a view from the bridge catherine essay

A View From the Bridge

By arthur miller, a view from the bridge essay questions.

Does Catherine deserve any blame for Eddie's feelings towards her?

Catherine is a teenager and has grown up with Beatrice and Eddie as her parents. She has not seen much of the world and is just experiencing what it feels like to be a woman. Given all this, she deserves absolutely no blame for her role in Eddie's obsession. He, on the other hand, is an adult, and he manipulates and preys on someone who is essentially a child. However, Catherine does give Eddie signs that encourage his attention, and here Miller complicates our moral sense of the two characters. Beatrice tells Catherine she must stop walking around in a slip and sitting on the edge of the bathtub while Eddie shaves in his underwear. Even the most naive teenager might realize these things on her own, it seems. Furthermore, Catherine gives a strange speech criticizing Beatrice for not being a good wife to Eddie and insinuating she does a better job of taking care of him. It is certainly likely that Catherine knows what she is doing to an extent, and even though Eddie is still in the wrong, his feelings are somewhat understandable.

What makes Eddie a tragic hero?

Eddie is a classic tragic hero. He is an Everyman trying to live his life while burdened by a terrible secret and a terrible flaw. His love for Catherine and his inability to recognize it for what it is lead to his downfall. As Alfieri points out, this downfall is almost inevitable. Eddie can no longer look at himself perspicaciously; he cannot change or grow or deviate from his path. He does not achieve redemption and dies at the close of the play. However, despite his stubbornness and immoral love for Catherine, he retains some sympathetic qualities which also add to his status as a tragic hero; he is no villain whose comeuppance we yearn for. He is a regular man suffering from a tremendous guilt and burden, and his death is sorrowful.

Why is the play's setting important?

While the psychosexual tension, repression, and violence of the story are universal (indeed, there are multiple parallels with Greek tragedies), Miller chose to set his play in his own era: 1950s America, in an immigrant population in Brooklyn. He does this to 1) assert the working-class nature of the protagonist, which exacerbates some of the tensions regarding Rodolpho "stealing" Catherine 2) delve into a population already marginalized by xenophobia 3) call attention to the persecution of supposed communists, which led to snitching and rumormongering. He makes us question the values of American society while presenting his universal drama.

How would you characterize Beatrice's relationship with Eddie?

Beatrice is a beleaguered character if there ever was one. She watches her husband fall in love with her niece, stop sleeping with her, fall into rages/sulking/despair/violence, and utterly repress any true self-knowledge about what is going on. He even blames Beatrice for their marital problems and demands that she respect him more. However, in the end, all of her sharp words and accusations and cries of frustration are muted by her choice to stay with Eddie instead of going to the wedding. There are many speculations as to why she does this. She may truly love Eddie despite all he has done; she may fear the wrath of her community if she violates gender norms by leaving her husband; she may fear the loss of any economic security if she leaves. Whatever her reasoning was for staying with Eddie it is to no avail, for Beatrice still finds herself alone at the end of the play.

Why is Eddie so distrusting?

Throughout the play Eddie expresses profound distrust of almost everyone he meets or knows. He says that the women cannot trust anyone to keep the secret about the immigrants. He does not trust men with Catherine. He does not trust Rodolpho. All of these examples are no doubt projections of Eddie's tormented psyche: he does not know himself or trust himself with his true feelings regarding Catherine and/or his potential homosexuality. Somewhere deep down he knows he is living a lie, so it is only natural that he projects that outward and assumes everyone else is full of secrets and subterfuge.

A View From the Bridge Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for A View From the Bridge is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

WHT is Eddie attitude to the change in chatharine?why?

Eddie doesn't like the change in the way Catherine acts towards him, this is do with her finding independence through Rodolpho. Rodolpho's presence makes Eddie try and put Catherine off of Rodolpho because he likes her.

How would chatharine react to Eddie consern

What specific concern are you referring to?

BY making historical allusion to these characters, hat tone is set up in the play? Explain ideas fully.

The tone is even, fair, and straightforward. The mood is tense, simmering, wrought, and brooding.

Study Guide for A View From the Bridge

A View from the Bridge study guide contains a biography of author Arthur Miller, literature essays, 100 quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About A View From the Bridge
• A View From the Bridge Summary
• Character List

Essays for A View From the Bridge

A View from the Bridge literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller.

