Eddie witnesses Catherine ask Rodolfo to dance, causing tension between Eddie and Rodolfo. Rodolfo reluctantly agrees to the dance while feeling Eddie's disapproving stare. Beatrice encourages the dance while Eddie grows angrier, twisting a newspaper in response. Marco remains calm yet expects conflict. Later, Eddie boxes with Rodolfo to assert power but is warned off by Marco lifting a chair.

1. ‘A View from the Bridge’
Arthur Miller
Final Scenes of Act One
Please support your answers below with reference to the text and close
textual analysis of Miller’s use of language.
1. Why does Catherine ask Rodolfo to dance?
2. How do Rodolfo, Beatrice, Marco and Eddie each react to this?
Rodolfo –
Beatrice –
Eddie –
Marco –
3. What is Eddie trying to do as he boxes with Rodolfo?
4. Why does Marco lift the chair?

2. ‘A View from the Bridge’
Arthur Miller
Final Scenes of Act One
Please support your answers below with reference to the text and close textual analysis of
Miller’s use of language.
1. Why does Catherine ask Rodolfo to dance?
Stage direction ‘flushed with revolt’ shows that she is rebelling against
Eddie’s authority. She has been angered by Eddie’s attempts to prevent
her from staying out with Rodolfo. Flush suggests a sudden change of
emotion.
2. How do Rodolfo, Beatrice, Marco and Eddie each react to this?
Rodolfo – stage direction ‘in deference to Eddie’ reveals that Rodolfo is
reluctant because he does not want to disrespect Eddie. The use of a
dash in his response, ‘No, I – I’m tired’, reveals that he has to think of an
excuse as to why he does not want to dance. Even after giving in to
Catherine’s request, Rodolfo is described as ‘rising stiffly’ and ‘feeling
Eddie’s eyes on his back’, which reveals that he is very conscious that
their actions are upsetting Eddie and adds tension to the scene.
Beatrice – Encourages the pair to enjoy themselves as she says, ‘Go
ahead, dance, Rodolfo.’ Beatrice had earlier encourages Catherine to
break free from Eddie’s control and therefore we can assume that she
would have been pleased to see Catherine finally being defiant of Eddie.
Eddie – The stage directions reveal that ‘Eddie freezes’. The use of the
word freeze suggests that Eddie has gone still and stiff. It also suggests
coldness towards the situation. Eddie is unable to contain his scorn over
what he sees as Rodolfo’s lack of manliness. ‘It’s wonderful. He sings, he
cooks, he could make dresses…’ The tension heightens as Miller
describes Eddie as ‘unconsciously twisting the newspaper into a tight
roll’. The use of the word unconsciously suggests that Eddie is not in

3. control of his emotions, while the slow tightening of the paper mirrors
his growing anger.
Marco –Marco as ‘just sits there waiting’ which suggests that he expects
something to happen. There is also a sense that Marco, unlike Eddie, is
in control of his emotions as he ‘just’ sits and nothing else.
3. What is Eddie trying to do as he boxes with Rodolfo?
He is trying to assert his power and authority while also attempting to
reveal to Rodolfo’s lack of manliness. However, he tries to mask these
motives by appearing ‘weirdly elated’.
4. Why does Marco lift the chair?
As a warning to Eddie not to mess with Rodolfo.