In this part of the coursework I will be forwarding arguments that support the view that Eddie Carbone caused his own fate.
Eddie was a very loving family man and was more like a father to Catherine when her mother passed away. At the beginning of the play both Catherine and himself seemed to be flirtatious towards each other, however it was his way of being caring and loving towards her. The loving and caring Eddie seemed to disappear when Rodolpho, (the illegal immigrant from Sicily), came on the scene. Eddie’s endless, baffling jealousy of Rodolpho getting too close to Catherine caused Catherine and Eddie to grow apart and Catherine to marry Rodolpho. ‘He knows I mind, but it don’t bother him if I mind, don’t you see that?’ shows jealousy from Eddies behalf, saying that what Rodolpho does bothers Eddie because Rodolpho has got what Eddie wants, knowing that he can’t have her. With Rodolpho wanting to marry Catherine, Eddie believes it’s just because he wants to be an American citizen, which is not true. However he tells Catherine that ‘he’s only bowin’ to his passport.’ Catherine doesn’t believe him and Eddie’s jealousy lingers on.
Raising Catherine from a baby meant that Eddie became very protective over her, which any father would be. However, in this case he wasn’t her father, he was her uncle which meant that he would have to let her grow up one day, but he wouldn’t. He still saw her as a baby. He wouldn’t let her live her own life and at first he wouldn’t let her have her first job. Due to not letting her grow up, this led her to go to Rodolpho more quickly than she would have if he had let her grow up. Eddie thinks that Rodolpho is, ‘laughin’ at her and he’s laughin’ at me.’
Eddie begins to become really desperate, ‘Katie, don’t break my heart, listen to me.’ He doesn’t want her to marry Rodolpho or leave town, and because she doesn’t listen to him and says that the wedding is going ahead on the Saturday he becomes very frustrated, he says to Rodolpho, ‘Pack it up. Go ahead. Get your stuff and get outa here.’ Eddie was determined to split Catherine and Rodolpho up and prevent them from marrying. He tried to portray that Rodolpho was homosexual. He did this with comments such as, ‘And with that wacky hair; he’s like a chorus girl or sump’m.’ Rodolpho was not homosexual and really did love Catherine.
Now, I will put forward my arguments challenging the view that Eddie Carbone caused his own fate.
Eddie cares for Catherine a lot; he acts like a father to her instead of her uncle. He would do nearly anything for her, just as long as she doesn’t get hurt, ‘Katie, I promised your mother on her deathbed. I’m responsible for you.’ As I mentioned earlier, he thinks that Catherine is still is baby and can’t face her being all grown up. He thinks what ever happens he is responsible for her, but she’s 17 years old and can look after herself. Eddie is a very determined man; he is always determined to do what he believes is right.
There are several moments in the text where the audience is given clues that Eddie's love for Catherine may not be normal. For example, when Catherine lights Eddie's cigar in the living room, it is an event that gives Eddie unusual pleasure. ‘Depending on interpretation by the actors, this moment many have more or less sexual undertones.’ Eddie's great attention to his niece and impotence in his own marital relationship immediately makes this meaning clear. Although Eddie seems unable to understand his feelings for his niece until the end of the play, other characters are aware. Beatrice is the first to express this possibility in her conversation with Catherine. Alfieri also realises Eddie's feelings during his first conversation with Eddie. ‘Eddie does not comprehend his feelings until Beatrice clearly articulates his desires in the conclusion of the play,’
‘You want somethin' else, Eddie, and you can never have her!’
Eddie does not realise his feelings for Catherine because he has ‘constructed an imagined world where he can suppress his urges. This suppression is what devastates Eddie.’ Because he has no outlet for his feelings—even in his own conscious mind—Eddie transfers his energy to a hatred of Marco and Rodolpho and causes him to act completely irrationally. Eddie's final need to secure or retrieve his good name from Marco is a result of Eddie's failure to protect Catherine from Marco. Eddie fails in his life, but seeks redemption and victory in death. By avenging Marco, ‘Eddie believes he will regain his pride in the community—another wholly self-interested act. Eddie escaped restraint because he escaped all thoughts of other people or the community at large. Eddie's "wholeness" is a whole interest in himself. Eddie's tragic flaw is the bubble, the constructed world he exists within, but is unable to escape or recognise.’
I feel Eddie is ultimately to blame for his own death, but the events leading up to his demise were most certainly not helped by the other characters. For example, if Rodolpho had asked Eddie’s permission to marry Catherine, perhaps his death wouldn’t have occurred and Catherine and himself wouldn’t have grown apart the way they did.