How does Arthur Miller use Eddie Carbone to create dramatic tension for the audience?

Greek playwrights such as Sophocles invented the genre of tragedy. However, the person we most associate with tragedy is Greek philosopher and writer Aristotle. His definition of a typical tragedy influenced writers ever since. Aristotle’s base for a tragedy was that there would be a tragic hero who was usually a person of high social status and would lead a normal life until a crisis would reveal a fatal weakness in his character. Aristotle termed this the tragic flaw or harmatia. The hero would think everything would turn out well but he would suffer a reversal of fortune, which would usually lead to his death. This would be called reversal or peripeteia.

A View from the Bridge tracks the downfall of Eddie Carbone, a longshoreman from Brooklyn who ‘ratted’ his wife’s cousins to the Immigration Bureau, in order to break up the engagement between one of them, Rodolpho and his niece Catherine. In the play A View from the Bridge Eddie Carbone is the tragic protagonist. Arthur Miller saw this play as a modern Greek tragedy “in which a central character is led by fate towards a destiny that cannot be escaped”. Eddie is this central character and allows his heart to rule his head: blinded by his obsession for Catherine and his dislike of Rodolpho, he betrays and dishonours himself and in an attempt to redeem himself, he dies. Eddie’s character is the driving force of the tragedy. His character is flawed and this weakness: his passion for Catherine triggers the drama. Through Eddie, Miller creates tension as the audience, aware of the outcome, lives with Eddie and his inability to deal with the situation. This heightens the play’s drama till the very end.

Traditionally in a Greek tragedy a group of anonymous citizens informed the audience of events before the play, narrated off stage happenings, commented on characters, established norms of behaviour and guided the audience as to what would happen and what to think. This group of people would be called ‘the chorus’. Alfieri acts as the chorus in this play. He is slightly different to a normal chorus as he has an identity, an identity that blends a respected figure of two cultures; an American lawyer and an old Italian. Acting as the Greek chorus Alfieri is able to draw the audience’s attention to the single line of the plot, which moves steadily towards the final tragedy, emphasising the inevitability of the ‘denouement’. As with all Alfieri’s speeches his opening words are full of warning. ‘Justice is very important here’. Justice and the law are not the same thing. He predicts that the characters’ Sicilian blood denotes passion and emotion with its own code of honour ‘many here who were justly shot by unjust men’. The implication that the law can be useless and direct justice more effective is a dramatic concept to present the audience. Additionally, Alfieri prepares the audience for ‘every few years there is still a case’. Eddie’s own name, Eddie Carbone, ties him to these ancestors and their code and tragedy. Alfieri’s perspective, looking back at events in a series of flashbacks – intensifies the concept of the tragedy he was powerless to prevent. His final words warn the audience that the events they will watch will be bloody in their conclusion. ‘sat there powerless as I, and watched it run its bloody course.’ ‘[ALFIERI walks into darkness]’ this fading technique, also used in Greek tragedy, heightens the lawyer’s role as the chorus and heightens Eddie’s fate. Immediately after this, ‘[EDDIE has appeared…is highlighted among them]’ this dramatic technique identifies Eddie as the central character of this tragedy. The lights then rise on the Carbone household. The tension begins and the audience awaits.

The pace begins to pick up in Act One as Eddie faces the three problematic areas of his life: his relationship with his niece Catherine, the danger posed by the ‘arriving cousins’ and his relationship with his wife Beatrice. The audience’s first impression of Eddie and Catherine’s relationship is not so much of uncle and niece but rather father and daughter. Catherine constantly seeks Eddie’s approval and tries to please him ‘You like it? You like it? You like it, huh?’ Catherine does things for Eddie like fetching his beer and lighting his cigar. Eddie notices Catherine, enjoys her attention and is very much aware of her beauty and how other men react to her. ‘You are walkin’ wavy’ ‘I don’t like the looks they’re givin’ you’. He is reluctant to let Catherine move on and grow up ‘you’re a baby. You don’t understand these things’. He has kept her as a child for longer than he should. She is always hanging around him, pleasing his every wish. Perhaps this is why he is so opposed to Catherine taking up the job on the other side of town. It is through this opposition that the audience sees his forceful over protective side. This is again clear as Catherine, backed by Beatrice, pleads with Eddie for the job. His reaction is immediate, ‘[Strangely nervous]’ ‘she’ll be with a lotta plumbers? And sailors.’ ‘They’ll chew her to pieces if she don’t watch out’. The audience senses that Eddie has no real reason for Catherine not to take the job, just his own emotions. ‘I don’t like that neighbourhood over there’. Passion and emotion breed tragedy.

