself or are there other characters in the play who contribute to his collapse.

Catherine and Eddie have a very close relationship. Eddie is the father figure and Catherine is the daughter, this is how it appears on the surface. However, it becomes clear to the reader that Eddie has more than fatherly love towards Catherine. Eddie is attracted to Catherine and in many ways she provokes his feelings.

.(Eddie was happy and therefore shy about it).

Eddie enjoys having Catherine around him and always looking up to him. Eddie.s feelings and his jealousy are the main contributors to his downfall. Catherine is growing up and becoming a woman, Eddie cannot cope with this change, and he feels that no man is good enough for Catherine. He sees her as a .Madonna. pure and innocent. He doesn.t like the idea of men taking an interest in Catherine and vice versa. This can be seen in the beginning of the play, Catherine comes to Eddie wearing a short skirt and seeking his approval of it. Immediately Eddie is worried about what other men will think of Catherine.

.I don.t like the looks those guys are given you at the candy store..

At first this seems like a protective father but it soon turns into Eddie.s jealousy of Catherine.s attraction to other men. Eddie knows that Catherine.s maturity and growing interest in men will mean that he will soon no longer have the same role in her life. This creates a problem because he has got used to Catherine relying on him; he does not want this to change. Eddie still sees Catherine as a child and this is shown clearly at the beginning of the play when he calls her .kid..

Eddie has a less then perfect relationship with his wife Beatrice. He is obsessed with Catherine and this obsession grows stronger and stronger as the play goes on, putting a greater strain on his relationship with Beatrice.

.When am I go to be a wife again Eddie..

Beatrice feels threatened by Eddie.s feelings for Catherine. She no longer feels like Eddie.s wife, She hints that these feelings of Eddies are causing their relationship to no longer be physical. Beatrice shows recognition of Eddie.s feelings quite early on in the play.

.What.re you gonna stand over her till she.s forty.

The fact Beatrice does not always agree with everything Eddie says makes Eddie feel like less of a man. Eddie begins to think he has lost her respect.

She later tries to stop Catherine from provoking these feelings Eddie has by pointing out her actions are inappropriate.

.You still walk around in front of him in your slip.

We can see Catherine.s ignorance too the whole situation evolving around her when she says:

.Well I forgot. and .when did I do that.

Eddie.s downfall is also due to his obsession not just with Catherine, but with respect. He hates to feel anyone is better than him or has more than him, this is what causes the feud between Eddie and Rodolfo. He feels that Rodolfo is .stealing. from him. When he says this he is referring to Rodolfo as the thief and Catherine as his valuable possession. He sees Catherine as his own and no one should be allowed to take her. He feels that he has done so much for Rodolfo like allowing him to stay in his house. He may feel because he has taken Catherine that Radolfo owes him something.

Jealousy is Eddie.s main problem. He likes to be centre stage, but when Rodolfo and Marco come this is taken away from him. As soon as Catherine meets Rodolfo she is attracted to him, this is seen through the stage directions, .(Wondrously). this shows the audience that a romance is about to start and cause many problems. Miller gives us an insight into the play. It also tells us just how amazed Catherine is with Rodolfo.s character. Eddie immediately notices the attraction and we see his downfall beginning. Eddie.s jealousy begins when he sees Catherine idolising Rodolfo and sends her away to get Coffee because of the interest she has in Rodolfo. When Rodolfo begins to sing Catherine is amazed, Rodolfo is the centre of attention and Eddie feels that he should be as it is his house. He stops Rodolfo by telling him he.ll be .picked up.. Catherine however wants him to continue and from the stage direction we see she is .enthralled. by him, this can be linked to when she looks at him wondrously because from both of these we can see her attraction and it is the main part of Eddie.s road to collapse. Beatrice points out to Eddie that he is jealous of Rodolfo

.Ah go on you.re just jealous..

This angers Eddie but his jealousy is a major contributor to his downfall. Eddie has the ability to delude himself and avoids confrontation with the truth. He will not admit his feelings for Catherine. He has resentment towards Beatrice, because she encourages Catherine to have her independence in the first part of the play. Beatrice is trying to put a stop to things before they get to serious, unfortunately she remains

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