Examine the role of Alfieri in the play.What is the character’s dramatic purpose?

Alfieri could be described as the "bridge" between the characters and the audience. He talks directly to both the audience and other characters. "I gave you my advice, Eddie" shows his interaction with other characters and "this ones name was Eddie Carbone" seems like he is talking to the audience instead.

Alfieri plays a dramatic role, warning the audience of upcoming events. His speeches are very portentous as he uses quite foreboding language such as "disasters" or "watched it run it's bloody course". he warns the audience throughout the play and particularly in the beginning, he gives the impression that the play will end in "ruin" or that there will be some crime committed " every few years there is still a case". Alfieri can also be perceived as a commentator, by commenting on the play and the characters " Eddie Carbone had never expected to have a destiny". He comments on Eddie the most, as he is the main character of the play. He describes his thoughts and feelings about him "he was as good a man as he had to be" and "I will love him more than all my sensible clients".

Alfieri certainly builds tension in the audience. He creates a sense of foreboding through his language and suggests that something might happen. "Alone together in the house" and "he had committed a crime". The audience is then expecting something exciting or horrifying to happen. They can feel the tension building. The audience can tell when there will be a new twist added to the story every time Alfieri starts a speech.

Alfieri's character also helps to bring out Eddie's own thought and emotions by being the only person in the play in whom Eddie confides. Eddie can tell Alfieri things because he knows that Alfieri has better education and can help. "My father always said you was a smart man". Alfieri upholds the law but knows what justice means to people like Eddie so can understand him better "well they entered illegally" Alfieri says because he knows not betray them because of his own experiences with justice. He encourages the audience to like Eddie despite his faults such as his hatred for Rodolfo " that son-of-a-bitch punk", and his betrayal of his relatives and over protectiveness over Catherine "it's too short, ain't it" Eddie says when he sees her skirt. Alfieri encourages us to like him by saying "Pray for him" and "I will love him more".

At the end of the play, the lights fade and focus on Alfieri, who delivers the concluding speech. Here he tells us how the death of Eddie was "useless" and how he still likes him. It also helps to make sense of the themes. Eddie died the death of a tragic hero. He caused his own downfall. Also the themes of justice and law and the importance of both, how the law is right but justice is fair. That Marco killed Eddie as it was his justice for Eddie killing his children "He killed my children!" The law is the rule but it is unfair, although the right thing to do. The law is unjust for these people and they do not believe it is as important as justice. This might be because there are less laws in Italy and they mostly depended on justice and their own form of punishment.

Alfieri is both a character and a narrator he would act as a character and step out of this role to recap, comment and give personal opinions of the last scene and gives portent or warning of the upcoming scene. He can also be interpreted as a reworking of the Greek chorus. He raises the themes of justice and law and their interpretations in this play. Alfieri's dramatic purpose is to add tension and suspense to the story as well as helping the audience to understand the story better. He adds exciting narrative and is also an important character used to show the true feelings of Eddie by being the only person Eddie talks to. He is a tool used by Miller to explain the play better and expose the thoughts of other characters as well as his own.