A View from the Bridge

20th Century Drama:

A View from the Bridge

By Devesh Amar

Arthur Miller was born in New York City on October 17th, 1915. His parents were both immigrants in the United States and lead a prosperous life because of the success of his father’s clothing manufacturing business. But the arrival of the disastrous Wall Street crash distorted his business along with the rest of the American economy. As the result, Miller worked as a warehouseman.

‘A View from the Bridge’ was in a single act in its first version and was produced this way first in verse in 1955. This was then revised and was extended into a two-act play in 1956 when it was presented at the Comedy Theatre in London.

In this assignment I will be discussing the role of the protagonist in ‘A View from the Bridge’, and I will look into his downfall and the part that he played in it. I will also be looking at the Aristotelian elements of a tragedy that Miller has used, and I will be highlighting and explaining the important dialogue and stagecraft.

The play is set in a domestic area of New York called Red Hook and he describes it as ‘the slum that faces the bay on the seaward side of Brooklyn Bridge’. It has its roots in the late 1940’s when Miller became interested in the everyday lives and work of the dockworkers of New York’s Brooklyn harbour, where he had previously worked. He described it as a ‘dangerous and mysterious world at the water’s edge that drama and literature had never touched’ where many people worked and were poorly paid, exploited by their bosses, and importantly many were immigrants to the United States. This led to them being treated unequally and they faced racism as the whites were considered as a powerful race.

Other factors that played a part in Miller writing this play was the Cold War, which occurred during the 1940’s and which affected the economy and arose censorship and freedom. During this time a young lawyer friend of Miller’s also told him a story about ‘a longshoreman who had ratted to the Immigration Bureau on two brothers, who were living illegally in his very own home’. He also visited Sicily a few years later where he say huge levels of poverty that played a part in him including characters of Italian origin and keeping poverty as one of the main themes of this play.

These above factors were the entire cultural context that led to Miller writing yet another very influential play - ‘A View from the Bridge’.

This play is a modern tragedy and Miller has followed the rules of a tragedy written by the famous Greek Philosopher Aristotle in a book called ‘Poetics’. This book stated that for a play to be a tragedy it should have certain characteristics. Miller has followed these Aristotelian features carefully and this can be seen in the play.

Firstly, a prologue accompanies the play in order to make it easier for the audience to concentrate more on the actual lesson being taught by the play rather that getting confused. Alfieri acts as the chorus/narrator, the audience’s interpreter of events; he is both commentator and participant in the play and punctuates the action. He introduces new themes and at the same time informs us about the present events and reminds us of past events. He creates interest in the audience by giving them clues and signs of future events, for example we know that the play will end in someone’s death as he mentions ‘ sat there as powerless as I, and watched it run its bloody course’.

A sense of inevitability is also created in Aristotelian tragedies that can be seen in the above dialogue where Alfieri feels ‘‘powerless’’ and suggests that this has happened before and is therefore retrospective. Another device known as ‘hubris’ is also used which is a point in the play of no return and creates immense inevitability.

The audience is made to feel a purging of emotions, which is a device known as ‘catharsis’. This along with ‘pauses’ between dialogue and ‘dramatic irony’, which is when the audience knows more than the characters, creates tension and heightens their sympathy for some characters or heightens hatred for others. Stage Directions have been used well and they build on dialogue and show how the characters are feeling. Miller has also used stagecraft to an extensive level, and he uses the stage and effects such as lighting to symbolise conflict and other things. For example, the stage consists of the Carbone household and Alfieri’s law office which represents a conflict between natural and constitutional law, a main theme of the play. This is also an effective use of ‘unity of time and place’ as the main places of action have been put closely to avoid confusion.

Tragedies are also meant to teach and are therefore ‘didactic’. For example, community bonds and effects of betrayal are highlighted when Eddie recites to Catherine a fable about former neighbour Vinny Bolzano who had ‘‘snitched to the immigration’’ about his uncle. He uses this as a warning to Catherine and to make it clear to her the consequences of telling anyone about the illegal entry of Beatrice’s cousins.

They should also involve ‘universal truths’ so that people can relate to the play with real life. This play teaches many universal truths such as how to love, natural and constitutional law and the community. There is also a ‘unity of time and place’ which is a device used so that it is easier for the audience to understand the action and so that they can focus on the morals taught by the play.