• “Alfieri’s commentary gives a depth and complexity to what might otherwise have bean a sordid and uninteresting story.”
• “Ultimately, the tragedy of a View From the Bridge is the inability of the main characters to articulate their feelings.”
• “A View From the Bridge explores the difficulties migrants face in adapting to a new culture.”
• American Identity in Roth and Miller
• Clarity, Perspective, and Tragedy in A View from the Bridge

Lesson Plan for A View From the Bridge

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to A View From the Bridge
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• A View From the Bridge Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for A View From the Bridge

• Introduction
• Characters and cast
• Production history
• Adaptations

Go back to the Miller page for more texts and other resources.

Tragedy in A View from the Bridge

Argues that plays are structured so that the resolution of conflict appears as a “natural” or inevitable consequence of the moral and ethical concerns raised in the play.

In A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller, the downfall of Eddie Carbone is the inevitable consequence of the moral and ethical concerns raised in the play. The structure of the play makes Eddie?s tragic downfall obvious, with the use of structural tragic elements and foreshadows showing to the audience that Eddies downfall is certain. Eddie?s opposition with insurmountable obstacles such as trying to overcome the dichotomy between law and justice and his attempts to impose ?old world? values in a modern and progressive American culture are doomed to failure. His inability to compromise and his refusal to admit his mistakes brings about his defeat at the end of the play, the resolution of conflict appearing as the ?natural? consequence to the audience. The conflict between European ?old world? values with modern American values is an obstacle that Eddie cannot overcome, largely as a result of his inability to compromise. The old world values that Eddie strives to enforce in his life primarily manifest themselves in his over-protectiveness of Catherine. His feelings for her spark his crusade to enforce his traditional Italian values in a culture that embraces freedom, materialism and independence rather than the old values regarding courtship and ?proper? behavior. Eddie cannot enforce these values, and the futility in trying to do so is seen clearly in the conflicts that Eddie has with both Catherine and Rodolpho. He admonishes Catherine for ?walkin? wavy? telling her she is the ?Madonna type?: trying to impose traditional values of chastity and modesty in a modern culture where short skirts and high heels are ?the style now? and flaunting femininity and sexuality is not frowned upon. His conflict with Rodolpho also shows Eddie?s disapproval of modern values, criticising Rodolpho for his carefree attitude to life, spending his pay on ?a snappy new jacket? records, a pointy pair new shoes?. Eddie?s determination to impose his traditional values on youths immersed in American culture and modern values is doomed to failure as his attitudes are shown to be backward and inappropriate and will never be accepted. Eddie?s refusal to compromise and inability to see truth in any opinion but his own leads to a conflict that can only be resolved by his downfall. Eddie?s inappropriate feelings for Catharine are a further obstacle to compromise and facilitate his determination to quash the love between Rodolpho and Catherine, as Eddie is fuelled by feelings of jealousy. His wife Beatrice realises this and says ?You want somethin? else, Eddie, and you can never have her!? Eddies determination is fixated on an impossible and unrealistic goal: to keep Catherine in the role that he has envisioned for her, determined to keep her purity and innocence in his role for her as a ?Madonna?, never counting on the fact that she ?would ever grow up?. Eddie clearly has inappropriate feelings for Catherine as he is reluctant to let her gain her independence by taking a job, and criticises her for flaunting her sexuality by wearing high heels and short skirts. Eddie ?enveloping? Catherine with his eyes is an inappropriate gesture suggesting that his interest in her is more than paternal. Such feelings are also evident with Eddie?s jealousy of the love between Rodolpho and Catherine. He regards Rodolpho with ?concealed suspicion?, taking an immediate dislike to him as Catherine makes it clear that she likes him, exclaiming that he is ?practically blond? and attracted to his good looks and light-heated manner. Beatrice realises Eddie?s jealousy of Rodolpho straight away, saying ?you?re just jealous? as Eddie starts his criticisms of Rodolpho, saying he gives him the ?heebie-jeebies? and ?he?s like a chorus girl or something?. In Eddie?s determination to keep Catherine and Rodolpho apart, he constantly