Explore the importance of honour in A View from the Bridge.
You must consider language, from and structure in your answer.
Honour is prominent theme in this play. The Italian-American immigrant community looks after
itself. The individuals who make up this community demand certain expectations of each other:
including protecting illegal immigrants from authorities, valuing and respecting each other,
demanding revenge when a member is wronged, and being able to trust each other absolutely. The
community has its own sense of Law and Justice, contributing to the tragic ending of the play. Eddie
was originally seen as a someone important in his community. He was respected, but still lost all that
respect, adding to the tension and conflict of the play. Honour is shown to be very important,
especially to the male characters. It means far more to them than the law itself. To be honourable is
to be respected. Doing something dishonourable equals losing that respect.
Codes of honour bind families and, by extension, the whole neighbourhood together with a sense of
community. Everyone should look out for one another. Betraying someone is the most
dishonourable crime one could commit, hence the anecdote about Vinny is significant; it is used to
help teach the audience about expectations, attitudes and codes of behaviour in their society. It is
also used to foreshadow similar happenings later on. If it weren’t for the anecdote, the audience
might not fully understand the gravity of Eddie’s actions. Eddie and Beatrice’s tale of Vinny Bolzano
immediately sets the tone and mood of the play. The audience is immediately aware of the
importance of honour, family and community. It is very clear that, in the eyes of Eddie and Beatrice,
Vinny had done something terribly wrong and was justly punished, as everyone believes the
consequences were fair for his actions; he is granted no sympathy for his actions. Eddie states clearly
that Vinny will never be seen in the neighbourhood again out of shame: “a guy do a thing like that?
How’s he gonna show his face?” Family comes first – it is the most important thing, and to betray
one’s family is a crime for which punishment must be exacted. Vinny was granted no sympathy for
his actions; he received fair punishment. It is ironic that Eddie commits the same crime as the villain
in the story he earlier used as a warning; he later proceeds to ‘snitch to Immigration’ about Marco
and Rodolpho at the end of the play. While Vinny was rejected and ostracized by the community,
Eddie was killed, and his death can be seen as being brought upon himself, as Eddie brings the knife,
while Marco simply redirects it. He also lost the respect of his family and neighbourhood, though
Alfieri assured the audience he still loves and mourns him, granting Eddie a modicum of dignity at his
death. Alfieri’s words may also influence the audience’s view of Eddie as Alfieri served as a narrator,
guiding the audience through the series of events – the story is possibly given entirely from his point
of view.
Honour is shown to be very important, especially to the male characters. It means far more to them
than the law. To be honourable is to be respected. If you do anything dishonourable, you lose
respect. That is why Marco and Eddie are so keen to protect their names and get a ‘just’ conclusion.
Codes of honour bind families and the whole neighbourhood with a sense of community. Everyone
should look out for one another, to betray someone is the most dishonourable action imaginable.
Perhaps one of the reasons why Eddie finds it impossible to admit his love for Catherine is because
he knows how dishonourable it is. Irony is again shown here because his refusal has to do with
something he sees as being dishonourable.
You must consider language, from and structure in your answer.
Honour is prominent theme in this play. The Italian-American immigrant community looks after
itself. The individuals who make up this community demand certain expectations of each other:
including protecting illegal immigrants from authorities, valuing and respecting each other,
demanding revenge when a member is wronged, and being able to trust each other absolutely. The
community has its own sense of Law and Justice, contributing to the tragic ending of the play. Eddie
was originally seen as a someone important in his community. He was respected, but still lost all that
respect, adding to the tension and conflict of the play. Honour is shown to be very important,
especially to the male characters. It means far more to them than the law itself. To be honourable is
to be respected. Doing something dishonourable equals losing that respect.
Codes of honour bind families and, by extension, the whole neighbourhood together with a sense of
community. Everyone should look out for one another. Betraying someone is the most
dishonourable crime one could commit, hence the anecdote about Vinny is significant; it is used to
help teach the audience about expectations, attitudes and codes of behaviour in their society. It is
also used to foreshadow similar happenings later on. If it weren’t for the anecdote, the audience
might not fully understand the gravity of Eddie’s actions. Eddie and Beatrice’s tale of Vinny Bolzano
immediately sets the tone and mood of the play. The audience is immediately aware of the
importance of honour, family and community. It is very clear that, in the eyes of Eddie and Beatrice,
Vinny had done something terribly wrong and was justly punished, as everyone believes the
consequences were fair for his actions; he is granted no sympathy for his actions. Eddie states clearly
that Vinny will never be seen in the neighbourhood again out of shame: “a guy do a thing like that?
How’s he gonna show his face?” Family comes first – it is the most important thing, and to betray
one’s family is a crime for which punishment must be exacted. Vinny was granted no sympathy for
his actions; he received fair punishment. It is ironic that Eddie commits the same crime as the villain
in the story he earlier used as a warning; he later proceeds to ‘snitch to Immigration’ about Marco
and Rodolpho at the end of the play. While Vinny was rejected and ostracized by the community,
Eddie was killed, and his death can be seen as being brought upon himself, as Eddie brings the knife,
while Marco simply redirects it. He also lost the respect of his family and neighbourhood, though
Alfieri assured the audience he still loves and mourns him, granting Eddie a modicum of dignity at his
death. Alfieri’s words may also influence the audience’s view of Eddie as Alfieri served as a narrator,
guiding the audience through the series of events – the story is possibly given entirely from his point
of view.
Honour is shown to be very important, especially to the male characters. It means far more to them
than the law. To be honourable is to be respected. If you do anything dishonourable, you lose
respect. That is why Marco and Eddie are so keen to protect their names and get a ‘just’ conclusion.
Codes of honour bind families and the whole neighbourhood with a sense of community. Everyone
should look out for one another, to betray someone is the most dishonourable action imaginable.
Perhaps one of the reasons why Eddie finds it impossible to admit his love for Catherine is because
he knows how dishonourable it is. Irony is again shown here because his refusal has to do with
something he sees as being dishonourable.
