A View from the Bridge (1955)

By Arthur Miller

What do you know about the 1950s?

1. Who is this? 2. What does the term ‘nuclear family’

mean?3. What part of Elvis’ body was blocked from

view when he first appeared on TV?4. What year was Queen Elizabeth crowned?5. Who sang ‘Rock around the Clock’?6. Alfred …… directed films such as Rear

Window and Vertigo.7. What is the name of J.D. Salinger’s famous

teenage novel?8. What was Marilyn Monroe famous for?

Arthur Miller 1915 -2005• Born into an affluent family, and lived in New York with

his parents. • His father’s coat manufacturing business collapsed

after the Wall St Crash (1929) so the family moved to Brooklyn;

• Had to fund himself through University, and did several menial jobs, one being working in the docks of New York;

• Completed his English degree and wrote numerous successful plays in his career, including The Crucible, Death of a Salesman and A View from the Bridge;

• Investigated in 1952 by the Un-American Activities Committee due to suspected involvement in Communism – refused to give details of others he knew that were involved;

• Married Marilyn Monroe in 1964.

McCarthyism – the USA were afraid of the

spread of Communism, and Senator

Joseph McCarthy interrogated lots

of people involved in the arts to see if

they were sympathetic to

Communist causes.

Ellis Island

• 1892-1924 = 20million immigrants to the USA passed through Ellis Island;

• There were strict procedures to follow before they were granted entry, including health checks, finance checks and interrogations;

• Families were often split and there were corrupt officials involved.

Americans Italians

Draw this table in your book and write in any things that you associate with American/ Italian people or the things that are important to them.

Character Tree

Eddie Carbone