criticises Rodolpho. Eddie is keen to find any excuse to try and tear Rodolpho and Catherine apart, accusing Rodolpho of being ?a weird? and then claiming that he is ?lookin? for his break?, using Catherine to get his American citizenship. Ironically, Eddie?s efforts to keep the couple apart only bring them closer together and serve to ostracize himself from Catherine. His criticisms bring him further away from the conclusion that he hopes for. As Eddie refuses to compromise in a situation where his desired outcome is not possible, it is inevitable that a resolution of conflict will only be brought about by the death of Eddie. A View from the Bridge displays tragic elements that add to the tone of inevitability evident throughout the play. Eddie is a modern tragic hero: an ordinary individual whose wish for Catherine not to marry Rodolpho is so intense that he is willing to give up everything else in the pursuit of his convictions. He is ?not purely good, but himself purely? as his beliefs are not perfect, but he is determined to stick by them. Eddie shows the characteristics of the tragic hero as he is of high moral worth but is unmistakably human: he is vulnerable as his pride leads to an error of judgement in regards to Rodolpho. His jealousy of Rodolpho leads him to deceive himself in thinking that Rodolpho ?is not right? and that he is intent on exploiting Catherine?s love for him to gain his American citizenship. Eddie remains the hero of the play rather than being perceived by the audience as a villain as his moral nobility and the dogged determination to pursue his convictions is admirable and he moves the audience to pity as his misfortune is greater than deserved. His refusal to compromise is a heroic quality, but is this flaw which leads to his downfall as he will not ?swallow his pride? and ?settle for half?. The use of Alfieri as the chorus is another tragic element used in the play. Alfieri responds to the action and sets the mood for A View from the Bridge. Being a lawyer, Alfieri is able to give the audience interpretations of the action that cannot be formulated by Eddie?s uneducated group and is able to articulate and explore the ironies and ambiguities of the situation. In this position, Alfieri plays a large part in setting the tone of inevitability through the use of foreshadows. Alfieri introduces himself as a lawyer ?thought of in connexion with disasters? and the play is introduced with Alfieri watching the action ?run its bloody course?, and in doing so makes it immediately clear that the resolution of conflict will only be brought about by an act of violence. Alfieri knows that Eddie?s misconceptions will lead him to tragedy and can do nothing despite the fact he has all the evidence before him. Alfieri?s feeling of powerlessness as he ?lost his strength somewhere? and ?could see every step coming,? adds to the tone of inevitability as the resolution of conflict is predetermined, and nothing can stop the events from running their course. The use of foreshadow is a powerful structural element of A View from the Bridge, making the downfall of Eddie seem to be an inevitable consequence to the conflicts that his actions precipitate. While Alfieri?s comments to the audience use foreshadow to indicate the certainty of Eddie?s downfall to the audience, action in the play also indicates future events. Eddie?s destruction at the hands of Marco is made certain in the chair lifting scene where Marco raises the chair ?like a weapon? over Eddie, warning Eddie against threatening Rodolpho with a show of strength. This establishes Marco as a threat to Eddie as such a show of strength represents masculinity, proving that Marco is more of a ?man? than Eddie and has the power to defeat him. Eddie?s determination to sacrifice everything in his efforts to tear Rodolpho and Catherine apart alienates Eddie from those around him. Eddie stops at nothing in the pursuit of his convictions and in doing so distances himself from those he most loves. His close relationship with Catherine is destroyed by Eddie?s endless criticisms of Rodolpho. Eddie?s efforts to discredit Rodolpho isolate him from Catherine and also force Catherine to become independent from Eddie and make her own decisions, saying ?I think I can?t stay here no more? I?m not gonna be a baby any more!? Eddie?s continued resistance against Catherine?s marriage turns him away from her completely as Catherine comes to think of Eddie as a ?rat? who ?comes when nobody?s lookin? and poisons decent people?. Eddie?s relationship with his wife also becomes tenuous, as Beatrice is anxious for Catherine to gain her independence while Eddie is striving for her to remain a ?baby? under his influence. This creates a lot of tension between them, aggravated by the fact that Eddie expects Beatrice to ?believe? him, saying ?If I tell you that guy ain?t right don?t tell me he is