Arthur Miller
1915 - 2005
1. Arthur Miller was
born in America, but
his parents were
Polish-Jewish
immigrants.
2. In 1940 he started
writing plays. Death
of a Salesman and
The Crucible were
two early successes.
3. In 1955 A View From the
Bridge was first performed.
4. Miller became interested in
the lives of longshoremen. He
said that “the waterfront was
the Wild West, a desert
beyond the law”.
5. Between 1861 and 1934
the population of Italy
increased to 400,000.
6. Unemployment was high
and disease was rife in Italy.
7. Between 1919 and
1924 many Italians
emigrated to
America. In 1920
alone 300,000
Italians made the
move.
8. In 1924 the US
Immigration Act
meant that only
3,845 Italians could
move to America a
year. This meant that
many moved
illegally.
9. In 1956 Miller split
up with his wife and
married Marilyn
Monroe.
10. Miller was part of
the Communist Party
of which America
disapproved. Miller
was jailed in 1957 for
his political activities.
11. He split up with
Marilyn Monroe.
12. A View from
the Bridge is
about the
Carbone family
who are
descended from
Italian immigrants.
They are legal
American citizens,
but are about to
let two illegal
immigrants (their
cousins Marco
and Rodolfo) stay
with them.
How does Arthur Miller create a dramatic
character in Eddie Carbone?
Paragraph 1
Explain who Arthur Miller is and
explain why you think he wrote a
play about Italian immigrants.
How does Arthur Miller create a dramatic character in Eddie
Carbone?
Paragraph 1
Explain who Arthur Miller is and explain why you think he
wrote a play about Italian immigrants.
1. Parents Polish-Jewish immigrants.
2.
3.
Death of a Salesman & The Crucible - 1940
A View from the Bridge first performed - 1955
9.
10.
11.
Marries Marilyn Monroe.
Jailed for involvement with Communist Party.
Splits up with Marilyn Monroe and dies in 2005.
4. “The waterfront was the Wild West, a desert
beyond the law” - life of longshoremen (a lot of
Italian immigrants were longshoremen and Eddie
is in the play.
5. 1861-1934 - Italy increases to 400,000
6. Unemployment and disease in Italy
7. 1920 - 300,000 Italians move to America
8. 1924 - Law said that only 3,845 Italians could
move to America a year.
12. A View from the Bridge about family descended
from immigrants.
A View from the Bridge
Parents should
be strict with
their children
Parents should
allow children to
do whatever they
want
Eddie seems protective of Catherine:
“Now don’t aggravate me,
Katie, you are walkin’ wavy!”
The power
Ideas
it makes
relationships
us
think about
between
men
and women
How does Arthur Miller create a dramatic
character in Eddie Carbone?
Paragraph 2: Eddie and Catherine
“I think it’s too short ain’t it.”
“Now don’t aggravate me, Katie, you are
walkin’ wavy!”
“I don’t like the looks they’re giving you in the
candy store.”
“You ain’t ‘all the girls’”
“Why didn’t you ask me before you take a
job?”
“I want you to be in a nice office”
“(with a sense of her childhood, her
babyhood, and the years): All right, go to
work.”
1. What makes you suspicious of people?
2. What might Marco and Rodolfo do to make
Eddie feel suspicious of them?
3. What do you think is going to happen next?
How does Arthur Miller create a dramatic
character in Eddie Carbone?
Paragraph 3: Eddie meets Marco and Rodolfo
“You’re welcome, Marco, we got plenty of
room here.”
“[To Rodolfo] Why can’t you just walk, or take
a trolley, or sump’m?”
“[Catherine] gives Eddie a cold look,
restrained only by the strangers.”
“[Eddie] is sizing up Rodolfo, and there is a
concealed suspicion.”
Key Words:
Foreboding
Stage directions
Dramatic tension
How does Arthur Miller create a dramatic
character in Eddie Carbone?
Paragraph 4: Eddie’s attitude to Rodolfo
“He’s like a chorus girl or sump’m.”
“That’s a nice kid. He gives me the heebyjeebies.”
“Katie, he’s only bowin’ to his passport.”
Beatrice: “(with open fright and fury) You
going to leave her alone? Or you gonna
drive me crazy?”
Eddie talking to Alfieri: “I see it in her eyes;
he’s laughin’ at her and he’s laughin’ at me.”
Eddie talking to Alfieri: “They’re laughin’ at
him on the piers. I’m ashamed.”
“I worked like a dog twenty years so a punk
could have her.”
Who’s the strongest person in the class?
How does Arthur Miller create a dramatic
character in Eddie Carbone?
Paragraph 5: The chair lifting contest
“[Eddie] feints with his left hand and lands
with his right. It mildly staggers Rodolfo.”
“Eddie tries again, and again fails.”
“Marco is face to face with Eddie… the chair
raised like a weapon over Eddie’s head.”
“[Marco] transforms what might appear like a
glare of warning into a smile of triumph.”
Key Words:
Symbolise
Dramatic tension
Turning point
How does Arthur Miller create a dramatic
character in Eddie Carbone?
Paragraph 6: The kiss and the betrayal
“[Eddie] draws her to him, and as she strives
to free herself he kisses her on the mouth.”
“Eddie pins his arms, laughing and suddenly
kisses him.”
“They are like animals who have torn at one
another and broken up without a decision.”
“I want to report something. Illegal
immigrants. Two of them.”
Beatrice: “He snitched to the Immigration…
they grabbed him and pulled him down the
stairs – three flights his head was bouncin’ like
a coconut.” (story about Vinny Bolzano from earlier in the play)
All law is not in a book
Put right or wrong next to each of these
statements.
1. Talking about someone behind their back.
2. Grassing up on a friend to a teacher.
3. Keeping the money if a shop keeper has
given you too much change.
4. Fighting in a war that you don’t believe is
right.
5. Being honest with someone and telling
them that their breath smells.
6. Sneaking away after accidentally breaking
someone’s window.
7. Giving your pet dog a kick.
8. Cheering when England concede a goal in
the World Cup.
How does Arthur Miller create a dramatic
character in Eddie Carbone?
Paragraph 7: The death
Marco: “That one! He killed my children! That
one stole food from my children.”
Alfieri: “All law is not in a book.”
“I want my respect.”
“[Eddie] is incensing himself and little bits of
laughter even escape him as eyes are
murderous and he cracks his knuckles in his
hands with a strange sort of relaxation.”
Alfieri: “It is better to settle for half, it must be!”
How does Arthur Miller create a dramatic
character in Eddie Carbone?
Paragraph 8: The conclusion
Does the audience have any sympathy for
Eddie at the end?
Is there a moral message to this play?
How did we know that Eddie was always
destined to die?
Why is Eddie a fascinating character for the
audience?
Key Words:
Fatal flaw
Foreshadowing
Greek tragedy