In Alfieri’s role as a narrator he describes Eddie’s state of mind to the audience
This is evident from lines “his eyes were like tunnels my first thought he had committed a crime but soon I saw it was only a passion that had moved into his body as a stranger”. Alfieri has also been given the ability to speak well for example ‘his eyes were like tunnels’ this is not an ordinary simile but in fact has a sound behind these words. As it comes from Alfieri speech it symbolises great importance and states that something is terribly wrong. It seemed like he had committed a crime but then he saw Eddie was very emotional - ‘great passion’. The emotion that Eddie was showing was so strong that Alfieri seemed like a stranger has entered his body. In this way he highlights Eddie’s inner conflict between himself and his feelings for Catherine. The first reason that Eddie did not want Catherine to marry Rodolfo was because he thinks Rodolfo is not manly where as Catherine’s argument towards Eddie is why Rodolfo is not a suitable man to marry. Eddie’s inner conflict is that Rodolfo should come over to earn money for his family in Italy but Rodolfo’s actions which are buying luxury goods and marrying Catherine is wrong. The finial conflict in Eddie is Catherine leaving home and growing up which he can not except so he wants to treat her like his little girl.
The mood changes constantly during the play, at the beginning of Act 1 the mood is peaceful, later it becomes worrying and in Act 2 is very violent.
“You wouldn’t have known it, but something amusing has just happened. You see how uneasily they node to me? That’s because I am a lawyer.” This line is delivered in an amused tone and everybody is quite happy.
“That’s my advice. You did your job, now it’s her life; wish her luck and let her go.”
The audience will appreciate the dramatic irony when they sense that Eddie will be at denial and not under any circumstances will he accept the fact of life.
“When the law is wrong it’s because it’s unnatural, but in this case it is natural and a river will drawn you if you buck it now. Let her go.” The advice is a warning to Eddie things will turn violent if he breaks the law. It shows how calm and rational Alfieri is in contrast to Eddie.
Alfieri is very calm and truthful and forecasts the future in the play.
This is shown by the following quote “you won’t have a friend in the world, Eddie even those who understand will turn against you, even the ones who feel the same will despise you.”
Alfieri confirms the forecast in the future of the play.
This is illustrated by the following quote “I could see every step coming, step after step, a dark figure walking down a hall towards a certain door……I was so powerless to stop it.” This image is very effective because it emphasises to the audience a shadow of darkness, which is a feeling that Eddie’s downfall is inevitable. Alfieri’s view which is the fact and he knows that nothing can be done.
Alfieri’s role is to advice other characters particularly Eddie and tells the audience about the story of the play.
This illustrates his advice to Eddie when he says “Eddie, look- I have my own children. I understand you but the law is very specific. You have no recourse in the law, Eddie.” This shows that Alfieri is sympathetic to Eddie and encourages the audience to feel the same.
Alfieri is Eddie’s friend and a lawyer who tries to help him as much as possible. He gives advice to him and is very honest & truthful. He also advises him against telling the immigration officers about Marco and Rodolpho because the neighbourhood will not talk to him and like him, also his family will never forgive him. Alfieri’s relationship with Macro & Rodolpho is different to Eddie’s relationship with Alfieri because his advice to Marco & Rodolpho is by using his knowledge and the law but the type of advice he gives to them is strictly legal and not emotional. This is shown to be superior.
Alfieri uses very accurate language and does not use colloquial words, for example ‘Lemme’, ‘Givin me the willies’, ‘Walkin wavy’ and ‘Gonna’. He speaks as a well-mannered literate characters using metaphors like “this is the gullet of New York swallowing the tonnage of the world” The effect of this is show that everything is sucked in and absorbed forming waste and chemicals. .
Eddie thinks Rodolpho is not manly because he sings and amuses people which is a talent but he also suspects something about Rodolpho he thinks he mighty be homosexual, from Eddie’s view “he ain’t right” this is shown by the lines “I know a tenor, this ain’t no tenor. I mean if you come in the house and you didn’t know who was singing, you would be looking for him, you’d be looking for her”
This quote shows from Eddie’s view he sings like a women and behaves like a women. Eddie also thinks Rodolpho is not manly as he buys clothes which are inappropriate
For example when Eddie says “a snappy new jacket he buys, records, a pointy pair of new shoes”
His family are starving in Italy and he is buying all these new goods. Eddie tries to show Rodolpho how manly he is by pretending to teach him how to box. Eddie tries to prove to Catherine how unmanly Rodolpho is put knocking him down this is highlighted by the lines “you see some real fights here. You ever done any boxing? ......Well come on I’ll teach you….. Come on Rodolpho I’ll show you a couple a passes”
Rodolpho wants to marry Catherine to be an American citizen which is not a right way to treat a woman in Eddie’s view, this is proved from the lines “you marry him and the next time you see him it’ll be for divorce”
Another theme is developed by Catherine leaving home and marrying Rodolpho. Alfieri gets involved when Eddie asks him about the law. Eddie thinks something can be done about Catherine marrying Rodolpho but Alfieri says:
“Let her go, there is nothing you can do, trust me”. Alfieri knows nothing can be done so he tries to explain to him. Eddie does not compromise with Catherine about her wearing fashionable clothes this is confirmed by the following exchange:
“Catherine: guess how much we paid for the skirt?