right?. Beatrice?s resistance to Eddie?s claims about Rodolpho leads Eddie to think he has lost his ?respect?. Eddie deludes himself into thinking that Rodolpho ?ain?t right? to justify his efforts to discredit him in front of Catherine and does not care about the effect this has on his marriage. Ironically, it is only at the end when Eddie comes to the realisation that it is Beatrice and not Catherine who is most important in his life. Eddie proves that he will stop at nothing to try and keep Rodolpho and Catherine apart when he ?snitches? on Marco and Rodolpho to Immigration. Eddie secures his own downfall when he rings Immigration as the backlash from the community for such an act is bound to end in the act of violence that is suggested by Alfieri in the beginning of the play as the events will run their ?bloody course?. Early in the play, Eddie describes the fate of Vinny Bolzano who ?snitched to Immigration? on his uncle and was ousted by the community, ostracized for the rest of his life and regarded with scorn and contempt. A similar fate is inevitable for Eddie, who is prepared to give up his status in the community to make Rodolpho go back to Italy, as he sees that as the only option available to him. By ringing Immigration, Eddie?s downfall is secured as Marco is set against Eddie, spitting into Eddie?s face and calling him an ?animal? and the killer of his children. However, it is Eddie?s refusal to admit his mistakes and to admit that he disgraced his name by ringing Immigration that brings about the final confrontation between Eddie and Marco. Marco wants retribution against Eddie for forcing him to go back to Italy, ruining his families chances of ever escaping poverty. Again, Eddie is seeking the impossible: to ?get his name? and dignity from an apology from Marco, when it was Eddie who relinquished his own dignity in the pursuit of his unfortunate convictions. While it is Marco that kills Eddie, it is the knife that Eddie drew that is the instrument for his death, signifying self-destruction. It is this self-destruction that is evident throughout the play as Eddie?s downfall is brought about through his own failings and mistakes, rather than the mistakes of others having an impact on him. In A View from the Bridge it is made evident that American law is not consistent with justice as Eddie?s destruction is aided by the American system of law, his downfall signifying an inadequacy in the legal system. Alfieri is only too aware or the inadequacy of the law, saying, ?Only God makes justice?. The dichotomy existing between law and justice is highlighted by Eddie?s actions of calling Immigration, the only legal solution open to him to get rid of Rodolpho. However, it is this legal solution that conflicts with the moral codes that Eddie abides by. Eddie is able to use the law to try and put an end to a situation, which he only sees as being unjust as ?morally and legally? he has no rights in regards to his efforts to separate Catherine and Rodolpho. In abandoning his moral code to ring Immigration, Eddie brings about his own destruction by Marco, who lives by a traditional moral code and is adamant to bring about justice, whatever the cost. Like Eddie, Marco does not know the meaning of compromise, as he feels obligated to kill Eddie for what he has done. The law proves to be totally incapable of handling a situation where the pursuit for justice is more important than upholding the law, and breaking the law to obtain justice seems insignificant. It is in this situation where the death of Eddie by Marco is made inevitable, as Marco is intent on upholding justice rather than law. The resolution of conflict brought about by the downfall of Eddie Carbone in A View from the Bridge is seen to be the inevitable consequence of the moral and ethical issues raised in the play. Old world values are shown to be inappropriate in American society, and Eddie?s attempts to enforce his old fashioned morals is doomed to failure, leading to an unfortunate conclusion as Eddie lacks the ability to compromise. Eddie?s inappropriate feelings towards Catharine act as a further barrier to compromise, facilitating his determination to try and tear Catharine and Rodolpho apart. Tragic elements also add to the tone of inevitability with the use of foreshadows the use of Alfieri as the chorus and Eddie as the tragic hero, with his vulnerability and misconceptions leading him to self-destruction. His dogged attempts to humiliate Rodolpho before Catherine alienate Eddie from those he most loves, and in ?snitching? to Immigration Eddie ostracizes himself from the whole community. Eddie cannot overcome the insurmountable obstacles that stand in the path for him to enforce his views on those around him, and the impossibility of realising his convictions lead to Eddie?s death, as the resolution of conflict in such a situation can only result from Eddie?s downfall.

