1. Sexuality in A View
from the Bridge
Joe, Harry and Dominique

2. Rodolpho
• Possible affairs in the past
• Paper Doll song: suggests he’s a Lothario
• Catherine putting sugar in his coffee –
innuendo
• Motivation for relationship with Catherine:
- To get papers?
- Genuine love?
Rodolpho smiling:
• Doesn’t like to work (would much rather sing) “He trusts his wife”
– Mike and Louis, when talking about
Rodolpho, clearly think something’s wrong Eddie: “The guy
with him. ain’t right” (1.527)
• Eddie’s suspicion of Rodolpho’s sexuality
- Cooking, singing and sewing
Eddie: “if you close the
- Platinum blond
paper fast, you could
- Finds almost every other way of suggesting blow him over.” (1.535)
he’s gay apart from saying it directly.
• Doesn’t act in the “masculine” way towards Eddie: “if you came in the house
Eddie; he forgives him where Marco doesn’t. and you didn’t know who was
• Masculinity tests singin’, you wouldn’t be lookin’
- Boxing match for him you’d be lookin’ for her”
- Eddie kissing Rodolpho

3. Eddie: “You’re getting to be a
Eddie big girl now, you gotta keep
yourself more, you can’t be
so friendly, kid.” (1.36)
• Protective of Catherine – trying to
Alfrieri: “I saw it was only
get her away from possible threats a passion that had moved
(from other men) into his body, like a
• Owns Catherine as a father would – stranger.” (1.508)
Italian American patriarchy Eddie: “He looked so sweet
there, like an angel – you
• Doesn’t want to let her go (common could kiss him he was so
fatherly feeling) sweet” (1.541)
• Catherine lights his cigar Eddie: “I mean I got a couple
rights here *…+ This is my house
• Uncontrollable desire for Catherine here not their house.” (2.120)
• Obsessed with Rodolpho’s sexuality
– possibly suppressing his own?
• Masculinity taken away from end of
act 1 (numerous attempts to regain
it)
• Kiss = easy parallel with the kiss for
Catherine?
• Ultimately loves Beatrice (ending)

4. Catherine
Eddie: “I guess I just never
figure on one thing.”
Catherine, smiling: “What?”
• Becoming a woman – high heels being Eddie: “That you would ever
reflective of womanhood and her gaining grow up.”
sexual power over men (1.189-191)
• Eddie disapproves (Catherine Catherine: “He still thinks I’m a
purposefully rebels) as he finds them baby”
threatening in the same way that Beatrice: “Because you think
Catherine finds them attractive you’re a baby.”
• Catherine and Beatrice talk about what (1.483-484)
makes a woman Catherine: “Teach me
- For Catherine: deciding whether or not [Rodolpho+ I don’t know
she wants to marry Rodolpho (and thus anything, teach me,
finding another man to latch onto) Rodolpho, hold me.” (2.61)
- Not walking round in her slip
- Not sitting on the edge of the tub whilst
Eddie shaves
- To be a woman is to reserve modesty in
front of men and to make independent
decisions.
• Even when Catherine’s with Rodolpho
she’s submissive

5. Beatrice: “When am I
going to be a wife
Beatrice & Marco again, Eddie?” (1.361)
Beatrice: “Like when he comes
• Beatrice: home sometimes you throw
yourself at him like when you
• Hasn’t been a wife in 3 months was twelve years old.” (1.490)
• Knows (vaguely) of Eddie’s desire Louis: “He’s a
and tries to warn Catherine regular bull” (1.390)
subtley Marco: “Animal! You
[Eddie] go on your
• Is the first one to voice Eddie’s knees to me!”
desire(s) – but Eddie is powerless (2.328)
to stop his desires by this point
• Marco:
• Challenges Eddie’s masculinity:
chair lifting
• Swears revenge upon Eddie
• Typical “manly” things