Creating Tension and Presenting the Themes in A View from the Bridge Es

Creating Tension and Presenting the Themes in A look out from the BridgeMiller uses the climax of act 1 to lay down tension for the audiencethrough the acting and the situation the characters are in, and topresent the key themes of the play to the audience. Firstly, he usesdramatic irony to give the audience an cleverness into how the story isgoing to end, which creates frustration and tension for them, asalthough they can see how the story is developing, the characterscant, this ties in with the theme of a Greek tragedy where there is apredestined conclusion. He uses the point that in the 1950s andespecially in dockside and urban households, masculinity and being theman of the house was a big part of family life. He combines thiswith Eddies desire to control and obsession with authority, to put theaudience on a knife-edge, as to when one of the characters will losecontrol and lambast out. Miller also expands on the situation ofrelationships in the play, both within the family , and outside. Thisties in with Eddies apparently incestuous feelings for Catherine, andthis creates suspense and tension throughout the audience, as theydont know what is going to happen about it. Stage Directions, play alarge part of A View From The Bridge, as they give it the finaltouches which create tension for both the characters and the audience,they help show what a character is feeling, which allows the audienceto empathize with the character, making it all the more likely andtherefore creating more tension as they want to know what will happen.Alfieris monologue is also a main contributing factor to the tension,which late builds throughout the entire scene. The audience shareAlfieris perspectiv... ...the play, just over there to send money home,but now it seems like he is fetching an active part, and defendingRodolfo against Eddies slanderous onslaught.In conclusion, I feel that Arthur Miller creates tension in the climaxto Act 1 in A View From The Bridge, in many diff erent ways. Theseinclude the exploration and presentation of many of the key themesthat Miller has sewn throughout the play, comprising mainly ofmasculinity, incest, Greek tragedy, jealousy, pride and obsession. Heuses surprise, and a factor of the unknown to keep the audience insuspense as to when Eddie will lose control, but never in doubt to thefact that he will. All in all Miller uses a variety of techniques andthemes to create tension for the audience and keep them in suspensefor the whole play, and successfully draws on this to build hugeclimaxes at many points.