With all the complicated relationships already residing in Eddie’s domain, the last thing any of these three characters needed was more complications, but these arrived, in the form of Marco and Rodolpho, Beatrice’s ‘submarine ’ cousins, who were to stay for a while at the Carbone family home. It was clear to Eddie from the first second Rodolpho walked in the door that he and Catherine were mutually attracted to each other, and he tried to stop this from developing into something more serious, by making Catherine change her shoes to make her appear less attractive to Rodolpho ‘What’s the high heels for Garbo?’. When it did not work, and Catherine and Rodolpho tried to progress their relationship further, this made Eddie feel even more jealous, which in turn made Beatrice more ‘on edge ’, and the atmosphere in the household significantly worsened. In fact, from the first moment the two cousins arrive in the house, Eddie doesn’t like the ambience surrounding Catherine and Rodolpho, and Marco doesn’t like Eddie’s attitude to Rodolpho, so much so in fact that when Eddie tries to intimidate Rodolpho by boxing with him a little bit too hard to show his strength ‘did I hurt you kid? ’ Marco feels he has to show his dislike of Rodolpho’s treatment by showing Eddie that he is stronger than him, and imply that he will use his superior strength to defend Rodolpho if necessary by challenging Eddie to pick up a chair. When he cannot, Marco proves he is much stronger that Eddie by picking up the chair in question and holding it above his head ‘like a weapon ’. The fact that Catherine and Rodolpho were getting along much better than Eddie had hoped was worsened in Eddie’s mind by the way Rodolpho had a natural ability to draw attention to himself, and subsequently, Eddie. Rodolpho’s antics on the docks were soon noticed by the other longshoremen, and Eddie’s friends, ‘that blond one, he’s got a sense of humour ’, ‘he’s funny ’, ‘He comes around, everybody’s laughing ’. Eddie does not appreciate being taunted by his friends because of Rodolpho’s tendency to stand out from the crowd. It isn’t just the fact that Rodolpho stands out from the other inhabitants of Red Hook that is not appreciated, but the manner in which he stands out too. He has ‘blond ’ hair that Eddie suspects he dyes, and is a brilliant seamstress ‘he takes her old dress...makes a new dress’. Because of Rodolpho’s unusual qualities, Eddie and the other longshoremen suspect him to be ‘gay ’, or as Eddie puts it, ‘he ain’t right ’. This makes Eddie’s jealousy worse as he believes Rodolpho is only using Catherine to gain his American citizenship. He demonstrates these feelings well, when he goes to see Alfieri to see what he can do in the matter. He tells Alfieri his take on the subject, and when Alfieri points out he has no ‘recourse in the law’, he instructs that the only way Eddie could do anything would be about the way Rodolpho ‘entered the country ’. This I believe, is why Alfieri must also share a portion of the blame, for suggesting that Eddie takes his revenge on Rodolpho by using his illegal immigrant status against him. Alfieri planted the suggestion in Eddie’s mind.
