In A View from the Bridge Arthur Miller offers a glimpse into the life of Italian Americans in New York in the nineteen fifties. It was a community that revolved around immigration. If you were not an immigrant yourself chances were that either your parents or their parents were. There have been many waves of immigration into the United States each has depended upon a strong community to give them support from time to time. Italians tend to be particularly close-knit with a strong sense of honor and responsibility. In A View from the Bridge Arthur Miller captures its essence in the form of a Greek tragedy told in modern times and narrated by the lawyer Alfieri who takes the part of the chorus.
The tragic hero of the play Eddie Carbone apparently has lived his life respecting the community code as demonstrated when reciting the story of Vinny Bolzano who he says should never show his face again. Immigration laws at that time tended to be inconsistent. One man got into the United States while another, equally as deserving, missed the window of opportunity. The law seems harsh, the community code, protective and easy to sympathize with. During the play we get to know Marco and Rodolpho. The community, in the form of Eddie's household, has lent their support. These men are hard workers who just want to take care of their families, lead decent lives and would be more deserving than many who were lucky enough to be granted residency in the United States.
There is another part of the community code that the play addresses which is part of the community codes of almost all civilization. This is the ban on incest. Eddie's feelings about Catherine are so forbidden that he will not even allow himself to recognize them. This is so extreme that when Alfieri spells it out for him he still denies it all. He continues to do this throughout the play. This shows how much Eddie respects the community code. .