The opening of a play is naturally one of its most important parts, serving as an introduction to the setting, characters and to the themes; the best openings also encapsulate both the intentions and style of the playwright. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams describes the set in great detail, using plastic sets to create a vivid setting, while Arthur Miller shows greater attention to characters, themes and dialogue in A View from the Bridge. Both of these approaches present the realism necessary for any domestic tragedy to have an impact. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay A Streetcar Named Desire opens with a long description of the set. Williams is evidently describing something more conceptual than actually feasible, as he includes details of the "L&N tracks and the river", landscape features that would be difficult to capture on a stage, but he more abstractly juxtaposes nature with industry, each out of place in this environment and carry connotations of travel and movement. Both of these ideas connect to Blanche's arrival at the Champs Elysees, out of place, and the discovery that life has moved on without her, leaving her a relic of an earlier time. Williams also uses plastic theater techniques, constructing a soundscape of the "perpetual blue piano" native to New Orleans, as well as the shouts of a tamale vendor and multiple simultaneous conversations, creating the image of an engaged and vibrant community through solo sound. .In contrast, Miller offers a brief, more matter-of-fact setting in A View From the Bridge, with its opening clearly more focused on introducing themes and characters. Alfieri's opening soliloquy essentially reveals the “bloody course” of the play, laying out key ideas of justice and how the Italian and Sicilian form of social justice often clashes with the law. Alfieri's commentary throughout the play provides an outside view of events with the benefit of hindsight, and the opening foreshadowing speech is no different. By including this soliloquy, Miller alters the audience's perception of the events that follow and their opinions of the characters themselves through Alfieri's forgiving and sympathetic point of view. The characters themselves are described initially, not necessarily with a greater level of detail than the set, but in greater depth: Miller provides not only details on appearance, but also approximate ages and mannerisms, with Alfieri described as “good-humored and thoughtful." While Miller's characters are no more or less realistic than Williams's, this immediate focus on character and personality demonstrates how critical they are in A View from the Bridge. Eddie's importance in particular is highlighted both figuratively and literally, being highlighted by Alfieri but also being introduced first; The show's opening follows Eddie through his relationships, first with his co-workers and then with his wife and niece. It is in this last interaction that his protective attitude towards Catherine first becomes evident, against the introduction of an important recurring motif in the play: Eddie's inappropriate feelings towards Catherine. While his doubts that her skirt is "too short" could easily be interpreted as a natural paternal concern (since he acts as her guardian), Alfieri's soliloquy gives the scene an ominous air of foreboding. Although Williams does not focus on the character.