Here is where I feel that the community must take part of the blame. Eddie had already renounced the law, when he told Catherine about Vinny Balzono ‘snitched.....on his own uncle ’. Eddie called Vinny ‘crazy ’, and then went on to describe what happened to Vinny because of this. ‘He had five brothers and the old father. And they grabbed him in the kitchen and pulled him down the stairs three flights his head was bouncin’ like a coconut. And they spit on him in the street, his own father and his brothers. The whole neighbourhood was crying ’. However, he felt he had to stop Catherine and Rodolpho being together. When he found out that they had slept together, he lost his temper. He told Rodolpho to ‘Get your stuff and get outta here ’. When he discovered that Catherine intended to leave with Rodolpho his rage exploded and he went to see Alfieri again. When Alfieri told him that the only thing that he could do would be to get Rodolpho deported, Eddie decided this was his only choice. Despite everything that happened to Vinny Balzono, the 14-year-old boy, and everything he said about him, Eddie informed the immigration where Marco and Rodolpho were. He then returned to the house, and realised what he had done when Catherine and Beatrice informed him that there were two ‘other guys’ meaning two other ‘submarines’ or illegal immigrants in the room upstairs with Marco and Rodolpho. Eddie started to panic, and told Catherine to get all the illegal immigrants out of the house. He blames this on the other two men in the upstairs apartment, claiming that Lipari, the American relative they were staying with, has enemies, ‘which they’d love to stab him in the back ’. Eddie starts to get worried about whom Lipari and his family might blame. It is certain that he is worried he may become the next Vinny Balzono, rejected by his own family, for one of the worst social ‘crimes’ someone living in the small Sicilianised area of Red Hook can commit. He is worried that Lipari will ‘blame you or me ’ and that he, Catherine and Beatrice will have ‘his whole family ’ after them to avenge the deportation of their relatives. He then goes on to substantiate his fear by telling Catherine ‘They got a temper that family ’.
Alas, for poor Eddie, he was too late. The immigration bureau arrived and Marco, who knew of the unspeakable tension between Eddie and Rodolpho correctly guessed that it was Eddie who had ‘snitched ’. Eddie denied that he had told the bureau about the two brothers but Marco temporarily liberated himself from the mauling hands of the two officers who were trying to bundle him into the van and spat in Eddie’s face, in front of the whole neighbourhood. Eddie pounced at Marco, and Eddie, who couldn’t look guilty in front of the neighbourhood, for fear of following in Vinny’s footsteps, (only worse for he does not have the excuse of being young and inexperienced to partly excuse his actions), had to retaliate. He threatened Marco, but this was not enough to desuade Marco from accusing Eddie again, as he already knew he did not need to be afraid of him as he was stronger than Eddie. Lipari and his wife watched this public display with interest. Marco, Rodolpho and the other two men were taken away, leaving Eddie screaming ‘I’ll kill him ’, in his wake.
Now Alfieri comes into the storyline to accept another part of the blame for Eddie’s death, when, with full knowledge of what would happen if he released Marco, Alfieri accepts a rather unconvincing promise that there will be no retribution from Marco and releases him back into the community. It is here that all the previous events lead up to as Marco and Eddie have their final showdown. In the final scene, it is clear that although the community must take part of the blame, Eddie must take the ‘lion’s share’. First, he confronts Beatrice, and creates another situation with her by telling her she can’t go to Catherine and Rodolpho’s wedding, ‘You walk out that door to that wedding you ain’t comin’ back here Beatrice ’. Ironically, it is Eddie’s fault the wedding must take place so soon anyway, for if he had not phoned the immigration, Rodolpho would not be getting threatened with deportation, and he would not have to marry Catherine to stay in the country. Eddie’s refusal to let Beatrice attend her nieces wedding creates yet another situation between Eddie and Catherine, for Catherine believes Eddie did make the telephone call to the bureau, ‘ He’s a rat! He belongs in the sewer! ’ This is both the community and Eddie’s fault, as Catherine has been raised to think people who ‘grass’, on others, especially their own family’s are disgusting. It is also the fault of the community that when Rodolpho comes into the house to warn Eddie and apologise to him ‘I wish to apologise ’, Eddie could not accept the apology and leave town so that he and Marco did not have to fight. He has to save his honour his ‘name ’ in the community. Without Marco admitting he was wrong, Eddie will become the next Vinny Balzono and be ‘spit on ’ by the rest of the community even if Beatrice still stands by him. It is the fault of the community and Eddie’s pride that Eddie walks outside to face his adversary, in front of the whole community of Red Hook.
