During this scene Eddie attempts to teach Rodolfo to box. At this point the atmosphere begins to change, tension starts to rise and the audience learns that Eddie is trying to release some of his anger. Marco begins to realize that Eddie hates Rodolfo and is trying to hurt him, not teach him to box. As they continue to box Beatrice gets the impression that they are doing it purely for fun, “she senses only the comradeship” When Eddie finally lands a punch that hurts Rodolfo they decide to stop boxing. Marco begins to understand Eddie’s mentality and does not like the way he is treating Rodolfo. He decides to defend his younger brother. He “takes a chair, places it in front of Eddie and looks down at it.” He then says to Eddie “Can you lift this chair?” Eddie kneels and with a strain slowly grasps the leg of the chair. He raises the chair one inch but it leans over to the floor. Failing to lift the chair Eddie tries again and again but still fails. Marco then takes the chair from Eddie’s reach and raises it high enough until it is above Eddie’s head. Marco is then “face to face with Eddie, a strained tension gripping his eyes and jaw, his neck stiff and the chair raised like a weapon over Eddie’s head.”
This scene has a very dramatic effect on the audience because it shows them that Marco is the one who has the power. Although it may seem like Marco and Rodolfo are guests at Eddie’s home this scene shows the audience that Eddie is slightly frightened by Marco’s presence. Marco also shows Eddie that he will protect his brother and will not allow any physical or emotional abuse towards Rodolfo.
When Eddie fails to lift the chair and Marco succeeds it shows the audience that Marco is more physically powerful than Eddie. This gives the impression that if t ever came to a point where Eddie and Marco were to fight, Marco would have the upper hand. It also leaves the audience in suspense, as they know that this isn’t the end of the trouble between Eddie and Marco and they will be waiting for a further ‘show of strength’ among the two men.
When Eddie and Marco are face-to-face Eddie realizes that Marco understands his psychology and has become aware of how he is constantly undermining Rodolfo. The way Marco is holding the chair high above Eddie’s head shows the audience that it is like a weapon. Although we know that Marco isn’t going to literally hit Eddie with it we understand that it is like a warning to Eddie-showing him that he has more strength and can cause some real damage. During the ‘show of strength’ Catherine. Rodolfo and Beatrice are all silently watching Eddie and Marco. This gives the impression that they are also aware of the rising tension between the two men but do not wish to interfere as it may make matters worse.
The playwright, Arthur Miller, decides to end the Act at this particular moment because it is a time in the play where both tension and suspense are high. The tension between Eddie and Marco is rising and the playwright wants this to be the end of the Act because it gives the audience time to reflect on how Eddie and Marco’s friendship has changed and how it may change further.
In the last scene of the play dramatic effectiveness is shown in a very deep and evocative way. The effect of this scene is very dramatic on the audience because it shows them that the only way to get rid of the tension between Eddie and Marco is for them to have a final and fatal ‘show of strength’. This ‘show of strength’ will lead to the tragedy which Alfieri has led the audience to expect.
During this scene Eddie, Beatrice, Catherine and Rodolfo are waiting inside the apartment for Marco to arrive. Beatrice is trying desperately to persuade Eddie to leave the apartment because she wants to avoid any trouble. However, Eddie is adamant that he will not leave, he says, “Where? Where am I going? This is my house!” Eddie he has too much pride and feels that Marco owes him an apology for lying about him and embarrassing him earlier on in the play. Eddie feels that Marco has ruined his reputation and he ‘wants his name back’ he says, “I want my name! He didn’t take my name; he’s only a punk. Marco’s got my name…he’s gonna give it back it me in front of this neighborhood, or we have it out.” So he is determined to wait for Marco to come and apologize to him in front of the Red Hook community.
It is extremely important for Marco to apologize to Eddie in front of the Red Hook community because Eddie feels that the people of Red Hook no longer respect him. Sicilian culture plays a very important part in everyone’s lives. Although they are living in America and abide by the American law the people of the Red Hook have brought with them their Sicilian rules and regulations. Their own laws are often valued more highly than American laws. When Marco does finally arrive he is chanting Eddie’s name outside the apartment, “Eddie Carbone.” When Eddie hears Marco shouting, as though flinging a challenge to Marco who answers by shouting and repeating his name even louder, “Eddie Carbone. Eddie Carbone. Eddie Carbone.”
