The play begins with Alfieri setting the scene; he forms a bridge between the audience and the actors. He informs the audience of the location of the play, and gives us some background information. He also provides a method of viewing the action in a series of “flashbacks”. “This one’s name WAS Eddie Carbone” he tells us, using the past tense so we know the action has already taken place. He is able to hint at the tragedy that is about to unfold. During his opening speech Alfieri tells us he “watched it run its bloody course”. Miller uses Alfieri in the same way as a film trailer is used.
Alfieri also takes part in the action, by giving Eddie a chance to tell us of his real feelings about Catherine and Rodolpho’s relationship. Eddie keeps his thoughts mostly to himself in front of his family, and so his discussions with Alfieri are important as a way of informing the audience of his concerns. He tells Alfieri how he feels about Rodolpho’s sexuality and his concerns about why Rodolpho wants to marry his niece. Eddie believes that Rodolpho only wants to be an Amercian citizen, and is therefore using Catherine to enable him to realise his dream.
Miller introduces suspense into the play by breaking the action with Alfieri’s speeches to the audience. This device is known as a soliloquy, and is used by Alfieri a number of times during the play.
At the beginning of the play, Miller holds the audience in suspense when Catherine asks Eddie if she can leave school and take the job she has been offered. Eddie is unwilling to let her do this, “No, no you gonna finish school” he says immediately. The conversation drifts off to other more mundane matters. At first, the talk is of coffee. In an effort to head off a row, Beatrice remarks “I smelled coffee all day today. You unloading coffee?”. Eddie follows her lead and tries to lighten the atmosphere by talking about the spiders that can be found among the imported bananas. “You oughta see what comes outa the bananas sometimes”, he jokes. However, later he turns to the more serious subject of the nephew who shops his uncle to the immigration office. “I think he went away. I never see him again.” He tells his family. This is the first hint we have of the story to come. Eventually, the discussion returns to Catherine’s job, and Eddie finally gives in and says he will allow her to take the position. “All right go to works”, he says. By doing this, Miller begins to give us an insight into Eddie’s character, and we see that he likes to control his family, and we also start to realise that his feelings for Catherine are stronger than they should be. The stage directions state: after a moment of watching her face, Eddie breaks into a smile.
The arrival of Marco and Rodolpho is welcomed at first, but as time goes on, Eddie begins to distrust and dislike Rodolpho, because Catherine is attracted to him, and Eddie is jealous. Miller’s stage directions, again, give the actor precise instructions: his face puffed with trouble.
This gives the audience the impression that Eddie sees Rodolpho as a threat to his and Catherine’s relationship. For Eddie this soon turns into a competition with Rodolpho to compete with him for Catherine’s affections. The competition between the two men becomes clear to the audience when Eddie proposes a ‘pretend’ boxing match with Rodolpho in front of Catherine, to show off his strength. This is another factor, which shows the audience how insecure Eddie really is. He has been used to thinking of Catherine as his little girl and he cannot bear the thought of sharing her. This is really unhealthy for an uncle to feel for his niece or even a father for his daughter, which is what their relationship is more like.
As the play progresses, Eddie dislikes Rodolpho more and more, and begins to sow seeds of doubt about him to anyone who will listen. He implies that, because Rodolpho has blonde hair, and can sing, cook and sew, he is not a normal man. “The guy ain’t right” Eddie says. He implies that Rodolpho is a homosexual. Eddie wants Rodolpho out of Catherine’s life at any cost, and he will do almost anything to achieve this. Eddie hates the thought of Catherine and Rodolpho together, “when I think of that guy layin’ his hands on her I could – I mean it’s eatin me out”. This is another hint given to the audience by Miller, about Eddie’s unhealthy feelings towards Catherine and the jealousy he feels towards Rodolpho and Catherine’s relationship.
