Miller intends to portray Marco as both innocent and guilty to the audience.
Miller intends to portray Marco as both innocent and guilty to the audience. For example, Miller displays his blamelessness by describing him as a family man, who has "three children" and "trusts his wife". He has responsibility for his family, so he has come to America as an illegal immigrant to provide food for them, because if he stays in Sicily "they will never grow up". He has immigrated to America because his offspring are suffering from illnesses and need medicine. For example his "older one is sick in his chest". He is committed to providing the money, and he intends to "work hard", "all day, all night".
Another point that proves Marco is a caring man is that he has taken responsibility for his younger brother, Rodolfo, and he also treats Eddie politely and calmly. An example of this is shown when Rodolfo starts to sing and Eddie tells him to stop. Marco says calmly, "Yes, yes, you will be quiet Rodolfo". Rodolfo also supports this view of Marco by saying, "Marco never hurt anybody". A man with such a peaceful personality and sense of responsibility wouldn't commit a crime like this for no reason, would he?
On the other hand Arthur Miller shows Marco's guilt when he says, "Can you lift this chair?" He is challenging Eddie; but in reality he is saying that he is stronger than him, and presenting to him that he is the man of the house. His guilt is also demonstrated when Eddie says "I took the blankets off my bed for yiz". Miller uses this to illustrate that Marco doesn't care about Eddie even though Eddie kept him in his house, and gave him food and a place to sleep. When Rodolfo says, "Marco is coming", the audience are led to believe that Marco has deliberately come to attack Eddie. This also proves that he is responsible.
Alfieri says," He was as good a man as he had to be in life that was hard and even". Miller uses this to present to the audience that Eddie is a pleasant and law abiding person. Marco's guilt can also be explained when Marco turns "the blade inward" and presses "it home". This shows the audience that he killed, so it could be said that he is a cold blooded murderer and it was always his intention to kill Eddie, intimated earlier when he warns Eddie by lifting the chair over his head.
In the opening ...
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Alfieri says," He was as good a man as he had to be in life that was hard and even". Miller uses this to present to the audience that Eddie is a pleasant and law abiding person. Marco's guilt can also be explained when Marco turns "the blade inward" and presses "it home". This shows the audience that he killed, so it could be said that he is a cold blooded murderer and it was always his intention to kill Eddie, intimated earlier when he warns Eddie by lifting the chair over his head.
In the opening stage directions of the play, it is clear that the detail Miller writes is not accidental. There is "a portable phonograph" in the scene, which confirm Marco's guilt, because later on in the play Eddie is disgusted by seeing Catherine and Rodolfo dancing. This forces Marco to challenge Eddie to see if he can lift the chair. This proves Marco is stronger, and this event is the impetus for the eventual tragedy at the end of the play.
Also the "bedroom door" at the back of the stage is crucial, because this is where Rodolfo and Catherine have sex. This is significant because it leads to Eddie telling Rodolfo to get out of the house. This shows Eddie is in the wrong, because he is jealous that they are involved in a physical relationship. It proves that Marco is not to blame because Eddie is treating Rodolfo very badly, kissing him in an attempt to prove that he's homosexual.
Another object is the "telephone booth" at the front of the stage; Miller has put it there to show it has significance later on in the play. Eddie uses this to phone the immigration bureau to report Marco and Rodolfo as illegal immigrants. Just before the officers arrive he sends a message to Marco and Rodolfo, who have moved upstairs, to go through the fire exit. This could be for two reasons; firstly to protect his reputation and save his name in the community, or secondly he may have realised what he has done and is trying to protect them. If he acts to save his name in the community, this illustrates Eddie's selfishness, and therefore shows he is at fault, but if he has realised what he has done and tries to make up for this, it demonstrates his innocence.
Miller uses stage directions and speeches at the end of act one to show the innocence or guilt of characters. For example, when "Marco takes a chair, places it front Eddie and looks down on it", Marco is apparently starting trouble and wants to fight. However, this could be interpreted in another way; by saying that Marco is taking revenge against Eddie for all the troubles he has caused Rodolfo. For the same reason Miller shows Eddie with "a strained tension gripping his eyes and jaw" and "a glare of warning" in hi expression.
Marco doesn't say much in this part of the play to show his innocence or guilt, but he is challenging Eddie by saying "Can you lift this chair?" and indicating that he is prepared to start an argument or fight if necessary. It could be also said that it is his responsibility to protect his younger brother and to warn Eddie to stop bullying him.
Stage directions that show Eddie's innocence include when "He comes to the chair, kneels, grasps the leg, raises the chair one inch, but it leans over to the floor". This is one of the parts of the play where he isn't negative in his relationship with others; he simply treats his challenge as a straight forward game.
Arthur Miller also uses stage directions and speech at the end of the play to show the guilt or innocence of characters. For example, when Alfieri says to Marco, "this is your promise" about not touching Eddie, Marco doesn't reply, which proves he doesn't want to make a promise that he cannot keep. Although this makes him innocent, it could also prove his guilt, because it can be argued that it was always his intention to kill Eddie.
Stage directions that show Marco as guilty are, "when Marco starts to raise a foot to stamp on him". This shows that Marco is threatening Eddie, which leads to Eddie pulling out his knife. Therefore, he is to blame because this led directly to the killing. Also, when Marco is "turning the blade inward and pressing it home" into Eddie's chest, Miller intends to show that Marco is responsible, but he also suggests it's Eddie's fault because he pulled out "a knife into his hand" initially.
Eddies guilt is demonstrated in stage directions when Miller writes "He lunges to Marco", which shows that he started the fight. However, when he springs a knife into his hands", he scares Marco, who then kills him without thinking because he is frightened.
A speech that proves Eddie's guilt is when he says "Yeah Marco, Eddie Carbone, Eddie Carbone, Eddie Carbone." He replies to Marco in an offensive way, this results in him being killed, and he is to blame for his own death.
Miller has written this play in a complex way to prove that Marco and Eddie are both partially guilty, because there is proof of innocence and guilt for each character.
