Eddie as Tragic Hero Essay Example
The play, ‘A View from a Bridge’, by Author Miller has the theme of a Modern Greek tragedy. A Greek tragedy is a play where fate runs it’s ‘bloody course’, which will lead to the tragic hero’s downfall. A tragic hero is usually a character of noble stature. Just like all people, tragic heroes aren’t perfect but what separates them from the others is that they have a hamartia, a tragic flaw. This flaw will be the cause of the downfall for the tragic hero.
Eddie Carbone is somewhat a tragic hero. He doesn’t fit as a tragic hero because in the play, he is a normal longshoreman, which is fairly ordinary in Red Hook. Just like all men, ”he worked on the piers when there was work, he brought home his pay, and he lived.” He doesn't have a high status position. On the other hand, he can still be categorized as a tragic hero because he has a tragic flaw and an inevitable downfall. In the start of the play, he is also respected, just like a tragic hero. Eddie’s tragic flaw is how much he loves Catherine. His fate is unavoidable due to the tragic flaw in his personality. His unnatural love for Catherine made him jealous of Rodolpho. This again is a device used in Greek tragedy, and can be described as a weakness of the tragic hero. This is a feature that all tragic heroes have; hence they are called “tragic” heroes. At the start, the tragic hero will be a good person. In the play’s case, Miller portrayed Eddie in the beginning of the play as a loving and caring man. He loves Catherine a lot. He said, “I want you to be in a nice office.” This shows that he cares a lot for Catherine and her future. At this stage, the audience should see Eddie as a respectable man. Miller also uses the technique of foreshadowing to imply to the audience that betrayal is going to happen. Miller used the ‘Vinny Bolzano’ example. Vinny “snitches” on his own uncle. In the play, Eddie said “…. hidin’ in the house and he snitched to the Immigration.” Catherine’s response was fairly surprised.
Eddie Carbone is somewhat a tragic hero. He doesn’t fit as a tragic hero because in the play, he is a normal longshoreman, which is fairly ordinary in Red Hook. Just like all men, ”he worked on the piers when there was work, he brought home his pay, and he lived.” He doesn't have a high status position. On the other hand, he can still be categorized as a tragic hero because he has a tragic flaw and an inevitable downfall. In the start of the play, he is also respected, just like a tragic hero. Eddie’s tragic flaw is how much he loves Catherine. His fate is unavoidable due to the tragic flaw in his personality. His unnatural love for Catherine made him jealous of Rodolpho. This again is a device used in Greek tragedy, and can be described as a weakness of the tragic hero. This is a feature that all tragic heroes have; hence they are called “tragic” heroes. At the start, the tragic hero will be a good person. In the play’s case, Miller portrayed Eddie in the beginning of the play as a loving and caring man. He loves Catherine a lot. He said, “I want you to be in a nice office.” This shows that he cares a lot for Catherine and her future. At this stage, the audience should see Eddie as a respectable man. Miller also uses the technique of foreshadowing to imply to the audience that betrayal is going to happen. Miller used the ‘Vinny Bolzano’ example. Vinny “snitches” on his own uncle. In the play, Eddie said “…. hidin’ in the house and he snitched to the Immigration.” Catherine’s response was fairly surprised.