Examine the ideas of Manliness, Hostility and Aggression in "A View from the Bridge".
In this essay I am going to be examining the ideas of manliness, hostility and aggression in "a View from the Bridge" a play by Arthur Miller. I will be looking at how these ideas are connected.
Eddie Carbone, the plays protagonist, has very set ideas of what it is to be a man. His views are probably influenced by the era and culture he has grown up in. as an American of Sicilian descent, his views on being a man are probably even more rigid than other men's in the 1950s.
Eddies views on manliness are based around the ideas of protecting your family and loved ones, providing for your family and keeping your pride and dignity. Eddie tries his very best to keep to these things as he feels very strongly of being a man. He shows this by showing concern when Catherine buys a new skirt. He says, "Where you going all dressed up?" and, "It's too short ain't it?" He is concerned because he doesn't want her attracting too much attention from other men, like when he says, "I don't like the looks they"re giving you in the candy store". This links in with the idea of protecting your family because he doesn't trust other men and doesn't want Catherine getting hurt. He tells her, "Don't trust nobody", and, "Believe me Katie, the less you trust, the less you"ll be sorry".
Eddie isn't very happy when Catherine tells him she has a job, he thinks she should carry on at school and says, "What job? She's gonna finish school. No- no, you gonna finish school". I think he is more worried about himself and his pride than Catherine's education because Eddie sees himself as the traditional manly man, he is the breadwinner, and he looks after his wife and niece. He is worried that once she becomes more independent, going out to work and earning her own money, she will want to leave home. Eddie seems to be the sort of person who "needs to be needed" and that's why he doesn't want her to leave.