Helping the Audience Understand the Themes of A View from the Bridge

Examine Miller's use of language and dramatic devices in helping the

audience to understand the themes of A View from the Bridge.

In the play, 'A View from the Bridge.' Arthur Miller uses a variety of

language and dramatic devices. These techniques are used to express

the play more creatively, helping the audience to develop an enhanced

understanding of the text. He uses elements such as character and

language to convey the in-depth meanings of the themes within the

play.

In the play, Miller includes the authorial omniscient character,

Alfieri. Alfieri's role in the play is extremely important. He helps

to justify the themes, and makes them more palpable to the audience.

In the opening of the play, Alfieri first appears to the audience,

speaking a monologue. He begins this by speaking in the present tense;

explaining his role as a lawyer, he implies, 'justice is very

important here.' This theme is expressed perceptibly, and becomes

clear that the theme is very obviously expressed through Alfieri's

character.

In the introductory monologue, Alfieri changes to speak in the past

tense, 'This one's name was Eddie Carbone.' It is made apparent to the

audience that Alfieri is looking back on a past case he had dealt with

as a lawyer. He fills in any time gaps not included in the play also,

whilst adding a context, 'A longshoreman working the docks from

Brooklyn bridge to the breakwater,' as the narrative character, he

sets the scene, he also implies upon events which have happened,

(hence he has already seen them happen previously.) 'On the

twenty-third of that December a case of scotch whiskey slipped from a

net while being unloaded.' He also fills in to the audience what has

happened in the time gap, 'C...

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...e serious extent.

Many hundreds of years ago, the ancient Greeks first produced theatre;

the stories were told using various narrative figures known as a

'chorus'. The chorus would comment on the action of the play, but also

they would divide the scenes and link them together by covering any

action the audience did not see during the time gap. Arthur Miller

imbued this characteristic upon Alfieri. He divides each part into

'unofficial scenes' and informs the audience on any action of the play

which has been missed, as not it is not necessary to include

everything in a play.

Overall, it is clear that Miller uses a wide range of language and

dramatic devices to make the themes of the play more explicit, he is

able to express the themes through character and other aspects,

allowing the audience to have a firm understanding of the themes

within the play.