Eddie: I think it is too short, aint it?
Catherine: no! Not when I stand up
Eddie: yeah, but you gotta sit down sometimes”
Eddie doesn’t want Catherine to have a relationship with Rodolpho, Eddie can not see Catherine getting hurt and doesn’t want her to leave. As they were going to get married Eddie does something dramatic and reports the immigrants so he can get Rodolpho out of Catherine’s life this is illustrated by the lines “I take the blankets of my bed for him and he takes and puts his dirty filthy hands on her like a goddam thief!”
There are two types of justice, legal and moral justice. Legal justice is to do with the law and moral justice is your own opinion. Eddie’s conversations with Alfieri are important because they provoke questions to do with who created law and who should enforce them. There are alternative forms of law presented in the play- legal law, God’s law and natural law. Eddie speaks to Alfieri about how to send Rodolfo & Marco back he is taking legal advice like when Alfieri says:
“There is only one legal question here…… the manner in which they entered the country. But I don’t think you want to do anything about that, do you?”
Rodolfo & Marco are under arrest and need Alfieri’s advice on how to get out so Alfieri’s advice to Marco is “I can bail you out until your hearing comes up. But I’m not going to do it, you understand me? Unless I have your promise.”
This quote shows Alfieri will trust Marco if he promises not to cause violence. Catherine needs to marry Rodolpho so he can become an American citizen but Marco would have to be sent back and his family will starve in Italy so he does not know what to do and he is really furious at Eddie which leads to Eddie’s death.
Eddie’s moral view is that Beatrice’s cousins should be allowed to come in USA even though it is illegal, he is polite and kind when her cousin step in the house he says “You’re welcome Marco we got plenty of room here. Katie give them supper, heh”
As the play continues his moral view changes and joins his legal view because of Rodolpho marrying Catherine and her leaving home so he realises he can use the law to his own ends.
Changing the time & place and by telling the audience what he thinks is going to happen in the future. This is evident from the lines “On the twenty-third of that December a case of Scotch whisky slipped from a net while being unloaded………Catherine told me later this was the first time the had been alone together in the house.” The whole of this quote shows how Alfieri sets the scene and tells the audience where all the characters are and what they are doing.
The following quote illustrates how Alfieri warns the audience about the future of the play “it wasn’t as though there was a mystery to unravel… I knew where he was heading for… I was so powerless to stop it.”
Alfieri’s impact on the audience’s feelings towards Eddie makes them feel more empathetic towards him.
This is confirmed when he says “not purely good, but himself purely, for he allowed himself to be wholly known and for that I think I will love him more than all my sensible clients”. This puts another side of the empathy towards Eddie due to his inability to compromise. The audience look upon Alfieri as a character of intelligence and to a certain extent the power of infallibility. This would suggest that Alfieri’s thoughts of Eddie are understandable and gives creditability to Eddie for him holding his flag. Even though his flesh was dirty and his blood was hot he held his remark but that’s what Alfieri loved him for.
Eddie’s feelings are also revealed by the lines “I see it in his eyes; he’s laughin’ at her and he’s laughin’ at me”. This remark is only a spiritual interpretation but this is the remark, which was the last straw. For Eddie nothing mattered except his name and pride. If he could have his name and pride broadcasted then nothing else would matter. Through out he took the line of “I want my name”. This is also what Alfieri loved him for.
Alfieri is like a bridge in the play when he can see both sides of the story between Eddie and Rodolpho. He tries bringing Eddie and other characters together and has the perspective of being on a bridge. He brings the bridge together between the audience and the characters.
Alfieri is a major character in this play he has an effect on all of the main action in the play.
Arthur Millers uses Alfieri as a narrator in the play like Greek chorus and the main difference is that Alfieri is a character as well as a chorus. Arthur Miller uses Alfieri to set the time and place for the audience. Alfieri is used to describe Eddie’s view and his emotions, feelings and inner conflict to the audience.
The mood changes all the time during the play, at the start Alfieri was calm and relaxed as the play continues he forecast the mood of the play. Alfieri’s relationship towards Eddie as a friend is extremely helpful he gives moral and legal advice. This advice is honest & truthful. Alfieri’s language is accurate & proffesional while other characters use slang words. Arthur miller uses Alfieri to show the main themes of the play. Alfieri gives legal and moral advice to Eddie, Marco & Rodolpho.
Alfieri is used as a bridge between Eddie and other characters he also is a bridge between the characters of the play and the audience. I think Alfieri is a great narrator because he controls the event of the play and makes it a more powerful drama. He makes the message of the play more evident to the audience.
