FREE A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE PDF Arthur Miller,Philip Seymour Hoffman | 112 pages | 03 Oct 2010 | Penguin Books Ltd | 9780141189963 | English | London, United Kingdom A View from the Bridge: Plot Overview | SparkNotes Alfieri, an Italian-American lawyer in his fifties, enters the stage and sits in his office. Talking from his desk to the audience, he introduces the story of Eddie Carbone. Alfieri compares himself to a lawyer in Caesar's time, powerless to watch as the events of history run their bloody course. Eddie Carbone walks down the street to his house. As Eddie enters the home two fellow Longshoremen, Mike and Louis greet him. Eddie's niece, Catherine, reaches out the window and waves to Eddie and Louis. When Eddie enters the house he gently scolds Catherine for flirting with the boys so blatantly. Eddie thinks she should be more reserved and not "walk so wavy. While Beatrice and Catherine set the table for dinner, they convince Eddie to let Catherine take a job as a stenographer down by the docks. Eddie informs Beatrice that her cousins, Marco and Rodolpho, will be arriving early from Italy and will probably be at the house that night. Beatrice and Eddie plan A View from the Bridge hide Marco and Rodolpho while they work A View from the Bridge the country illegally to send money home. Marco and Rodolpho arrive at the house A View from the Bridge have a brief reunion. They are both very gracious for the hospitality. Marco tells the A View from the Bridge that he has three children and a wife back home that he will be sending money to. Rodolpho, the young blonde brother, has no family and intends to stay in the country as long as possible. Rodolpho entertains everyone with his version of the jazz tune, "Paper Doll. In the coming weeks, Rodolpho and Catherine spend a great deal of time together, which worries Eddie. Eddie thinks that Rodolpho is untrustworthy and Eddie becomes jealous of the time he spends with Catherine. Eddie tells Catherine that Rodolpho just wants to marry her to become a citizen, but she does not listen. Rodolpho develops a reputation at the docks for being quite a joker, which further embarrasses Eddie. Beatrice, more aware than ever of the attention Eddie is giving Catherine, talks to Catherine about being a woman and tells her she must grown up and make her own decisions. Beatrice encourages Catherine to get married to Rodolpho if that is what she wants to do. Catherine agrees to try. Eddie, still frustrated with Rodolpho and Catherine, even visits Alfieri and asks if there is any way he can get rid of Rodolpho by law, but Alfieri assures him there is not. Alfieri tells Eddie that he needs to let Catherine go. The situation A View from the Bridge and Eddie becomes increasingly jealous of Rodolpho. Eddie resents the fact A View from the Bridge Rodolpho thinks Catherine is looser than Italian girls. Eddie threatens Rodolpho in a pretend boxing match held in the living room of the house, stopped by Catherine and Beatrice. As Act II begins, Alfieri narrates and it is evident that time has passed. Rodolpho and Catherine are left alone in the house and have sex in the bedroom. As they are leaving the bedroom, Eddie comes home drunk. Eddie violently kisses Catherine, pins Rodolpho to the floor and kisses him also. Eddie visits Alfieri once again, who repeatedly tells him to let Catherine go. Immigration comes and arrests Marco and Rodolpho. As he is being taken away, Marco spits in A View from the Bridge face. Alfieri pays bail for the two men and arranges the marriage of Catherine and Rodolpho. On the wedding day, Marco returns to the house for revenge. Eddie lunges into Marco with a knife. Marco turns Eddie's arm and kills Eddie with Eddie's own knife. Eddie dies in Beatrice's arms. Election Day is November 3rd! Make sure your voice is heard. Themes Motifs Symbols Key Facts. Important Quotations Explained. Summary Plot Overview. Next section Act I. Popular pages: A View from the Bridge. Take a Study Break. A View from the Bridge | Goodman Theatre The run was unsuccessful, and Miller subsequently revised the play to contain two acts; this version is the one with which audiences are most familiar. Eddie, the tragic protagonisthas an improper love of, and almost obsession with, Catherine, his wife Beatrice's orphaned niece, so he does not approve of her courtship of Beatrice's cousin Rodolfo. Miller's interest in writing about the world of the New York docks originated with an unproduced screenplay that he developed with Elia Kazan in the early s titled The Hook that addressed corruption on A View from the Bridge Brooklyn docks. Kazan later directed On the Waterfrontwhich dealt