This scene has a very dramatic effect on the audience because it shows them that the tension between Eddie and Marco can no longer be ignored and must be confronted. The way that Eddie continually refuses to leave the apartment has a very dramatic effect on the audience because it shows them that he is not the type of man to back down from a challenge and certainly isn’t the kind to apologize as he is too egotistical. At this point in the play the audience sympathise with Eddie because he becomes emotional. The stage directions show us this they say, “crying out in agony.” Eddie then starts to cry and the audience can see that he is hurting. They can also see what motivates him and understand his basic dilemma of having to “let go” of the niece he raised and loved as a daughter. He says, “…I struggled for that girl. And now he comes in my house and…”
The way Eddie incessantly repeats that he “Marco is going to apologize” and refuses to leave the apartment pending Marco’s arrival shows the audience that pride is going to dictate the future events of the play. It also shows them that both Eddie and Marco feel that they are not to blame so neither of them is willing to back down. Furthermore Eddie and Marco feel that if they do back down it will look as if they are scared and therefore change people’s views about how masculine they are. This shows the audience that both men think very highly of their reputation amongst the Red Hook community and want to make sure that the people of the Red Hook know that they weren’t to blame. Their community is a very tight-knit one and both men feel that if the community has a negative impression of them then they will never be respected.
When Marco arrives outside the apartment, chanting Eddie’s name the suspense is high because the audience is waiting to see if Eddie will really come outside. Whilst Marco is waiting outside, Eddie is preparing himself for the so-called ‘show of strength’ inside the apartment. Even so Beatrice is still trying to persuade him to stay, Eddie stands transfixed letting tension run even higher because the audience know that both men are there but do not know whether or not Eddie has decided to go and face the “challenge.”
Suddenly, as if almost without warning, Eddie starts to walk for the stairs, showing that he is not going to back down. Chanting his name Eddie makes his way towards the outside of the apartment. Once there Rodolfo streaks up and runs towards Marco, he then pleads with Eddie to leave Marco alone, he says, “…he has children! You will kill a family!” as though the words had no impact on him Eddie still stands there. Beatrice then shouts at Eddie to “go in the house” but Eddie remains in the same spot. It is here the audience learns that no matter what anyone else does Eddie is not going to refuse the “challenge.” This also shows the audience that Eddie’s reputation is so important to him he doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process.
Eddie feels that he has to get revenge on Marco for what he has done. Eddie’s urgent need for revenge implies to the audience that he will go to severe measures to get what he wants. Justice is very important in the play and is mentioned on numerous occasions. During Alfieri’s opening speech he establishes that justice and the law are going to be an important in the play. Both Eddie and Marco allow their personal feelings to affect their idea of justice. They are not strong enough to take an objective view. We see that Alfieri is right, people are not strong enough to carry out true justice, their desires and feelings always take a part. Throughout the play Alfieri’s narrations give a commentary on the developing drama.
Both tension and suspense are very high at this point in the play. Both men are refusing to back down from the challenge and they are not listening to anyone else’s advice. They feel that it is important for the people of the community to know the truth about one another. Their reputations are too important so neither of them want to apologize as they think it will make them look weak and even if they do apologize, they still will not have their ‘good’ name back. Earlier on in the play Eddie tells Catherine about Vinny Bolzano, a boy who snitched” on his own uncle to the Immigration Bureau. This is a hint as to what Eddie may do later on in the play. The story of Vinny Bolzano is a precursor of what is to become Eddie’s fate. This also prepares the audience for the fact that Eddie may do something that is “unforgivable for people of Red Hook.” Although Vinny was obeying the law what he done was seen as unjust and wrong by the Red Hook as they have their own law.
In conclusion I feel that both the last scene of Act 1 and the last scene of the play have a very dramatic effect on the audience. The last scene of Act 1 shows the audience the build up of tension and suspense between Eddie and Marco and the last scene of the play brings the suspense to a tragic end. Both scenes have a dramatic effect on the audience because they both contain the most exciting and predominant elements of the play – tension and suspense.