Miller has carefully set up the tragic hero’s role in this play, in a way so that he matches the description of Aristotle’s tragedy characteristics. The protagonist isn’t famous or rich, but he is seen to have the potential to become great. He also has a ‘fall’, which in this case is his death and is caused by a flaw or an error of judgement that is also occurs here. The fall also inspires pity and terror in the audience and in the process teaches them. The other characters are also affected by this fall but in the end there is a restoration of order.

In this play, Alfieri has identified Eddie Carbone, a longshoreman who lives in Red Hook, as the hero in this play. Eddie is a very straightforward and

hard-working man who ‘‘worked on the piers when there was work, he brought home his pay, and he lived’’. He is seen as a dominant figure in the Carbone household and I respected by his wife Beatrice and daughter-like niece Catherine. He is also very generous and feels that ‘it is an honour’ to keep the Italian cousins of Beatrice at their house.

However he is repressed and hides his feelings. This can be noticed by the stage direction – ‘‘is please and therefore shy about it’’ which appears after Catherine greets him. This gives an insight into their relationship and suggests that a hidden emotion is involved. He is also extremely over protective of his niece and this in the process leads to squabbles with Beatrice and creates problems in their sexual relationship that has broken down. His reason for his possessive nature is a vow he gave Catherine’s mother on her deathbed to take care of her, but Beatrice is aware of the real and disturbing reason of his behaviour.

This extreme love for Catherine expressed by Eddie is didactic as it teaches us that love, if used in a level above the limit can lead to conflict.

Alfieri respects Eddie and describes him as ‘‘as good a man he had to be in life that was hard and even’’. This also suggests that Eddie is very dedicated to his work and works hard to make ends meet. The above dialogue suggests that Eddie wasn’t a famous figure, but had the potential to be distinguished amongst the domestic crowd of Red Hook. He is very manipulative ...

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This extreme love for Catherine expressed by Eddie is didactic as it teaches us that love, if used in a level above the limit can lead to conflict.

Catherine, Eddie’s niece is a maturing young woman, who is longing for independence but at the same time determined to show gratitude for Eddie. But he fears losing her and instead of being pleased of her growing, is worried about her emerging womanhood. She knows Eddie well and is aware of his possessiveness, which can be seen when she tries to ‘‘[joke him out of his warning]’’.

Beatrice is a strong women and she holds the household together by neutralising Eddie’s mistakes. She is angered when Eddie disapproves of Catherine working despite the fact that she was chosen for this job because she was the ‘‘best in her class’’ and despite he fact that she is happy. He is very selfish and doesn’t think about his niece’s happiness, which triggers off an argument that sees a switch in character, as Beatrice suddenly is the dominant figure. She explains to Eddie ‘‘[with sympathy but insistent force]’’ that Catherine has grown up now and ‘‘she no baby no more’’. This in the process leads to Eddie feeling insecure and his relationship with Beatrice deteriorating, who longs to ‘be a woman again’.

Beatrice’s excitement suppresses as her cousins from Italy, Marco and Rodolfo finally arrive. She warmly welcomes them and immediately tries to make them feel at home. Eddie and Beatrice are very hospitable and seem very pleased to welcome the visitors- ‘‘You’re welcome Marco, we got plenty of room here’’, who are both different in their own ways. Marco is a mature young man, who is responsible and concerned about work and his family of three children and wife who he terribly misses. Rodolfo on the other hand is younger and less mature than Marco. He is carefree and is looking forward to being a typical American that can be noticed when he says ‘‘when I am rich, I will buy a motorcycle.’’ He is blonde and is fairer than brother Marco.

Everything seems fine until Eddie’s attitude takes a twist for the bad, when he notices that Catherine is clearly attracted to Rodolfo and is very interested in him. This totally changes Eddie as he feels very insecure now and fears that his ‘‘Madonna’’ will leave him. So he once again begins to use manipulative behaviour and he first tries to lure Catherine away from the handsome Italian by repeatedly asking her to check the coffee – ‘‘How’s the coffee doin’?’’. In the process he distracts Catherine, which also links to an earlier incident where he put down his friend Louis in order to create a bad impression on Catherine so that she leaves him.

But he still can’t hold in his feelings and now uses rudeness to express his anger. His impoliteness is expressed when he asks Marco ‘‘you gonna stay here in this country or you wanna go back?’’ This also suggests that his manhood and his dominant status in the household is under threat by the male visitors, which again leads to his manipulative behaviour.