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The Imagery of a View from The Bridge's Tragedy and How The Main Characters Are Unable to Show Their Feelings

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Analysis of The Movie Version Of, a View from The Bridge by Arthur Miller

A view from the bridge: themes of immigration and tragedy.

September 29, 1955

Arthur Miller

Eddie Carbone, Beatrice, Catherine, Alfieri, Marco, Rodolpho, Louis, Mike, Tony, Immigration Officer 1,Immigration Officer 2

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A view from the bridge essay

English CW-Essay

Look at the opening scene between Eddie and Catherine (Pages 5 – 12) and the scene in which Catherine has just returned from the picture house. (Pages 26 – 31). How do these scenes foreshadow the breakdown in Eddie and Catherine’s Relationship?

A View from The Bridge is a play set in the 1940s in America. The themes of the play are love, honour, poverty, and mainly immigration. These are all factors that contribute to the breakdown between Eddie and Catherine’s relationship. In both the key scenes, there is growing conflict between the two main characters. These are Catherine and Eddie. There is the main characters wife’s cousins who migrate illegally from Italy, one of whom that falls in love with Eddies niece, Catherine. The breakdown of the relationship between Eddie and Catherine can be foreshadowed through the genre, dramatic irony, context, language, characterisation, themes and stage directions.

The genre of this play is tragedy. This means that the central character, the protagonist dies at the end. The protagonist who is Eddie is fine but his/her fate is imperfect because of a flaw in the character. This flaw in Eddie is quite simple. His flaw is that he cannot let go of his niece and he is very overprotective. The breakdown of the relationship can be foreshadowed through the genre being a tragedy because we know that at some point in the play, there will be problems arising due to Eddie being too attached to Catherine and her growing less and less fond of him. The one thing he cannot take is the fact that his power over Catherine goes, and that’s exactly what happens.

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Eddie is overprotective and this is an increasing problem. Catherine is a maturing girl and demands her right to independence.  Eddie is a dominant figure in their relationship and wants it to remain that way. At first, Catherine listens to Eddie and does what he wants, for example, Eddie Says “come over here”, and straight away she comes to sit next to him. Eddie commands her, and he commands her because he knows for certain that she will listen to him. This shows that whenever Eddie has commanded her in the past she has listened. This goes to show that she is loyal to him. A breakdown can be foreshadowed here easily because you know that when one day she matures, Eddie will still be attached to her and she will not listen to him. This is going to cause tension which will therefore lead to a breakdown of their relationship.

Eddie hinders Catherine’s independence which leads to a breakdown in their relationship. She finds work for herself but he refuses to let her work there. He wants her to finish school as he is concerned about her education. He starts asking her lots of questions which shows some sign of panic but mostly worry. “Why didn’t you?” This just goes to show how dominant he is over her and how attached he is to her. The breakdown can be foreshadowed here because when she grows up, Eddie will be confused about where and if to let her work, and Catherine will retaliate.

Eddie wants Catherine to achieve his version of the American dream which is education and this leads to a breakdown in their relationship. He wants her to complete her education as that is one of the primary reasons of him migrating from Italy to America. He knows how tough life is for the uneducated with the heavy labour and necessity for strength. Eddie knows that Catherine is a girl and doesn’t want her to go through a hard time and that is primarily why he wants her to get sufficient education. The American Dream is a very important part of the play. The breakdown of their relationship can be foreshadowed there because if she does not get an adequate education it will lead to lots of tensions.

Catherine’s language shows that she is trying to please Eddie and you can foreshadow a breakdown in their relationship. There is lots of evidence of this in the first key scene. For example, when Eddie and Catherine are discussing her getting a job Eddie starts feeling distressed because he thinks that she’s going to be independent one day and abandon him. Catherine then comes in to reassure that she would not leave him. She says “No, please” feeling uneasy about what he thinks of her. You can foreshadow a breakdown in their relationship here because Catherine will leave Eddie one day. Eddie just hates the thought of Catherine leaving him so how will he cope with the disappointment and stress when that day comes because eventually it will.

Eddie disapproves of Catherine and Rodolfo’s relationship. Eddie despises Rodolfo. Eddie thinks Rodolfo is not manly enough, fake and most of all, taking Eddie’s dominance. He thinks Rodolfo is a fake and wants to marry Catherine to get legal citizenship in America. A breakdown can be foreshadowed here because before Catherine would have been completely loyal to but this time she goes out without his permission, when he asks her she arrogantly says “Sure, the Brooklyn Paramount. I told you we wasn’t goin’ to New York.” The effects of this kind of language are Eddie being overpowered and dominated. He is being stepped on in this conversation and At this point Eddie is most concerned about the future because Catherine is turning independent and therefore forgetting the respect she owes to Eddie. This is one thing that Eddie is extremely terrified of in their relationship.