Eddie tries to convince the onlookers that he did not ‘snitch ’, as he shouts ‘Come on Marco, tell them what a liar you are! Come on liar, you know what you done! ’. Also, I think that he is trying to convince himself, almost like if he makes other people believe it, then he will believe it too. Marco however, is unrelenting in his pursuit of the truth. Eddie lunges at Marco, who beats Eddie to the ground and when Eddie pulls out a knife Marco turns the blade inward and Eddie is killed, with his own knife, and dies in his wife’s arms, calling her name to the wind.
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 date Catherine or if Beatrice had been more understanding about his jealousy of Rodolpho this tragic loss of life might never have happened. Even if Alfieri had not planted the seed of suggestion in Eddie’s mind or Marco had not publicly accused Eddie like that, things could have turned out very differently.
In the final scene, I feel that Arthur Miller has built up the tension between the characters magnificently. For example, the way he first builds up tension between Eddie and Beatrice, by using stage directions to show how Beatrice tells Eddie, she is going to the wedding with ‘fear ’, and how Catherine upon hearing this ‘suddenly ’ turns on Eddie giving him a piece of her mind. The best way Miller uses stage directions to build up the tension between these three characters before Rodolpho arrives is when he uses them to show how Eddie looks after Catherine’s outburst, ‘ Eddie seems about to pick up the table and fling it at her ’. This leaves us in no doubt as to how Eddie is feeling. Also in this part of the scene, the way Beatrice defends Eddie and tells Catherine ‘go to your wedding Katie, I’ll stay home ’ shows us that Beatrice doesn’t care what anybody else says, she loves Eddie and wants to be with him. This particular phrase becomes especially memorable after Eddie dies in her arms, as it shows all she wanted was to stay with Eddie regardless of what anybody else thinks.
Then Rodolpho enters the room, and immediately the tension is built up even more as Eddie shouts ‘Get outta here! ’. When Rodolpho tells Eddie that Marco is coming, there is a ‘ pause ’ and just to show Beatrice’s fear for Eddie’s life, Miller uses a stage direction to show her ‘raising her hands in terror ’. Then when Rodolpho tells Eddie that Marco is ‘praying ’ (showing that he feels he is about to do something terrible and is asking God’s forgiveness in advance) we are given another ‘ pause ’ in which to fully consider the implications of what Rodolpho has just said. Then Rodolpho shows he himself knows something bad is about to happen by wanting Catherine to leave with him, ‘ I think it is better we go ’. Catherine too shows she feels the same by asking Eddie to leave Red Hook. Beatrice then ‘ quietly ’ asks him to ‘ go someplace. Come you and me ’ this is showing us how frightened Beatrice and the others have become both for Eddie’s, and Marco’s life but they are unable to persuade Eddie and another stage direction tells us that Eddie is resolute in his decision not to go anywhere, ‘ he has not moved ’. He confirms this by using speech to illustrate his resolve ‘ Where am I goin’? This is my house ’. Then Beatrice ‘ cries out ’, ‘ He’s crazy now ’, showing that she knows Eddie is as obstinate as a mule and has made up his mind, that he is not going anywhere. She then points out how pointless this feud is by remarking on how Eddie ‘ always liked Marco! ’ At this point we are reminded how Marco made Eddie ‘ lose face ’ in front of the whole community. Then Miller shows us how desperate Rodolpho is to stop the confrontation by having him step up to Eddie, ‘ suddenly ’ to apologise. He then goes on to show how Eddie’s stubborn pride prevents him from accepting Rodolpho’s apology by having Eddie ‘ snap away ’ his hand when Rodolpho reaches over to shake it. Rodolpho, not deterred by this goes on to suggest that they tell Marco that ‘ they are comrades now, then maybe he will not.. ’ but Eddie interrupts him and Catherine screams ‘ give him a chance ’ but Eddie does not listen and tells Rodolpho that he wants Marco to admit he is wrong in front of the whole neighbourhood or he and Marco will ‘ have it out ’. Then the tension is built up even higher as when Eddie tries to leave the house to confront Marco, Beatrice ‘ bars ’ his way to the stairs and confronts Eddie about his feelings for Catherine, ‘ You want somethin’ else Eddie and you can never have her! ’ In response to Beatrice’s accusation Catherine exclaims ‘ B ’ in ‘ horror ’ and disbelief and Eddie appears to be ‘shocked ’ and ‘ horrified ’ as his fists are ‘ clenching ’, perhaps in disbelief or perhaps because he realises his secret is out. At this point Marco ‘ appears outside and walks toward the door ’ and Beatrice, ‘ cryin’ out and weeping ’ pleads with Eddie to just let Catherine go, ‘ tell her goodbye forever! ’. Then Eddie cries out ‘ in agony ’ and denies Beatrice’s allegation as ‘ his fists clench his head as though it will burst ’and he cries out ‘ that’s what you think of me-that I would have such a thoughts? ’. Just as Eddie is feeling upset and disgusted with both Beatrice and himself, Marco reaches the street outside and calls Eddie’s name.
