When the two immigrants Marco and Rodolpho arrived to the United States at the beginning of the play Eddie reacted welcoming when they came, for example he provided them with food and shelter. They in return respect Eddie and were extra grateful; Eddie shielded them from the outside world (especially the authorities). The immigrants thought America would be very simple compared to Italy, it proved not to be. Catherine fell into love with Rodolpho, brother of Marco, who Eddie helped when they first arrived to America. Eddie soon realised. Catherine thought Rodholpho was funny, because he sang, cooked and made paper dolls. He made Catherine feel fragile, and venerable. Eddie implied he was homosexual, he said “He gives me hibies and gibes”. In fact Eddie wanted Rodolpho to be homosexual so he would not ever marry Catherine. Eddie continuously belittles Rodolpho, but Catherine did not change her mind about Rodolpho.
In the Italian culture they believe in justice, so Eddie decided to go to ‘Alfeari’ the crocked soliciter. Alfieri told him “This is my last word, Eddie, take it or not, that’s your business. Morally and legally you have no rights, you cannot stop it; (the wedding) she is a free agent”. He also told Eddie with a tougher tone “I heard what you told me, and I’m not only telling you what the answer is. I’m warning you – the law is nature. The law is only a word for what has a right to happen. When the law is wrong it’s because it’s unnatural, but in this case it is natural and a river will drown you buck it now let her go”. Alfieri’s advice was based on law, what Eddie wanted was for Rodolpho to be deported back to Italy because he fell into love with his niece Catherine. Next Eddie went to a phone booth and called the immigration Bureau to report Marco and Rodhopho “I want to report something, Illegal immigrants. Two of them. That’s right 441 Saxon Street, Brooklyn, yea ground floor. Heh? I’m just around the neighbourhood”. When Eddie came home after phoning the Immigration Bureau, he asked Beatrice where Catherine was, Beatrice told him she is upstairs getting pillow cases and she has not moved out yet. When Catherine did finally come down, she invited Eddie to her and Rodolpho’s wedding Eddie tried to persuade her not to marry Rodolpho by telling her he will let her go out where maybe she will meet other men, he also told her Rodolpho is her first love, ‘whats the hurry’ he tells her “you’ll might find somebody else in a couple of months.” Catherine refused she said she had already made her mind up.
Afterwards there was a knock on the door. Eddie’s head swerved, him Beatrice and Catherine stood motionless, there was another knock Catherine stood motionless, uncomprehendingly. Eddie opened the door and the two immigration officers entered, the officers searched around the house looking for Rodolpho and Marco. The first officer went out of the apartment and ran upstairs and the other officer went into the kitchen. While this was happening Beatrice weakened in fear “Oh my god, what did you do?” she accused Eddie of betraying the immigrants, but Eddie denied it. There after the officers caught Rodolpho and Marco. Catherine and Beatrice tried to help Rodolpho and Marco by pleading with the officers, telling them that Marco and Rodolpho are no harm to the community, they do there bit for society, they work. “What do yiz want from them? They work, that’s all. They’re boaders upstairs, they work on the piers,” said Beatrice, Catherine even lied to the officer by telling them that Rodolpho was born in Philadelphia (USA) so the officer asked Catherine what street Rodolpho was born in, Catherine replied “Do you know what street you were born in.” Soon after Marco broke away from the group and spat on Eddie, he showed no respect, this was a very big insult. After Marco and Rodolpho were taken away by the officers in their car.
Marco and Rodolpho were given bail with the help of Alfieri but on one condition that Marco does not do anything to Eddie. Following Eddie was alone in the rocker, rocking back and forth in little surges. Beatrice emerged from her bedroom in her best clothes, wearing a hat. Eddie told her if she attended the wedding she will never be allowed back home he said “You walk out that door to that wedding you ain’t commin back here, Beatrice.” Eddie wanted respected from Beatrice, subsequently Catherine entered and told Beatrice “it’s after three and the priest won’t wait,” Beatrice begged Eddie to let her go to the wedding she told him “It’s her wedding there’ll be nobody there from her family, let me go.” Eddie refused to go and said nobody from his house would be at the wedding, Catherine told Beatrice that Eddie is a rat and belongs in the sewers. Thereafter Beatrice gave her blessing to Catherine “god bless you, god bless your children,” Suddenly Rodolpho walked in, Eddie told him to leave, Rodolpho told Eddie that Marco is praying at the church and is coming. Beatrice told her husband Eddie, that they should go elsewhere but Eddie replied “where, where am I going? This is my house.” Surprisingly to me, Rodolpho started apologising to Eddie, he reached for Eddie’s hand but Eddie snapped it away from him. Rodolpho also told Eddie “if we can tell him (Marco) we are comrades now, and we have no argument between us then maybe Marco will not.” Eddie did not want any of it, all Eddie wanted was for his respect to be given back to him in the neighbourhood Eddie demanded Rodolpho to go and get Marco to him “run and get him kid.”
Shortly after Marco appeared outside, walking toward the door of Eddie’s apartment. Beatrice pleaded with Eddie to let Catherine go “Tell her (Catherine) good-bye for ever,” but Eddie refused. Marco from outside the door shouted EDDIE CARBONE! Eddie swerved about, the neighbours all gathered around. Eddie replied ‘Yeah Marco’ and confronted Marco. Rodolpho pleaded with both men not to fight he said “No, Marco, please! Eddie, please, he has children! You will kill a family!” Eddie came out to address the people he told them “I want my name, Marco, now gimme my name, and we go together to the wedding, tell the people Marco, come on liar.” Marco lunged forward and struck Eddie beside the neck with a powerful punch, Eddie went down with the blow and Marco started raising his foot to stomp Eddie. Eddie sprang a knife into his hands and Marco stepped back. Louis friend of Eddie rushed toward to Eddie, Eddie raised the knife Louis halted and stepped back, Eddie lunged. Marco grabbed his arm turning the blade inwards and pressed it home into Eddie’s stomach as the two women and Louis and Mike rushed forward to separate them. The knife still in his hands fell on his knees before Marco. Catherine told Eddie she never meant to hurt his feelings, Eddie then cried ‘Oh b’ Beatrice replied ‘Yes, yes’ Eddie finally said ‘My B’ and Eddie died in the arms of his wife Beatrice. Those were the last words of Eddie Carbone.
We come away from this play feeling great sympathy for all the characters, a sympathy best summed up in Alfieri's final comment: "Most of the time now we settle for half and I like it better. But the truth is holy, and even as I know how wrong he was and his death useless, I tremble for, I confess that something perversely pure calls to me from his memory--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 play is about family crisis and love, if we compare things back then in the 1950’s when the play was written, to now not many things have changed, families still fall out over someone in the family, falling into love with someone who is lower in class than them. For example Prince Charles and Camilia how the Queen disapproves. Although in today’s world there would rarely be brutal killings on the streets of the United Kingdom.
