The rest of the play Essay Example for Free

The rest of the play Essay The opening scene of A View from the Bridge contains a lot of clues and preparations for what is to come in the rest of the play. By just reading the title, the reader can tell a lot about what events will occur. The opening stage directions suggest the theme of the play before any characters are introduced, which is very significant. The first few lines of each persons speech hints at the type of character that each person is going to be, and many clues are given away to what is going to happen and why. The set can also give the audience some contextual information- by showing what time period it was in. This hints to what the story may lead to because of the particular things going on at this time in America, and also the idea of the American Dream. The title of the play is very significant. As the first thing you read, you can use it to predict/ sum up what will happen in the play. Obviously, you cannot tell from the title exactly what the plot will be, and what type of characters involved, however you do get an idea of the type of play that it is. The title A View from the Bridge can be interpreted as the idea of somebody watching down on a series of events. As the play is set in America, it is likely that the Bridge is Brooklyn Bridge, so you could see this as Alfieri watching Eddies household from Brooklyn Bridge. This is associated with the theme of Greek Tragedy, in that it gives the idea of someone watching down on what is happening. This shows a definite sense of inevitability and fate- showing that someone can see what is going to happen, but it cannot be avoided because it was meant to happen, suggesting that the characters are isolated and fate will run its course, and those watching from the bridge cannot intercept. Therefore just by looking at the title of the play, you know that it is going to be tragic- usually associated with a death. Another interpretation of the title is that Alfieri is the bridge, in that he is the bridge character between the audience and Eddie and his family, because his character enforces the Greek Tragedy theme, and the general theme of inevitability. His character represents the reality, as he shows the audience what the play is about and prepares them for what is to come. This interpretation also gives a sense of isolation of Eddie, as Alfieri connects to the audience-, which could also show that not only Alfieri, but the whole audience is seeing the View from the Bridge. The opening stage directions are important because this is the first time that the audience will see the set, and will begin to make assumptions or predictions about what is going to happen. They are very long and specific- again showing that everything is in its place, and fate will run its course. The first indication of death in these stage directions is in the second sentence: The front is skeletal entirely- this is very early in the play, straightaway suggesting that the tragedy will be happening soon.