A View from the Bridge: Greek Tragedy - Eddie's Downfall!

This interesting and highly-stimulating lesson students to demonstrate a developed, sustained understanding of the structural features of the Greek Tragedy which are utilised in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge. In particular, students engage analytically with Eddie’s ‘hamartia’ and catastrophic downfall at the end of Act II. Students examine how Eddie’s role as a tragic hero, his fatal flaw, and the sense of fate which runs throughout, mirrors the features of Greek Tragedies.

The lesson follows a clear, logical, bite-size learning journey, which guides students towards differentiated learning objectives. Over the course of this journey, they become able to:
- Define and identify the features of Greek Tragedies;
- Understand Miller’s views towards Greek Tragedies, and his intentions for writing the play in this form;
- Identify the features of Greek Tragedy in A View from the Bridge;
- Critically engage with text as a Greek Tragedy, considering how Eddie’s downfall is constructed by his fatal flaws, hamartia, and catastrophe;
-Peer assess each other’s learning attempts.

This resource pack includes:
- A visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation;;
- Paper copies and online links to the extract needed for the lesson (end section of Act Two);
- Greek Myths Definitions Cards;
- Greek Myths worksheet (including answer sheet for teachers);
- A logically scaffolded essay template;
- A detailed lesson plan, complete with what the teacher and students should aim to achieve at each stage of the lesson.

All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the PowerPoint.