Beginning of Act 2, A View from the Bridge, Scene Analysis
Scene Analysis
The scene I have chosen is the beginning of Act 2. It is the scene where Catherine chooses between Rodolfo and Eddie and in my opinion it is a big turning point in the play.
The first part of the scene is an intimate one between Rodolfo and Catherine. It is the first time of the play they are alone at home together and is the first time we see them being able to share their closeness with each other.
It starts off with Catherine asking Rodolfo if they can move to Italy together. However Rodolfo dismisses this as stupid idea. When Catherine does this she may be testing Rodolfo to see if he really loves her or whether he is marrying her just "for her passport" (to be an American citizen). This is one of Eddie's accusations of Rodolfo. Though when she asks him the question, he guesses that this may be an enquiry of Eddie's.
" CATHERINE: Tell me something. I mean just tell me Rodolfo - would you still want to do it if it turned out we had to go live in Italy? I mean just if it turned out that way.
RODOLFO: This is your question of his question? "
However his answer comes as a surprise to the reader where he outwardly undermines Eddie's thoughts about him, by admitting that he wants to be a citizen, but that he also loves Catherine. I think he shows this by not wanting Catherine to go to Italy as he feels it would not be good for her.
After his answer though he was very angry that Catherine could even think that he just wanted to be American.
" I want to be American so I can work, that is the only wonder - work! "
This is also a shock to the reader as earlier on in the play his dreams were slightly different.
"Me, I want to be an American. And then I want to go back to Italy when I am rich and buy a motorcycle." (Page 30)
Then he had the dreams of a youngster who basically just wanted to have a good time. Now we see the more mature side of Rodolfo, one we are more accustomed to see from Marco. Another surprising fact we find out about Rodolfo is when he says he has nearly three ...
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This is also a shock to the reader as earlier on in the play his dreams were slightly different.
"Me, I want to be an American. And then I want to go back to Italy when I am rich and buy a motorcycle." (Page 30)
Then he had the dreams of a youngster who basically just wanted to have a good time. Now we see the more mature side of Rodolfo, one we are more accustomed to see from Marco. Another surprising fact we find out about Rodolfo is when he says he has nearly three hundred dollars. It had appeared to the reader, that Rodolfo had not been saving his money. But by this piece of information the reader can draw to the conclusion that he is very serious about making a real life in America.
Their next talking point is about her relationship with Eddie. This comes back later in the play when Eddie enters, but at this moment Rodolfo gives advice to Catherine on how she can handle this situation. Catherine's predicament is that she is torn between Eddie and Rodolfo. Rodolfo seems to her to be her perfect man. The man whom she would like to spent the rest of her life with. But there is also Eddie. The man who has cared for her for much of her life, ever since her mother, Beatrice's sister died. Eddie does not think that Rodolfo is the right man for her. In fact he thinks Rodolfo is more woman than man. This is another idea of his, which he shows later on in the scene. He would like her to marry a well-off man from a good part of the city. This is like earlier on in the play, when he did not want her to take up a job at a plumbing company near the Navy Yard, even though she would have been paid handsomely.
"I don't like that neighbourhood over there." (Page 19)
He also said,
"I want you be with different kind of people. I want you to be in a nice office. Maybe a Lawyer's office someplace in New York in one of them nice buildings. I mean if you're gonna get outa here then get out; don't go practically in the same neighbourhood." (Page 19)
Catherine considers Rodolfo and Eddie as rivals over her. This maybe true in Eddie's mind but in Rodolfo's it is not. He says that he is not telling Catherine to forget about Eddie, but that she has come to the stage in her life where she must leave him.
After this Catherine and Rodolfo go into a bedroom and we assume that they made love together. I think this signals that she has made her choice between Eddie and Rodolfo, and her choice is Rodolfo.
The final part of the scene involves Eddie and this affects the rest of the play.
Eddie comes in extremely drunk, probably since he stopped work early that day because it was two days before Christmas, so he spent some time with his friends. As he was in such a state, he let his heart rule over his head, without using his judgement and assessing the situation. However Catherine and Rodolfo do not help by what they both did.
"[Catherine enters from bedroom; under his gaze she adjusts her dress]"
I think that what Catherine did here was to assert her authority on this situation. It was letting him know that she is in charge and she is not going to be treated like a baby anymore. Then Rodolfo comes out of the same bedroom. Eddie at once realises what they have done and looses his cool. He tells Rodolfo to get out straight away. But Catherine sees this as her chance to leave the house. At first she says it with doubts still in her mind.
"CATHERINE: [trembling with fright]: I think I have to get out of her, Eddie."
But Eddie cannot believe it and will not let her go. Soon Catherine is shouting at Eddie that she has to leave the house.
" Eddie, I'm not gonna be a baby no more!"
This was the last straw for Eddie and suddenly kissed Catherine on the lips. This kiss can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly that he actually loves Catherine like a woman and not as a child. That is why he does not want to admit that she is an adult now. By this kiss he could be showing his affection to Catherine. As he was drunk, his defences were down and he let his true feelings come. The second explanation could be that he is claiming her as his property. Telling Rodolfo that Catherine is his own and not Rodolfo's.
Rodolfo comes to her rescue, as any man would if his woman was being harassed like that and pulls Eddie away from Catherine. However this only diverts Eddie's attention away from Catherine and to Rodolfo. At first he mocks him then he taunts him and finally Rodolfo snaps.
"RODOLFO: I show you what I be!"
"EDDIE: Come on, show me! What're you gonna be? Show me!
RODOLFO: [with tears of rage]: Don't say that to me!"
But when Rodolfo attempts to attack Eddie he just gives him the same treatment he gave to Catherine, a woman.
This kiss is one that is aimed at humiliating Rodolfo and I think it works pretty well. Also I think Eddie did this was to show Catherine that this is the kind of man Rodolfo is, a homosexual. The way Eddie has been brought up has made him believe that just because a man is blond, sings and makes dresses, he is gay. We know that this is not the case but Eddie thinks otherwise. But if Eddie's intention was to put Catherine off Rodolfo, I do not think it worked. All it did was to make Catherine dislike Eddie and may have even strengthened her love for Rodolfo.
Even after this when Eddie tells Rodolfo to leave his house on his own, Catherine is still adamant that she will go with him.
Finally, we see that has turned a full circle on his view on immigrants. Earlier in the play he said about housing two immigrants,
"It's an honour, B. I mean it." (Page 17)
But now he is even threatening to tell the immigration about Marco and Rodolfo illegally staying in America.
In this scene Catherine clearly made up her mind between Eddie and Rodolfo and she definitely chose Rodolfo. Eddie made an absolute fool out of himself and lost all respect from Catherine. We also saw a more mature Rodolfo who I think showed he truly loves Catherine.
By Pawan Subramaniam