with the same subject. The action is narrated by Alfieri who, being raised in s Italy but now working as an American lawyer, represents the "Bridge" between the two cultures. In the opening speech Alfieri describes the violent history of the small Brooklyn community of Red Hook and tells us that the second-generation Sicilians are now more civilized, more American, and are prepared to "settle for half" half measures and let the law handle their disputes. But there are exceptions, and he then begins to narrate the story of Eddie Carbone, an Italian American longshoreman who lives with his wife Beatrice and her orphaned niece Catherine. Eddie is a good man who, although ostensibly protective and fatherly towards Catherine, harbours A View from the Bridge growing passion for her as she approaches her 18th birthday. We learn that he has not had sex with his wife for nearly three months. Catherine is studying to become a stenographer and Eddie objects to her taking a job she has been offered until she finishes her coursework, expressing a dislike for the way she dresses and the interest she is beginning to show in men. Beatrice is more supportive of Catherine's ventures and persuades Eddie to let her take the job. Eddie returns home one afternoon with the news that Beatrice's two cousins, brothers Marco and Rodolfo, have safely arrived in New York as illegal immigrants. He has agreed to house them saying that he is honored to be able to help family. Marco is quiet and thoughtful, possessing a remarkable strength, whereas A View from the Bridge is more unconventional, with plans to make a career singing in America. Marco has a family starving in Italy and plans to return after working illegally for several years, whereas Rodolfo intends to stay. Although Eddie, Beatrice, and Catherine are at first excellent hosts, cracks appear A View from the Bridge Rodolfo and Catherine begin dating. Eddie convinces himself that Rodolfo is homosexual and is only expressing interest in Catherine so he can marry her and gain status as a legal citizen. He confronts Catherine with his beliefs and she turns to Beatrice for advice. Beatrice, starting to realize Eddie's true feelings, tells her that she should marry Rodolfo and move out. In the meantime, Eddie turns to Alfieri, hoping for help from the law. However, Alfieri tells him that the only recourse he has is to report Rodolfo and Marco as undocumented. Seeing no solution to his problem, Eddie becomes increasingly desperate and takes his anger out on Rodolfo and, in teaching him to box, 'accidentally' injures him. Marco reacts by quietly threatening Eddie, showing his strength by holding a heavy chair above Eddie's head with one hand and 'smiling with triumph'. A few months have passed and Eddie reaches a breaking point when he discovers that Catherine and Rodolfo have slept together and are intent on marrying. Drunk, he kisses Catherine and then attempts to prove that Rodolfo is gay by suddenly and passionately kissing him also. After a A View from the Bridge confrontation, Eddie orders Rodolfo to leave the apartment. Eddie visits Alfieri and insists that the kiss has proved Rodolfo is gay and that he is only marrying Catherine for citizenship, but once again A View from the Bridge says the law cannot help. Out of desperation, Eddie phones immigration services but in the meantime Beatrice A View from the Bridge arranged for Marco and Rodolfo to move in with two other undocumented immigrants in the flat above. Eddie learns that Catherine and Rodolfo have arranged to marry within a week and about the two new immigrants that have moved into the building and, with both anger and fright, frantically urges Catherine A View from the Bridge Beatrice to move them out. When immigration officials arrive and arrest Marco, Rodolfo, and the two other immigrants, Eddie pretends that the arrest comes as a complete surprise to him, but Beatrice and Marco see through this. A View from the Bridge spits in Eddie's face in front of everyone and accuses Eddie of killing his starving children. Eddie tries to convince the neighborhood of his innocence but A View from the Bridge turn away from him. Alfieri visits Marco and Rodolfo in custody, obtaining their release on bail A View from the Bridge their hearing comes up. Alfieri explains that Rodolfo will be able to stay once he has married Catherine but warns Marco that he will have to return to Italy. Vengeful, Marco confronts Eddie publicly on his release, and Eddie turns on him with a knife, demanding that he take back his accusations and restore his honor. In the ensuing scuffle, Eddie is stabbed with his own knife and dies, as his stunned family and neighbors stand around.