This time Eddie uses the emotional image of his children to remind him of home. Then, when Beatrice asks Marco gently about his future plans of living in America, Eddie interferes and says ‘‘She don’t mean the house, she means in the country’’. He then embarrasses Rodolfo and refers to him as a ‘‘kid’’ when he shows his singing talents. He is ‘‘[flushing]’’ with anger, and he tries to control his rage and hide his feelings by giving a false smile. He then embarrasses Catherine when she is wearing high-heels and refers to her as ‘‘Garbo’’ and asks her to change. Notice that he humiliates them in front of each other so that he can discourage both of them and put them down in front of each other. These gestures symbolise how paranoid Eddie is feeling with the visitors around and his fear of losing Catherine and his position.

Beatrice now can no longer bear the threat that her sexual relationship is facing and when alone with Eddie two weeks after the arrival of her cousins Marco and Rodolfo, she reveals her problem to Eddie. He wants to know when she will ‘‘be a wife again’’. Eddie tries to back off and avoid her, which can be seen by the subtext- ‘‘[He can’t speak then]’’. His excuse is that the visitors have disturbed him, but the truth still is that their sexual bond hasn’t been active for three months while Beatrice’s cousins have just been around for two weeks. He reasons with Beatrice that his concerns for Catherine and her future with Rodolfo has been eating him away and he is very worried about her. But Beatrice is aware of the real thing that is disturbing Eddie and was also troubling her a lot. The truth was that Eddie was incestuous,

he was attracted to Catherine and since the arrival of Rodolfo, Catherine hasn’t been spending any time with him.

Catherine also plays some part in this unusual fling that Eddie had for his niece. Eddie has yet another argument with Catherine after she and the blonde Italian return from a film. Eddie undermines Rodolfo and privately reveals to Catherine what he felt about him. In order to totally discourage his niece, he uses the way of dishonesty as he tells Catherine that Rodolfo was just ‘‘bowin’ to his passport’’, that is he just wished to gain citizenship in America. But when Catherine replies that denies any such plans for Rodolfo and reveals that he loves her, Eddie is terrified. This fear can be noticed by the subtext ‘‘[with deep alarm]’’.

Then they enter the apartment where Beatrice is. She looks at Eddie right in the eye, who responds with ‘‘an awkward gesture of eroded command’’. This suggests Eddie’s vulnerability because of his love for Catherine and his dishonesty. When Eddie again claims that Rodolfo isn’t good for Catherine, Beatrice suddenly with ‘‘[open fright and fury]’’ asks Eddie to leave Catherine alone. She does this because she fears that Eddie might reveal his secret love for Catherine. Eddie, ‘‘[striving to retain his dignity]’’, leaves with guilt. Beatrice then explains to Catherine that she is ‘‘not a baby anymore’’ and that she can’t act the way she does. They have an argument between themselves where Beatrice points out the mistakes that Catherine is making and Catherine in turn making excuses for them. For instance, Beatrice points out that Catherine ‘‘still walks out in front of him in her slip’’. Catherine responds by saying that she ‘‘forgot’’.

This dishonesty of Catherine comes to an end, and she is ‘‘[strangely moved at the prospect]’’ of turning into a woman now. Beatrice though almost reveals her immense jealousy of Eddie putting his niece before his wife, which astonishes Catherine. But Beatrice quickly denies this with a ‘quiet sad laugh’’.

Eddie, now sick of Rodolfo, goes for legal help to lawyer and family friend Alfieri. Tension builds up when Alfieri, as the hours, says that ‘‘his (Eddie’s) eyes were like tunnels; my first thought was that he had committed a crime.’’ This acts as a precursor and was a clue/signal for the coming events. Eddie explained the situation to Alfieri, but to his anger, the lawyer revealed that there was ‘‘nothing illegal about a girl falling in love with an immigrant.’’ But Eddie persists and tries to lure Alfieri into going against Rodolfo by discouraging him. This time his narrow-minded nature is revealed as he tells Alfieri that he feels that the Italian ‘‘ain’t right’’ and is ‘‘platinum’’. His claim of the innocent Rodolfo matches the sudden nervousness and agitation that takes him over, this can be seen by the subtext ‘‘[shifts to another position in the chair]’’. His support for this totally wild claim was the fact that he sings and that he ‘‘hits a note’’. But Alfieri verifies this and assures Eddie that is it just a ‘‘tenor’’. He then says that Rodolfo’s female side could also be seen when he made a new dress from an old small one for Catherine.

