Examine the role of Alfieri in A view from the bridge. Comment on :: English Literature

Examine the role of Alfieri in A view from the bridge. Comment on his dramatic function in the play and his role as both character and commentator. This essay will explore the different roles that Alfieri takes on in 'A view from the bridge. I will comment on how he uses his role as both commentator and character to create dramatic tension in the play. A view from the bridge is a play set in the late 1940s and is based in the rural streets of Brooklyn harbour, New York. Eddie Carbone is an Italian longshoreman working on the New York docks and lives with his wife Beatrice and her niece Catherine. Eddie's wife accepts to refuge her cousins from Sicily as illegal immigrants until they could get their paperwork sorted. Catherine becomes attracted to one of the brothers and that's when the troubles start. Eddies becomes rapt in jealousy and wants to get rid of the two brothers in any possible way. Alfieri is a lawyer and is Eddie's friend as well. He tries to convince Eddie not to do something which he will regret later on and which will affect his life in the society. Eddie decides not to listen to Alfieri and goes on top break the Italian code. Alfieri is a lawyer who also lives in the same area as Eddie Carbone. In the play he takes on the role of a character as well as taking on the role of a narrator. One role he takes on in the play is the voice of the law. He brings this up in a conversation with Eddie where he says, "Eddie, I'm a lawyer†¦Can you prove that?" This clearly shows that Alfieri uses his knowledge to bring in the voice of the law into Eddie's situation. Due to him being a lawyer, he knows that if Eddie wants to take legal actions against Rodolfo, then he will need to get proof for the law to believe him. Due to him being a lawyer, he has got all the legal knowledge needed to deal with every day uses. As well as being the voice of the law, Alfieri is also an advisor to Eddie. He warns Eddie that he "won't have a friend in the world" if he carries on the way he is going. This shows that Alfieri knows that a tragedy is inevitable if Eddie doesn't stop. Therefore he uses his role as an advisor to advise Eddie to stop himself. In advising Eddie in doing so, Alfieri is trying to stop Eddie from doing what he knows