Rodolfo, the ‘blonde guy’, is looked at suspiciously by Eddie, due to him courting his niece and singing strangely. Also Eddie suggests that Rodolfo is homosexual. Eddie challenges his manliness, teaching him to box rather than cook or make dresses. It is unbearable for Eddie to see him with Catherine. Eddie has powerful sexual feelings about his niece that he cannot cope with and so he represses them. A theme that runs through the play is immigration. This theme adds tension as the family is always hiding from the law and immigration officers. Superficially when Rodolfo arrives Eddie is worried that Rodolfo will be discovered by the Immigration Authorities. In reality, however, he is jealous of Catherine’s interest in Rodolfo’s singing and he seems to have all the qualities that appeal to Catherine. Catherine wants to go back to Italy with Rodolfo as his wife:
“Catherine: Suppose I wanted to live in Italy.
Rodolfo: (smiling at the incongruity) You going to marry someone rich?
Catherine: No, I mean live there - you and me.
Rodolfo: (his smile vanishing) When?
Catherine: Well … when we get married.”
The emotions that arise from talk of marriage and Italy cause tension and drama. One of the main reasons why I find this scene so dramatic is the build of all the themes throughout the play; themes of love, lust, fear and anger. There is a power struggle between Catherine’s surrogate parents, Beatrice insists on Catherine being an independent and marrying Rodolfo if she wants to, whereas Eddie is concerned and warns her that Rodolfo only wants citizenship. Catherine is desperate for Eddie and Rodolfo to get on:
“Tell him you’d live in Italy - just tell him, and maybe he would start to trust you a little, see? Because I want him to be happy; I mean - I like him, Rodolfo - and I can’t stand it!”
It of couldn’t ever been possible for Eddie and Rodolfo to get on because of Eddies repression and jealousy towards Catherine.
Throughout the play Miller explores the myth of the Oedipus complex. This is done by Eddies sexual and denied feelings towards his niece, which he cannot manage. Therefore he suppresses them leading them to finally explode and come out in this dramatic scene. The play is similar to a Greek tragedy, for example “The King” or “Oedipus Rex”. As in all tragedies the hero must die. It is a tragedy of a modern man who dies for what he mistakenly believes to be the truth and justice. The plays story line in not the most complex or unusual, however, it is made exciting. This is done not by what happened, but how it happened.
I found the build up of physical contact between Catherine and Rodolfo was one of the many factors that made this scene builds up tension as they become closer. Miller uses very descriptive stage directions to tell the actors exactly ho wit should be acted:
“(Goes to her)
(She is weeping)
(Clasping her to him)”
Catherine admits she is afraid of Eddie and does not know him anymore:
“Rodolfo: Why are you so afraid of him?
Catherine: (near tears) I don’t know! […]’cause I always dreamt that when I got married he would be happy at the wedding, and laughin’ - and now he’s - mad all the time and nasty”
This change in Eddie’s character unsettles Catherine as she realises the change in Eddie is because of her love, Rodolfo and puts her in a position of confusion, who to choose to please. This feeling is felt by a lot of teenagers and is a classic example of how Miller relates his play to the audience drawing them in. This emotion of Catherine turns into sexual desire as she asks Rodolfo to teach her as he leads her to the bedroom:
“Catherine: Teach me (She is weeping.) I don’t know anything, teach me, Rodolfo, hold me.
Rodolfo: Theirs is nobody here now. Come inside. Come. (He is leading her to the bedrooms).”
When Rodolfo is ‘leading into the bedroom’ give the audience the impression that Catherine and him are doing to have sex, this increases the tension as it totally against want Eddie wants. Eddie is then seen on the street out side the apartment, drunk, this makes Eddie uncontrollable over his emotions and feelings. This again heights the drama as in the audience you don’t know how he will react to Catherine and Rodolfo together in the bedroom. Eddie enters the apartment and Catherine “enters from the bedroom; under his gaze she adjusts her dress.” This implies to Eddie that Catherine is nervous and is trying to cover up her actions. This heightens Eddie’s feelings toward Catherine and his anger also. Eddie asks Rodolfo to leave:
“Pack it up. Go ahead. Get your stuff and get outa here. (Catherine instantly turns and walks toward the bedroom and Eddie grabs her arm.)”
The word ‘instantly’ implies that Catherine did not stop and think about who she will choose to stay with and follows her heart with Rodolfo this angers Eddie even more. Eddie tries to act as Catherine’s father as he tells her that she “ain’t goin’ nowheres.” This shows that Eddie tries to keep the responsible position whilst his emotions are uncontrollable. However, he lets them out but not in anger or aggression as the audience assume but in a confusing kiss on Catherine’s lips:
“He reaches out suddenly, draws her to him, and as she strives to free herself he kisses her on the mouth.”
As you can see from ‘strives to free herself’ this kiss was unwanted and complete shock to Catherine. Rodolfo is ready to fight with Eddie as he ‘flies at him to attack’ instead of Eddie attacking back he madly kisses Rodolfo:
“Eddie pins his arms, laughing, and suddenly kisses him.”
This was done perhaps to show Catherine that Rodolfo is homosexual. This kiss between to men would have shocked an audience in the 1950’s as homosexual feelings were not tolerated or spoken about. However, this kiss is still shocking to watch even thought nowadays audience’s have a more liberal view on homosexuality. This event is total shock to people and I feel it is more dramatic than a fight scene as it shows the inexplicable ways suppressed feelings can erupt. Feelings of unhappiness, confusion about his sexuality, jealously and love for Catherine. Eddie has been released from his state of emotional turmoil but in a very confusing and dramatic both to the characters and the audience. Miller uses dramatic dives till the very end of this scene as Eddie leaves then “The lights go down, as they rise on Alfieri” If I was directing the play I would make the lights fade out quickly to add the last bit of drama then slowly turn on to a spotlight on Alfieri as he talks.
Miller himself describes love as the main theme in the play expertly when he says “These people are very involved with love…it gets twisted, it gets corrupted and all sorts of things happen to it. But it’s there” One of the reasons as part of an audience I was so shocked by this scene was the way you understood and could relate to the characters and there actions. The theme of human emotion makes the storyline believable and understandable. The use of descriptive stage directions, dramatic storyline, believable characters, shocking outcomes and dramatic lighting makes this scene the most dramatic in my view and completely authentic.