But now Alfieri explains totally to Eddie that there was absolutely no law that punished a guy who ‘‘isn’t right’’ to marry a girl and that the only thing related to the legal law here was the fact that they were immigrants. But of course Eddie wouldn’t have liked to go into that aspect, as he too was involved in the illegal entrance of Beatrice’s cousins. Alfieri then explains seriously to Eddie that, when ‘‘there’s too much’’ love for someone, ‘‘it goes where it mustn’t.’’ He understands that Eddie has worked had all his life, but now he had ought to ‘‘wish her luck, and let her go’’, as there was nothing else he could do.

Eddie feels helpless now, and can no longer hold in his feelings. He feels that he has been set-up, which can be seen by the dialogue and says that he is a ‘‘patsy’’. He tells Alfieri that he had worked so hard all his life because he had made a promise. His true feelings come out now and he refers to Rodolfo as a ‘‘son of a bitch punk’’, which is a true image of his immense anger. He says that despite helping Rodolfo and giving him a place to live and

assurance, the Italian acted like a ‘‘goddam thief’’ and put his ‘‘filthy hand on her (Catherine)’’. Then Alfieri asks Eddie that she couldn’t possibly marry him, to which Eddie ‘‘furiously’’ replies that he wasn’t talking sense. The truth though is that he can’t admit his secret love for his niece and so he leaves.

We then get another taste of the dramatic tension in this play, when the narrator Alfieri, gives a speech in which he says that he ‘‘could have finished the whole story that afternoon.’’ He knew what was too happen and he was yet so ‘‘powerless to stop it.’’ This is again an Aristotelian element as here a sense of inevitability is created. All he could do is pray for Eddie and hope that the unthinkable wouldn’t occur.

Eddie now, unable to prevent the inevitable marriage of Rodolfo and Catherine, changes his attitude towards Rodolfo. He begins to release all of his contained anger on the innocent Italian. When Rodolfo tries to take part in a conversation between Marco and Eddie, a mere comment of ‘‘Lemons are green’’ leads to Eddie over-reacting irrationally. He ‘‘[resents his (Rodolfo) reaction]’’, and Beatrice yet again ‘‘[diverts their attention]’’ from the hot-headed Eddie and acts as a neutraliser. Eddie then makes a deliberate comment to make Marco feel home sick and which intensifies the action. He tries to disguise his comment that suggested the betrayal of Marco’s wife by ‘‘[laughing]’’ which is also manipulative as he makes it seem like a joke. Once again Rodolfo comments on the strictness in Italy, which agitates Eddie- ‘‘[rises, paces up and down]’’. Eddie indirectly tries to send a message to Rodolfo to lay his hands of his niece, which he does by the dialogue ‘‘they think just because a girl don’t go around with a shawl over her head that she ain’t strict’’.

But Rodolfo expresses his respect for Eddie, who in turn explains sternly that he too is strict. Marco asks Rodolfo to be home early in the future, but Beatrice is aware of Eddie’s intention and she supports Rodolfo. She tells Eddie that he had come late only because the movie had ended late and asks Eddie to ‘‘be an uncle’’ and not a father. Eddie again refers to Rodolfo as a kid, which suggests his disrespect and suggests that if Rodolfo is here for work then he should just work, and not ‘‘fool around’’. He again manipulates Marco by reminding him of his family by saying ‘‘you was both comin’ to make a livin’ for your family.’’ Eddie is aware that Rodolfo will listen to his brother.

Catherine then invites Rodolfo for a dance, who after some hesitation due to his respect for Eddie agrees. Eddie helplessly looks on and comments from his rocker. He is very isolated, but still begins to converse with Marco about life in Italy. Now Eddie uses another way to get at Rodolfo, this time he criticises his feminine features. His narrow-minded nature is emphasised when he says ‘‘if I could sing, if I could make dresses, I wouldn’t be on the water front.’’ He tries to suggest that Rodolfo is not a man and deliberately says it in front of Catherine to discourage her. His anger is expressed as he gradually rips his newspaper, which also symbolises how his family is ripping apart.