Eddie goes to see Alfieri in his office, in an attempt to find a way to prevent Catherine and Rodolpho from marrying. Eddie is very mixed up, and tells Alfieri that he believes Rodolpho wants to marry Catherine so he can stay in America legally, and that Rodolpho is trying to take Catherine away from him. Eddie says, dramatically “he is stealing from me!”. He becomes more irrational upon learning that there is nothing the law can do to prevent the two from marrying. Eddie replies to Alfieri saying, “You mean to tell me that there’s no law that a guy which he ain’t right can go to work and marry a girl”. Alfieri tells him the only way to stop it is to inform the authorities that Marco and Rodolpho are in the country illegally. Eddie will not even consider this option at this point, “Oh Jesus no, I wouldn’t do nothing about that”, but the seed has been sown, and this is the second time the audience are made aware of the probable outcome of the tragedy.
Marco takes a back seat in the action to begin with, but later, when Eddie “teaches” Rodolpho to box, he recognises the underlying tension between Eddie and Rodolpho, and comes to his brother’s defence by staging an event designed to make Eddie look stupid. Marco asks Eddie “Can you lift this chair” He wants Eddie to lift the chair by one leg, which Eddie thinks will be easy. “Sure, why not”, he replies. It proves more difficult than he expected, and he is unable to do it. “It’s on an angle, that’s why”, he says, trying to cover up his embarrassment by making an excuse for not being able to lift the chair. Marco shows him that he can lift the chair in this way, and holds the chair above Eddie’s head like a weapon. By doing this he is showing his support for his brother and his strength, and that he is not afraid of Eddie. Stage directions request Marco to transform what might appear like a glare of warning into a smile of triumph, and Eddie’s grin vanishes as he absorbs his look.
Beatrice is aware of the strong feelings that Eddie has for Catherine, and is concerned that Eddie’s lack of interest in his wife is due to his unhealthy feelings for his niece. “When am I going to be a wife again Eddie?” she asks him, sadly. She tries to persuade Eddie that he should allow Catherine to marry Rodolpho, “He’s a nice kid, what do you want from him” she asks, but he is adamant this will never happen. “He gives me the heeby-jeebies”, “I don’t like it”, Eddie replies.
Eddie really shows how badly he is taking the situation just before Christmas, when he returns home having been drinking. He finds Catherine and Rodolpho in the apartment alone, and they have obviously been in the bedroom together. Catherine comes out of the bedroom adjusting her dress. Immediately Rodolpho appears in the bedroom doorway. Although Eddie has been hinting to people that Rodolpho is a homosexual, he is livid when he thinks that he has slept with Catherine. Eddie orders Rodolpho to leave the house.
“Pack it up, go ahead. Get your stuff and get outa here”, he cries.
Catherine stands up to Eddie at last, and says she will move out. “I have to get outa here Eddie” she says. Eddie is now out of control, “You ain’t going nowheres” he tells her. He cannot restrain himself any longer. He reaches out, draws Catherine towards him and kisses her. This is a key point and the climax of tension and overwhelming emotions. Rodolpho says, “Don’t! Stop that! Have respect for her!” He tries to attack Eddie, but Eddie shows his contempt for Rodolpho by kissing him too.
Eddie feels that by kissing Rodolpho he would be showing Catherine what type of “man” Rodolpho really is and Catherine would stop loving him. However, his drunken actions have the completely opposite effect and Catherine ends up losing all respect towards Eddie that she once had. This is a devastating blow for him and from this point, it is all downhill for Eddie.
This is the climax of all the emotion and tension, which is felt between Eddie, Catherine and Rodolpho. Eddie’s feelings for Catherine have overwhelmed him and he kisses her passionately out of desperation. However, his intention to make Rodolpho look stupid in front of Catherine have also overwhelmed Eddie and he kisses him in violent mockery as a last resort to try and show Catherine what Rodolpho is really like. This leaves the audience in disbelief that Eddie would actually be capable of doing such a thing and all feelings of pity for Eddie him into hatred. You no longer feel sorry for Eddie but disgust towards him and all respect or reasoning for his actions is lost.