Beatrice encourages Catherine to be independent. Catherine is attached to Eddie and does not have enough respect and ego to stay away from him. She still walks around him in her slip. She has grown up now and she needs to realise that. Beatrice is annoyed of her and tells her to be independent. A breakdown can be foreshadowed here because Beatrice is telling Catherine not to be close to Eddie and when Eddie finds out he will be angry and will be afraid he is losing his power over her and will start to argue.

Alfieri’s words to the audience foreshadow a breakdown in their relationship. This is because things have got so worse in their family that Eddie had to go seek legal advice and Alfieri tells him that the only solution is calling the department of immigration on him. He says “Because there’s nothing illegal about a girl falling in love with an immigrant.” The reason why he uses the word “nothing” rather than “hardly anything” is because snitching on immigration about your fellow Italian is considered really bad. If someone does this they are stripped in their community of all their honour. This is how terrible the situation is! Since Eddie knows about his only option he has, we can foreshadow a breakdown in their relationship because he might just go and make the phone call to Immigration’s department that we all fear.

The main point that led to the breakdown in their relationship is the fact that Eddie was so overprotective. This was because he got in the way of everything Catherine done. At first, it was fine but then as she became more and more aware of her surroundings, he really started getting on her nerves. This had to happen one day or the other and it happened.

Document Details

• Word Count 1253
• Page Count 3
• Subject English

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Shaping the Future of Online Learning

Published may 22, 2024.

If you’ve been enrolled in any educational course or postsecondary educational program since 2020, chances are you’ve witnessed the rise in online learning firsthand .

The COVID-19 global pandemic shuttered storefronts, theaters, and classrooms alike, causing major disruptions in how goods and services were delivered. As consumers adopted Instacart for their grocery needs and streamed new blockbuster movies from the comfort of their living rooms, students needed an innovative way to bring their classes home. A year into the pandemic over 60% of all undergraduate students were enrolled in at least one online course , with 28% exclusively enrolled in online courses, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

There are other reasons for the widespread adoption, including accessibility. Rural and international students who may be far removed from traditional educational institutions can now attend Harvard classes anywhere there’s an internet connection. Or, consider working adults seeking to progress or switch careers. Life doesn’t stop for a class, and attending one in-person can be prohibitive. While still challenging, logging into a virtual classroom is far more manageable. Online education is for everyone.

Technological and pedagogical developments have helped online learning progress beyond the days of discussion boards and essay uploads. Now, students can enjoy a multimedia educational experience that is rooted in the latest research, all while participating in the community of their “virtual campus”.

If you’re one of the millions of learners who have experienced online education, you might be interested to learn where it’s going next. At Harvard Online, the question, “what is the future of online learning?” guides an ongoing conversation that drives us everyday.

In this blog, we sat down with Catherine Breen , Managing Director of Harvard Online. With more than two decades of senior executive leadership at Harvard University and oversight of Harvard Online, Breen has an invaluable perspective on the future of online learning, and the exciting role Harvard Online is playing in bringing the future into the present. 

Catherine Breen, Managing Director of Harvard Online, in a team meeting.

Harvard Online (HO): How has the online learning landscape evolved in recent years? 

Catherine Breen (CB): At the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown, there was a massive escalation in demand for online learning. Demand began to recede slowly as the months wore on and by late 2022, it started to level out. But we observed two big changes: Internally, the demand for Harvard Online content was still almost three times higher than pre-pandemic. Externally, in reaction to the demand surge, there was significant and rapid growth of new online course offerings and companies that purveyed varying types of digital products.    

HO: What is shaping the future of online learning today? 

CB: Because of the rapid and massive shift to online that occurred around the globe in the spring of 2020, the landscape changed permanently. There are many things shaping the future but here are just a few that I can see from my perspective:

• Increased adoption of online learning across all ages and levels of education: Everyone expanded their online course catalogs; new companies and offerings sprung up everywhere.
• Greater tech investment across organizations and industries: Organizations are investing more time, money, and effort into technology infrastructure, tools, and platforms to support online learning and participants in these courses.
• New pedagogical methods to bridge the gap between traditional and novel learning methods: Instructors have adapted their teaching methods for online, hybrid, and blended environments.
• Enhanced accessibility to quality education and learning experiences: Efforts have been made to improve access for students of all types, abilities, geographies, and backgrounds so that everyone can participate effectively.    

HO: What are the remaining challenges that online learning faces? 

CB: While these changes have improved the online learning experience, challenges remain, including addressing the digital divide, maximizing student engagement, and refining the quality of online courses.

The pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning and its impact will likely continue to shape higher education for many years to come.  

HO: How does online learning contribute to Harvard's mission of promoting accessibility and inclusion in education, especially for learners who may not have traditional access to higher education?

CB: Online learning levels the playing field for learners in many ways.

Most students think that a Harvard-quality education is out of reach, for a variety of reasons. With online courses, however, learners from around the country and the world can take courses with Harvard instructors at their own pace at a more affordable price point.

Our online courses also typically incorporate a range of multimedia elements, allowing students with different learning styles to flourish. We also ensure that our online learning experiences are accessible to all learners, including those with disabilities. This commitment to inclusivity aligns with the broader goals of promoting equitable access to education.

Lastly, our online courses often include discussion forums and virtual communities where learners can connect and collaborate. This allows for interactions among students from diverse backgrounds and experiences, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion.  

It’s clear that online learning has a lot to offer everyone, and it’s only getting better. In our next blog in this series, we’ll hear more from Cathy on how institutions can implement online learning modalities effectively. 

If you missed the first blog in this series detailing the future of online learning, you can check out the first blog here . To learn more about Harvard Online, explore our fully online course catalog here .

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A View from the Bridge

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If A View from the Bridge is the story of Eddie’s tragic decline, it is also the story of Catherine’s attempted ascent into maturity and adulthood. Over the course of the play, Catherine grows, matures, and attempts to carve out her own independent life, while Eddie struggles to keep her under his control—and his roof. Catherine gradually matures, as she finds a job and begins to assert herself with the help of Beatrice , who tells her not to act like a child anymore. Eddie misjudges Catherine’s maturity and continues to see her as a young girl; because of this, he denies her independence. But she is not the only one whose maturity he misjudges. He underestimates Rodolpho , repeatedly referring to him early in the play as “just a kid.” And, given his own childish jealousy and behavior, Eddie perhaps overestimates his own maturity, as well.

Eddie is sad to see Catherine grow up, and tries to hold onto her as she matures and becomes more independent. But even late in the play, it is questionable to what degree Catherine really achieves independence. For one thing, she still greatly cares what Eddie thinks, and tries to get him to come to her wedding. Moreover, she first begins to assert her independence mainly because Beatrice advises her to. Catherine thus ironically learns to think for herself by listening to someone else’s advice. And finally, in moving away from the control of Eddie, she at least partially comes under the control of Rodolpho, who calls her a little girl and whom she begs in tears to teach her. Given the play’s setting in the 1950s, in a traditional Italian immigrant community, it would be difficult for a woman to achieve absolute independence. Thus, even if Catherine still depends on others and her actions are partially dictated or influenced by others, this should not negate the fact of the immense growth and maturation in her character, as she gradually becomes more of her own person, and learns to assert herself against the controlling, oppressive figure of Eddie.

Maturity and Independence ThemeTracker

Maturity and Independence Quotes in A View from the Bridge

Katie, I promised your mother on her death-bed. I’m responsible for you. You’re a baby, you don’t understand these things.

Look, you gotta get used to it, she’s no baby no more.

I’m gonna buy a paper doll that I can call my own, A doll that other fellows cannot steal.

Beatrice: The girl is gonna be eighteen years old, it’s time already. Eddie: B., he’s taking her for a ride! Beatrice: All right, that’s her ride. What’re you gonna stand over her till she’s forty?

It means you gotta be your own self more. You still think you’re a little girl, honey. but nobody else can make up your mind for you any more, you understand? You gotta give him to understand that he can’t give you orders no more.

Don’t, don’t laugh at me! I’ve been here all my life. . . . Every day I saw him when he left in the morning and when he came home at night. You think it’s so easy to turn around and say to a man he’s nothin’ to you no more?

Catherine. If I take in my hands a little bird. And she grows and wishes to fly. But I will not let her out of my hands because I love her so much, is that right for me to do?

This is my last word, Eddie, take it or not, that’s your business. Morally and legally you have no rights, you cannot stop it; she is a free agent.

The law is only a word for what has a right to happen. When the law is wrong it’s because it’s unnatural, but in this case it is natural and a river will drown you if you buck it now. Let her go. And bless her.

Catherine: How can you listen to him? This rat! Beatrice: Don’t you call him that! Catherine: What’re you scared of? He’s a rat! He belongs in the sewer!