Then Eddie wishes to further test his manly hood and embarrass Rodolfo in front of Catherine by teaching him how to box, and in the process getting to hurt Rodolfo as well. Rodolfo is unfamiliar with the art and because of his respect for Eddie he doesn’t want to hi him. But Eddie insists and Rodolfo steadily learns and throws a few jabs at Eddie. He even grazes Eddie, when Eddie, as unfair as a person can be, throws a blow at Rodolfo which ‘‘[mildly staggers]’’ him. Catherine rushes to Rodolfo to help him and Marco, sensing that something wasn’t right rises.

Marco creates immense tension at he end of Act One as the simple task of lifting a chair is used as a disguise for a warning. He comes ‘‘[face to face]’’ with Eddie and indirectly warns him to keep his hands off Rodolfo and also suggests the level that the flaw between the two has reached. Evidence for this is the symbolic use of the chair as a ‘‘weapon over Eddie’s head’’. ‘‘[Eddie’s grin vanishes]’’’ as Marco filled with a sense ‘‘of triumph’’ from a ‘‘glare of warning’’. This also adds to the catharsis and tension as Marco reveals to the audience his strength and that he will not let Eddie rule over him and is brother. It also gives a negative precursor for coming events, as it seems that he basis for a clash between Eddie and Marco is building up.

Act Two begins with yet another briefing by narrator Alfieri, who comes in just after a climatic moment in the play. He brings up two of the main themes, which are natural law and poverty, when he talks about how the dockworkers stole whisky, as they couldn’t afford it. We are taken to the Carbone household just before Christmas where Catherine and Rodolfo discuss their future. Catherine I looking forward to marrying Rodolfo and being an Italian, but he has other plan of settling in America. He considers Italy as a very difficult place to be, poverty stricken and people suffering due to job shortages. But she is more attracted by the beauty of the country, and when she asks Rodolfo what he would do if he had to move to Italy. Rodolfo cunningly responds by asking her whether this was her query of Eddie’s, this shows that his resentment for Eddie is increasing and that he is perceptive. His honesty is highlighted during this section and they get closer to each other.

This closeness ends in the virgin Catherine and Rodolfo enhancing their love-filled relationship in privacy. A drunk and unsteady Eddie enters shortly, and when he sees the pair entering from the room, his depressing mood converts into anger. Eddie begins to pour all his frustration on a blameless Rodolfo. His disbelief of their closeness is emphasised when Eddie’s ‘‘[arm jerks slightly in shock]’’ and he tells Rodolfo to pack up and get out. The trembling Catherine begins to leave too, but Eddie stops her. Catherine this time isn’t willing to take orders from Eddie, and she ‘‘frees her arm’’ from him and with deep sorrow explains that she can’t live here with such behaviour from her uncle. An evidence of her maturing pops up when she says that ‘‘I’m not gonna be a baby no more!’’ But Eddie can no longer resist and he disgracefully and disgustingly grabs Catherine and kisses her on the mouth. This aggravates Rodolfo, who ‘‘flies at him in attack’’, but the immense power of Eddie takes him over as well and he too receives a kiss from Eddie. This symbolises that Eddie treats Rodolfo like a woman, which emphasises his small-minded thoughts and his power.

The sobbing Catherine frees Rodolfo by ‘‘[tearing at his Eddie’s face]’’ while he ‘‘[laughs mockingly]’’ at the Italian. Eddie points out his power to Catherine and warns the pair to watch their step. He tries to make himself look good by saying that he didn’t tell the police about the illegal entrance, but the truth is that he too would have been arrested because of his equal involvement. He then leaves and focus is on Alfieri again.

Eddie visits the lawyer again this time to get advice from Alfieri, and he again insists that Rodolfo wasn’t a regular man because he ‘‘didn’t give him the right kind of fight’’. He admits to Alfieri that his purpose of all this violence was to prove to Catherine that Rodolfo isn’t the man for her, despite the fact that she is fully prepared to live the rest of her life with him. Alfieri after hearing this gives his ‘‘last word’’ to Eddie; his final advice is that Eddie had no rights either ‘‘legally or morally’’ to stop them. Now with a tougher tone, Alfieri points out clearly to Eddie that he should just let her go and that no law can o anything in this case. He points out the consequences to Eddie, which are the betrayal of community, and that even ‘‘those who understand you will turn against you.’’