As a last resort, Eddie goes to consult Alfieri again, who once again, tells him there is no legal way of stopping the marriage. “There is nothing you can do Eddie” he says, sadly. At this point the phone booth, which has been on stage all the time is highlighted, and Eddie leaves the stage in desperation. The audience realises that Eddie is going to do the thing he earlier would have considered out of the question. Alfieri following him calls, “You won’t have a friend in the world Eddie!” The fact that Alfieri says this gives us a hint that he knows what Eddie is about to do and the audience are not surprised at this because they expect it to happen. They know it will come as Eddie’s final effort to get rid of Rodolpho, as all his other attempts have failed miserably. The audience’s feelings of hatred towards Eddie become stronger as goes against what he said at the beginning of the play to Beatrice and Catherine, about making sure they do not tell a soul about Marco and Rodolpho staying at their house. Also, the fact that he is prepared to “snitch” on his own wife’s cousins, confirm his desperation to keep Catherine.
Further suspense is introduced at this point by leaving the stage empty of actors, and just the glowing phone booth is visible. Eddie now appears and enters the booth. He phones the immigration authorities and informs on his wife’s cousins. “I want to report something. Illegal immigrants” Eddie tells the immigration officer. He knows the consequences of this, but he no longer cares, he has lost Catherine and to him she was everything.
When Eddie returns home, his family are oblivious to what he has done, but he does not know that Beatrice has arranged for her cousins to move to an apartment upstairs in the building, and her anger with Eddie now becomes more obvious. She has known for some time that Eddie’s feelings for Catherine were stronger that they should be, and this is why she was so adamant that Catherine should go out to work at the beginning of the play. She has lost some respect for Eddie following his previous actions towards Catherine and Rodolpho. He begins to complain because he senses her disapproval of him. “I want my respect” he says to Beatrice. “What more do you want? You got your house now. You got your respect”, she replies.
Eddie is now in complete despair because Catherine is going to marry Rodolpho the following week, despite his attempts to stop it. During this scene Eddie discovers there are other illegal immigrants staying in the same apartment as Marco and Rodolpho. “She’s got other boarders up there.” Eddie is told. When he discovers they are relatives of the local butcher, Lipari, whose family are to be feared, he tries to get Catherine to find somewhere else for Marco and Rodolpho to stay. “Get them out of the house”, he tells her in panic. He is not worried about them being caught, he is only concerned for his own safety should it become known that he was the reason Lipari’s relatives were caught. “How do you know what enemies Lipari’s got?”. “They got a temper that family”, Eddie says.
Realising what Eddie has done, Beatrice sits down and looks away, while Catherine runs upstairs to try and get Marco and Rodolpho out of the apartment via the fire escape.
However, she is too late, and the immigration officers are already knocking on the door. “Come on, come on, where are they?” they shout at Eddie. Eddie pretends he does not know what they are talking about “we got nobody here” he replies as they go upstairs. He is starting to regret his actions, but there is nothing he can do to change it. The two officers come back down the stairs with all four immigrants. Catherine is behind them screaming at them not to take Rodolpho away “what do yiz want from them, who do they hurt?” she cries.
Meanwhile Eddie and Beatrice are in the living room “Oh my God, what did you do?” Beatrice asks Eddie. She knows what Eddie has done, but he denies it “What’re you, accusin’ me?” he says, but they are distracted from their argument by the movements outside and they both rush to the door. The officers arrest Marco and Rodolpho, as well as the other two “submarines”, and Marco becomes the centre of attraction when he accuses Eddie: “That one! I accuse that one!”
Eddie tries to convince his neighbours that the accusation is untrue, “He’s crazy” he tells them, but they do not believe him. They all walk away without talking to him, and Eddie is left alone.
Alfieri arranges for Marco and Rodolpho to be released from prison on bail, and the audience is now aware that the final showdown is about to happen as Rodolpho tries to talk Marco out of going after Eddie and doing something stupid, “Marco, please!” he cries.
