A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller
Tension bridge
Use the plot outline on the following page to give each event in the play a tension rating from 1 (not at all tense) to 10 (very tense) and
then plot them on the graph below. When you have done this you will be able to see the shape of the tension in the play.
Pick five of the highest points of tension and reread the section of the play where they occur. For each of these parts discuss and decide
how the tension is created. Is it created through speech, actions, dramatic irony or something else? Fill in the chart on the final page
with details of your findings (an example has been given to get you started.)
10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Event
© www.teachit.co.uk 2010 14070 Page 1 of 3
A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller
Tension bridge
Events
1. Alfieri’s opening speech
2. News of the arrival of Beatrice’s cousins from Italy.
3. Catherine tells Eddie about her job offer.
4. Eddie tells the story of Vinnie Bolzano.
5. The cousins arrive and tell of their hopes for the future. Rodolpho entertains
Catherine and Beatrice by singing Paper Doll.
6. Eddie becomes annoyed while waiting for Catherine and Rodolpho to return home
from the cinema.
7. Eddie tells Catherine that Rodolpho is using her to get a passport.
8. Catherine tells Beatrice that she wants to marry Rodolpho but doesn’t want to upset
Eddie.
9. Eddie visits Alfieri to see if there is any way to stop the wedding.
10. Eddie makes fun of Rodolpho’s cooking, sewing and singing and ‘teaches’ him to box.
11. Catherine asks Rodolpho if they can live in Italy. They go into the bedroom together.
12. Eddie sees Catherine and Rodolpho leaving the bedroom and tells Rodolpho to leave
the apartment. Eddie kisses both Catherine and Rodolpho. The men fight.
13. Eddie returns to Alfieri’s office and is advised to let the wedding go ahead. Eddie calls
immigration.
14. Marco and Rodolpho move to an upstairs apartment which they will be sharing with
other illegal immigrants. Beatrice tells Eddie the wedding will take place the following
week.
15. Eddie warns the men that they are taking a risk living with other illegal immigrants.
Immigration officers arrive and Catherine begs them to leave Rodolpho. Marco spits
in Eddie’s face. Marco and Eddie argue. The neighbours all turn their backs on Eddie.
16. Alfieri asks for Marco’s word that he will not kill Eddie. Marco agrees and is let out on
bail.
17. On the day of the wedding, Eddie tells Beatrice that he won’t let her back in the house
if she goes. Catherine calls him a rat.
18. Eddie’s anger is aroused when he hears Marco is in the neighbourhood. Beatrice says
he is angry as he is losing Catherine and this makes his temper even worse.
19. When Marco arrives, Eddie demands an apology then draws a knife. Marco turns the
knife on Eddie, who dies in Beatrice’s arms.
20. Alfieri closes the play, commenting on the waste of life. He says that he admires
Eddie for allowing himself to be ‘wholly known’.
© www.teachit.co.uk 2010 14070 Page 2 of 3
A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller
Tension bridge
Event How tension is created Quotation
Alfieri’s opening speech Alfieri tells us that the story we will see has happened ‘another lawyer, quite differently dressed, heard
before and that nothing can alter events once they are the same complaint and sat there as powerless as
set in motion. We know the story ends in violence. I, and watched it run its bloody course.’
© www.teachit.co.uk 2010 14070 Page 3 of 3