Now Miller shows a clever use of stagecraft as the phone-box lights up. This is a clear representation of his mind and is suggesting that he is indeed going to use the last and only way left of getting rid of Rodolfo, reporting their illegal entrance. He performs this act of betrayal and returns back home, where Beatrice is taking down the Christmas decorations. It seems that the Italians have moved up to Mrs Dondero’s place, but Eddie is still not happy. He still feels that he hasn’t got is ‘‘respect’’ back, and he removes his disturbance on Beatrice. He says that he dislikes the way that she has been nagging him about the conversations she is creating of what he ‘‘feels like doing’’ in bed and what not. This of

course isn’t true, and when Beatrice denies such actions Eddie starts to make himself look innocent again by reminding her of the hard work he did for Catherine’s education and that he is right to feel weird things about Rodolfo.

But when Beatrice reveals to Eddie that it was just a matter of days before Catherine and Rodolfo were to be married, he is stunned. Beatrice explains that they have hurried it because Catherine is worried about him being arrested and so that he can become a citizen straight away. Eddie feels extremely uneasy and restless now and his moving about suggests this. Beatrice tells her husband to now just wish good for her, and to make sure that her new life begins on a happy note. Eddie breaks up into tears, and begins to leave for a walk when Catherine enters. She also notifies her uncle of the wedding and asks him to be there. Eddie responds with yet another piece of manipulative language and absolute twaddle, as he wishes Catherine luck and just lets her now that she could have always looked more but he still ‘‘wanted the best for her’’. But Catherine is absolutely certain and confident with her decision, and Eddie’s last minute attempts are in vain as she isn’t willing to change her mind.

Catherine leaves for Mrs Dondero’s place, but to Eddie’s surprise there are two more boarders along with Rodolfo and Marco. It seems like Lipari, who is the local butcher; his nephew and another person have come from Bari. This worries Eddie and he gets shaken up, anger takes him over and he asks Beatrice that why was it so necessary to board them here rather than some other place. Dramatic irony builds up suspense as Eddie’s cowardness is highlighted when he says that the police could be tracking the pair, and in the process Marco and Rodolfo can be arrested. The audience are aware that his fear is actually that he new pair from Bari will get behind bars and he asks Catherine to immediately get them out.

But it was too late, and two officers arrive at the door. Eddie attempts to act as if he hadn’t reported anything and denies they’re being anyone in the house. Beatrice ‘‘[turns her head away]’’ and Eddie again tries to act as if he has nothing to do with the arrival of the police and he furiously steps up to her and asks her why she is acting that way. The officers progress upstairs, and now Beatrice can see the ‘‘[terror]’’ in Eddie. She herself is ‘‘[weakened with fear]’’ and she asks Eddie ‘‘what did you do?’’

She is fully aware of his involvement, but he still denies and now the officers arrive with the four immigrants. Catherine tries to state their innocence, and Beatrice joins her, but now it is too late. The officer assures them that if found innocent, all four will return home, and during all of this, Marco breaks from the group. He dashes into the room and expresses his disgust, disrespect and hatred for Eddie by pitting on hi face.

Catherine spends her last moments sobbing with Rodolfo while Eddie flings himself at Marco. They are separated, but Eddie is still full of rage and he threatens Marco to kill him. All of this action attracts the community outside and they see Eddie asking for an apology, Catherine pleading Rodolfo’s innocence and Marco pointing at Eddie accusingly saying ‘‘He killed my children! That one stole food from my children!’’

Alfieri’s words come to life, as Eddie’s friends and the rest of the community, one by one back off from him and leave him isolated. Eddie still claim that they should be thankful as he ‘‘kept them as my own brothers’’ for six months to Lipari, who leaves with his wife. He calls to his friends Louis and Mike, but they too depart without even looking at him. Eddie is left all alone with Beatrice and Catherine.

Alfieri and Catherine visit Marco and Rodolfo at the prison, where they discus the situation and how to act now. Marco says that Eddie ‘‘would be dead now’’ in Italy, which is a true example of the strong use of natural law in Italy and the firm community bonds. But both Alfieri and Rodolfo ask him to vow that he would not lay a hand on Eddie, let alone killing him. It seems definite that Rodolfo will be free from the law after marrying Catherine, as then

he will be an American. But Marco is still angered and claims that Eddie ‘‘degraded his brother, robbed my children and mocks my work’’. He still wishes to use natural law, but he is again reminded by Alfieri of his promise of not too touch Eddie. Alfieri and Catherine leave shortly and Catherine rushes to get Beatrice for her wedding.