Meanwhile, Catherine is preparing for her wedding, and Beatrice is trying to persuade Eddie to attend the ceremony. “Eddie, for God’s sake it’s her wedding” she pleads. Rodolpho apologises to Eddie to keep the peace. “I wish to apologise” he tells Eddie. He tries to pour oil on troubled waters, but their has been too much water under the “bridge” and Eddie is now far beyond the stage where this would have worked. “I heard enough” he replies. Eddie will not accept Rodolpho’s apology. This annoys Beatrice as she does not want any more trouble, so she asks Eddie what he wants. “I want my name” he tells her. Beatrice does not believe this and says “You want something else Eddie, and you can never have her”, she says referring to Catherine. Eddie is shocked and replies, “That’s what you think of me!” Eddie is on a collision course with disaster and when Marco appears he completely loses control.
He joins Marco on the street and when the neighbours start to gather, Eddie addresses them. “Maybe he come to apologise to me,” he says to them. He tries to get Marco to take back his accusation and when he refuses they begin to fight. Neither of them will back down and the situation escalates.
Marco appears to be winning the fight, when Eddie produces a knife. This shows Eddie as the author of his own downfall, because Marco, once again, shows his superior strength by turning the knife on Eddie.
Louis and Mike, who have been part of the audience surrounding Marco and Eddie rush in to separate them, and Eddie, the knife still in his hands, falls to his knees before Marco.
As Eddie lays on the ground, Catherine and Beatrice support him for a moment, calling his name again and again. Catherine tries to apologise to Eddie for everything that has happened by saying, ”Eddie I never meant to do nothing bad to you”. His response to this is “Then why – oh B!” Beatrice, who is kneeling over him cries “Yes, Yes”. Eddie’s final words are “My B!” Eddie is assumed to be talking to Beatrice when he says this – but is he? The “B” could actually represent ‘baby’, so when he says “My B”, he could be referring to Catherine as “my baby”.
Eddie dies in the arms of his wife.
There are many different devices and structures, which influence the view of the audience towards Eddie, such as his direct use of language, the character, Alfieri and the way he feels about Catherine.
From the start of the play, we can see how much Eddie dotes on his niece, Catherine, and how much she means to him. However, as the play progresses, his feelings grow deeper and are noticed by others. This becomes more obvious after the arrival of Rodolpho and he is jealous of the relationship he has with Catherine.
I think that deep down Eddie knows that Rodolpho is not gay, or that he only wants to marry Catherine so that he can become an American citizen. Eddie just does not want to admit that Catherine loves someone else, who also loves her. He does not want to believe that Rodolpho could make her happier than Eddie himself. It is Eddie’s sexual jealousy, which eventually brings about his downfall.
The community is also important to Eddie, and at the start of the play, this gives him strength to think he is someone important, but later brings about his destruction. Eddie is uneducated and hard-working and he has a simple code of honour with a simple set of standards, which he expects to be reached. He believes that real men do not have blonde hair, high singing voices, the ability to sew and cook and dance. However, in his heart, he also knows that real men do not telephone the Immigration Bureau and “snitch” on his wife’s own family.
Irony is a powerful weapon for both tragic and comic effect, particularly in a play where there are so many different viewpoints. Irony operates on a basis of opposites, very often opposites between intention and achievement. Eddie’s situation is very ironic: he acts to keep Catherine, but drives her away; he acts to keep his good name, but destroys it.
Once Eddie has lost his respect, his honour and his “name” in front of his family and neighbours, his tragic life is finished. Those things that he learns too late deepen the irony.
Many things contribute to the audience’s understanding of the tragic character of Eddie Carbone, such as the stage directions, settings, characters attitudes towards Eddie and his attitude towards them. Other contributory factors are the description of characters and events and the use of Alfieri. However, these things only hint at the events that are to come, but it is Eddie himself that brings about his tragic downfall and in the end, his death.
