The opening section of the play 'A View from the Bridge' by the well known playwright Arthur Miller is a plays a very important part in the story. It introduces us to the style, setting and characters that feature in the play. In this essay I intend to show how this introduction is particularly valuable in giving the reader imperative information about the main characters and clues as to how the story may unfold. This is expertly prepared with the use of the structure, characterisation and the setting.
             Eddie Carbone is forty and a longshoreman working on the docks near Brooklyn Bridge. Eddie is married to a woman called Beatrice. Catherine is Beatrice's niece. She lives with Eddie and Beatrice. She announces that she wants to leave school as she as has been offered a job in a plumbing company as secretary. Eddie is very protective of Catherine and wants her to stay on and get an education. The section goes on with various arguments between characters.
             The play begins with a speech from a pivotal character; Alfieri. He narrates the story, effectively splitting up the scene changes and adding structure to the play. He communicates with the audience with short speeches that enlighten them and lay clues as to how the play will end. Alfieri is a wise character, he seems quiet and does not interfere. He adds wit and humour to the beginning of the play, being very down to earth and having a remarkable way with words. We know that he is a honest living Italian because he tells us that being a lawyer he believes in justice like all Americans at that time.
             'And now we are quite civilised, quite American. Now we
             settle for half, and I like it better. I no longer keep a pistol
             This shows that for a man who tells us he grew up at the time when Al Capone was on the streets is very level headed and open minded. We learn from him that the story we are about to become accustomed
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