At this point Miller shows us the additional pressure the community is putting on Eddie and Marco by having ‘people appear outside ’ around Marco. Eddie puts on a show for the community, as he speaks ‘ flinging his challenge ’ back to Marco. Then the pressure is shown again when Eddie speaks again as Eddie ‘ gradually comes to address the people ’. Once more the stress and strain the community is causing Eddie is illustrated well when Eddie speaks to the crowd, and says, ‘ Maybe he come to apologise (Marco)....For what you said about me in front of the whole neighbourhood? ’. This more than anything shows how Eddie feels he cannot back down to Marco or, by his own beliefs, he would have to suffer the wrath of the community. Miller then uses the particularly effective adjective of ‘ murderous ’ to describe Eddie’s eyes at this point as it shows us exactly what Eddie is thinking as he calls Marco a ‘ liar ’ once more and
‘ lunges ’ for him. A ‘ hushed shout ’ arises from the crowd, Marco calls Eddie an
‘ animal ’ and Eddie ‘ springs ’ a knife on Marco. Eddie lunges again and Marco, ‘ grabs his arm ’ and ‘ turning the blade inward and pressing it home ’, he accidentally kills Eddie, who then ‘ falls to his knees before Marco ’. Then Beatrice and Catherine hold him up ‘ calling his name again and again ’ before Eddie dies in Beatrice’s arms.
The words and phrases Miller has chosen, describe the tension between the characters so well, that you do not merely see, but you feel the atmosphere Miller is trying to create. The stage directions and dialogue are used excellently tp leave us in no doubt as to what the characters are actually feeling. The stage directions were useful, as they were able to give us the important bits of information we needed to see, that speech could not.
Upon examination, I feel that although the other characters do play a part in Eddie’s premature death, the blame must lie mostly with Eddie himself. The community does, in my opinion, play the second largest part, by putting so much pressure on the individuals that live within it, not to involve the law in its affairs, (mostly because of the way the American law had treated the Italians when they first arrived in America), and especially not to ‘ snitch ’ on your own family. Their homesickness for Italy resulted in the community supporting others when they came into the country, and the most pressure put on people was not to inform the immigration bureau of any illegal immigrants that may be staying in their community. The penalties for this offence we have already seen, when a 14-year-old boy, (Vinny Bolzano), was thrown down three flights of stairs by his own father and brothers, disowned by his family and spat on in the street. Eddie himself called Vinny ‘ crazy ’ and remarked on how after doing something like that a man couldn’t ‘ show his face ’ again in the community of Red Hook. It is Eddie’s belief in this way of life, this community justice that ultimately destroys him. It is because of his opinions about the law, and what should happen to people who ‘ snitch ’ that Eddie could not back down to Marco, especially in front of the whole neighbourhood. Eddie’s death is the fault of the community for instilling these beliefs into Eddie, but the actual blame has to lie with the late Mr. Eduardo Carbone for taking the unwritten laws of the community so seriously, that he would rather die, than admit to breaking them.
