A View from the Bridge Men and Masculinity

The entire world of A View from the Bridge is male dominated. As such, there's a lot of talk about what a real man is supposed to be like. The main character's ideas seem to be pretty traditional: big, strong, silent, hardworking. Things that he considers distinctly unmanly include: singing, sewing, cooking, and dancing. Don't get us wrong, the play doesn't champion these opinions. It just points out that they're there.

Questions About Men and Masculinity

1. Would Rodolpho be considered unmanly today? How have attitudes changed toward gender roles? How are they the same?
2. In what ways do the men in the play try to dominate each other?
3. How would Eddie's opinion of Rodolpho be different if the boy was more like Marco?
4. What actions does Eddie take that could be considered un-masculine?

Chew on This

It's ironic that Eddie kisses Rodolpho to emasculate the young man.

In order to be a "man" in 1950s America, you had to maintain a certain level of dominance and power.