Meanwhile Beatrice is ready for her niece’s wedding and she leaves for the church, but before she leaves Eddie warns her that if she would attend Catherine’s wedding then she would have no place in the house. Beatrice asks him what he wants, and Eddie is still demanding his respect back. Catherine enters calling for Beatrice, who begin to exit the house when Eddie explains to her as though he were hurt that Marco would have o come home and apologize to him or no one would attend the wedding. Now Catherine switches her mood and it looked as though she was releasing years of hidden anger and frustration on her uncle. She tells Eddie off that he has no rights to ‘‘tell nobody nothing’’ for the rest of his life and called him a ‘‘rat’’ who belongs in the sewer. She stated that he ‘‘poisons decent people’’ in reference to Marco and Rodolfo and she said that ‘‘in the garbage he belongs.’’ It seems that in a few seconds all of Catherine’s respect and love for Eddie has disappeared, and he too is raged and begins to lift he table and fling it at her. But Beatrice stops him and yet again neutralises the action, and just then Rodolfo enters.

Rodolfo again faces Eddie’s angry side, which asks him to get out of his house. But Rodolfo has nothing to do with him and is more concerned of the arrival of Marco, which could lead to sparks flying between his brother and Eddie. He calls out to Catherine to leave now, while Beatrice suggests to Eddie to leave the house and go somewhere else. But Eddie refuses to move as this was his house, and now Beatrice is totally fed up with his behaviour and asks him that why he hates Marco now. Eddie refers to the time when Marco called him a rat and claimed that he had killed his children, which he says caused such hatred. Now Rodolfo tries to make things better by apologizing from his brother’s behalf and he takes all the troubles and brings up the comradeship. But Eddie still sticks with his claim that Marco stole his name and asks Rodolfo to tell him to give it back in front of the whole neighbourhood. Eddie feels that this explanation isn’t enough, now Beatrice can no longer hold the truth. She knows what Eddie wants, and in front of everyone and the arriving Marco, she says ‘‘you can never have her.’’

Beatrice asks Eddie to bid farewell to his niece forever, and that ‘‘truth is not as bad as blood.’’ Catherine is shocked, Eddie I horrified and ‘‘[clenching his fists]’’ he denies having such thoughts and asks Beatrice what made her think like that. Marco now calls out for Eddie and Eddie’s attention is diverted as he steps out of the apartment to challenge Marco. Rodolfo pleads them to stop and tells Eddie that he would be killing a whole family. But nothing can stop Eddie now and he has a murderous look and with a bit of fake laugher puts forward things that they have done wrong. He says that he knows that Marco feels that what h did wasn’t right and should apologize for taking his name away and accusing him for killing his children despite the fact that he put his roof over them and food in their mouths. He further provokes Marco by repeatedly calling him a liar and then they get physical as Eddie lunges at Marco. Marco strikes him in the neck and calls him a animal.

Eddie goes down and when it seems Marco has full control of the situation, Eddie brings out a knife. Louis tries to stop Eddie, but Eddie is totally out of control and he lunges with his knife at Marco, who with a final cry of ‘‘Anima-a-a-l!’’ grabs his arm and presses the blade into Eddie. Mike and Louis separate the pair, but time has run out for Eddie whose words to Beatrice were his last ever. Beatrice covers Eddie while people around are praying, lights shine on Alfieri who is in the crowd.

So as the play has progressed, this dominant and generous hero of the play is made to seem like a selfish and rude villain, who’s immense love, narrow minded nature and feelings of insecurity have led to him falling into his own trap of death.

I do indeed think that Eddie was responsible for his own death, and it was bound to happen as soon as he had made the phone call which in my view was the hubris, the point of no return. But just like Alfieri, the audience does tend to feel sorry for this hard-working man, who despite having displayed his generosity, his life had to end in this manner. His selfishness and his flaw, which was his immense love, ate him up, and he was always very stubborn to his decisions and never took advice from either Alfieri or Beatrice.

His deterioration was clear and could be monitored as he first felt honoured to welcome the Italian brothers, then when they he entered he asked them when they would leave and towards the end asked them to get out of their house. When Alfieri says at the end of the play, ‘‘And yet it is better to settle for half’’, he is trying to send a message that despite the fact that Eddie displayed honest emotions through out, he still never compromised with everyone because of his narrow-minded beliefs and that eventually cost him his life.