Miller uses different ideas to show the characters true feelings towards each other. In Act one, Episode five these ideas are shown in greater detail.
Eddie in this episode shows his dislike towards Rodolfo. As Eddie and Marco are talking about Oranges, Rodolfo makes a remark about Lemons being green, “Lemons are green.” Eddie then instantly resents his instruction, “(resenting his instruction)”, he then goes on to say, “I know Lemons are green, for Christ’s sake, you see them in the store they’re green sometimes. I said oranges they paint, I didn’t say nothin’ about lemons.” This shows that he is telling off Rodolfo for saying something, showing that Eddie does not like him.
Lower down that page, Rodolfo says, “It’s not so free.” Here again Rodolfo gets a reaction and remark back from Eddie, “(rises, paces up and down) It ain’t so free here either, Rodolfo, like you think.” Rodolfo then tries to get back on Eddie’s good side by saying, “Well, I always have respect –” This shows that Rodolfo is trying to get Eddie to like him.
Eddie, referring to Rodolfo and Catherine, says, “….in your town you wouldn’t just drag of some girl without permission….” Beatrice then tries to defend Rodolfo by saying, “Well, he didn’t exactly drag her off though, Eddie.”
Rodolfo then shows that he wants respect from Eddie by asking him, “I do anything wrong?” Eddie says, “Look, kid, I ain’t her father, I’m only her uncle –” It is here that Beatrice shows how much power she has over Eddie, she says, “Well then, be an uncle then. (Eddie looks at her, aware of her criticizing force.)” Beatrice who is continuously defending Rodolfo and Catherine becomes more criticizing towards Eddie. Eddie continues to give a lecture to Rodolfo about coming home late at night. “The more you run around like that the more chance you’re takin’. (To Beatrice) I mean suppose he gets hit by a car or something. (To Marco) Where’s his papers, who is he?” Beatrice replies to that by saying, “Yeah, but who is he in the daytime, though? It’s the same chance in the daytime.” Eddie is getting very angered by Beatrice’s smart remarks at this point. “(holding back a voice full of anger)”
“(flushed with revolt) You wanna dance, Rodolfo? (Eddie freezes.)” This is Catherine’s way of getting her own back on Eddie, but Rodolfo is too scared to dance with her because of Eddie. “(in defence to Eddie) No, I – I’m tired.” Beatrice once again comes to the rescue as her and Catherine barely manage to persuade him to dance. “Go ahead, dance, Rodolfo.” “Ah, come on. They got a beautiful quartet, these guys. Come. (she has taken his hand and he stiffly rises, feeling Eddie’s eyes on his back, and they dance.”
As Marco mentions that Rodolfo is a very good cook, Eddie starts to back on his case. “Sure, very good cook. Rice, pasta, fish, everything. (Eddie lowers his newspaper.)” Eddie then in surprise says, “He’s a cook, too! (looking at Rodolfo) He sings, he cooks…” “Well it’s good. He could always make a living.” Beatrice replies. Eddie says for the second time, “He sing, he cooks, he could make dresses…”
Eddie goes on to describe that “the waterfront is no place for him,” because “he can cook, he can sing, he can make dresses.” He has mentioned that for the third time. During his explanation, “(He has been unconsciously twisting the newspaper into a tight roll.” “(He has bent the rolled paper and it suddenly tears into two.” This shows how he thinks of the idea of Rodolfo doing feminine activities. He is suggesting that Rodolfo is not manly enough.
Eddie asks Marco, “You ever do any boxing?” Marco replies, “No, never.” Eddie then moves onto Rodolfo, “(to Rodolfo) Betcha you have done some, heh?” Rodolfo also replies with a “no.” So Eddie offers to teach him some boxing. During his alleged boxing lesson Eddie punches Rodolfo in the face. “(He feints with his left hand and lands with his right. It mildly staggers Rodolfo. Marco rises.)” Marco here is realising what Eddie is trying to do. As Eddie says, “I’ll teach him again.” “Marco nods at him dubiously.”
“Marco takes a chair, places it in front of Eddie, and looks down at it.” Marco the says to Eddie, “Can you lift this chair?” Eddie replies, “What do you mean?” Marco then says, “From here. (He gets on one knee with one hand behind his back, and grasps the bottom of one of the chair legs but does not raise it.)” Eddie, thinking he can do it, replies, “Sure, why not? (he comes to the chair, kneels, grasps the leg, raises the chair one inch, but it leans over to the floor.)” After he failed the first time he says, “Gee, that’s hard, I never knew that.” He continues to try lifting the chair several times but continues to fail each time. After realising that he can not do it, he says, “It’s on an angle, that’s why, heh? Marco then takes the chair. “(He kneels, grasps, and with strain slowly raises the chair higher and higher, getting to his feet now. Rodolfo and Catherine have stopped dancing as Marco raises the chair over his head.)” Here at the end of the Episode, Marco showed that he has more power then Eddie does and that he will protect his brother with force if need be. “….the chair raised like a weapon over Eddie’s head….”
In conclusion, Act one Episode five, shows us, the audience what everybody in that play, especially Eddie, Rodolfo and Marco, think and feel for each other. Eddie has his own ideas of manliness in contrast to Rodolfo. Eddie also acts irrationally due to his unusual and irregular feelings for Catherine. Marco on the other hand knows what Eddie’s feelings are towards Rodolfo and Catherine. Miller’s ideas were shown very well through mostly stage directions or action in the play. “Actions speak louder than words.” With out that the play would be much harder to understand.
