39 pages 1 hour read

Arthur Miller

A View from the Bridge

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1955

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller is a two-act play set in the Italian American neighborhood of Red Hook, New York, in the 1950s. Longshoreman Eddie Carbone lives with his wife Beatrice and her niece Catherine in a small apartment. Tensions arise when Beatrice’s immigrant cousins, Marco and Rodolpho, arrive from Italy to stay. Eddie becomes increasingly troubled by Catherine’s romantic interest in Rodolpho, leading to a dramatic conflict that ultimately reveals Eddie’s deeper motivations and causes a tragic outcome. The play includes depictions of a man’s quasi-incestuous desire for his surrogate daughter and references to anti-immigrant sentiment.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge is praised for its intense emotional depth and exploration of complex human themes such as justice and betrayal. The play's gripping narrative and well-crafted characters are standout features, though some critics feel its pacing can be slow at times. Overall, it remains a powerful and compelling drama.

Who should read this

Who Should Read A View from the Bridge?

A reader who would enjoy Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge is likely someone captivated by intense human drama and moral dilemmas. They would appreciate complex character studies akin to Miller's Death of a Salesman or Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, favoring narratives with strong emotional and ethical conflicts.

RecommendedReading Age

16-18years

Book Details

Genre

Play: Drama

Play: Tragedy

Drama / Tragedy

Themes

Society: Immigration

Identity: Masculinity

Society: Community

Topics

Education

History: World