Throughout these first exchanges the audience also sense a slight ‘frisson’ between Eddie and his wife. Beatrice is anxious for Eddie in light of her relatives arrival ‘[looking into his eyes] I’m just worried about you’ and later when Eddie speaks ‘[quickly resentful]’ to Beatrice ‘you lived in a house all your life, what do you know about it?’ when she sides with Catherine. There seems to be an air of menace hanging over what should be normal dinnertime activities. The dramatic tension is beginning to collect around Eddie. He has unresolved issues, which he finds difficult to quantify ...

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Eddie is also concerned that the women do not appreciate the threat that they are living under by hiding the two immigrants. ‘You’re makin’ me nervous again, both of you’, ‘This is the United States Government you’re playin’ with now’, ‘this is the Immigration Bureau’. In an effort to highlight their situation Eddie recalls the tragedy of Vinny Bolzano. The audience notes the dramatic irony of this tale, with Alfieri’s warning in mind. Miller uses the technique of fading light in and out to emphasise what he wants to draw the audience’s attention to. In this case it is Eddie, in pensive mood, alone on stage at the end of the scene. Alfieri now prepares the audience for the drama that will unfold. He says Eddie was ‘a good man’, ‘worked on the piers’, ‘brought home his pay and he lived’ and lastly the finality of ‘the cousins came’.

The arrival of Marco and Rodolpho changes the dynamics of the play. They represent the catalyst that triggers the tragedy. When Marco arrives we can immediately see he is the more mature of the two. He treats Eddie with respect and gratitude. He understands their predicament. ‘[MARCO comes with a formal stiffness to EDDIE] Thank you! Thank you!’ Nevertheless, Eddie feels proud to house the ‘submarines’. Rodolpho is quite different. He is free spirited and views this as a big adventure. He always ‘ready to laugh’. He is blond, sings and enjoys having fun. Catherine is immediately attracted to him; she stares ‘[wondrously]’. He is different to the longshoremen she has been brought up around. Eddie senses this attraction and does not like it ‘[he is sizing up RODOLPHO and there is a concealed suspicion]’. As in the Aristotelian tragedies, Marco and Rodolpho represent the external factor that will affect the status quo in Eddie’s life by taking Catherine away from him and set him on the path to tragedy. A perfect example of dramatic tension building, is displayed when Eddie publicly scolds Catherine for wearing her high heels which she put on to impress the visitors. Catherine is treated like a little child ‘[embarrassed now, angered]’ and Beatrice gives ‘[EDDIE a cold look]’. Even though these are only small gestures, the audience can sense the tension rising in the Carbone household.

As the stage instructions warn ‘[he (EDDIE) is coming more and more to address Marco only]’ showing his growing dislike of Rodolpho. The audience begins to feel sorry for Eddie because they can clearly see Catherine’s attraction to Rodolpho. She offers him sugar, and he accepts readily, the symbolism is obvious – they are ‘sweet’ on one another. ‘[EDDIE’s face is puffed with trouble]’. Eddie is clearly now the tragic hero; the situation is out of his control. The tension is heightened yet again with Alfieri’s warning that Eddie Carbone never expected to have a destiny. Rodolpho and Catherine’s love represents ‘a trouble that would not go away’. At this point I think the audience feels pity for Eddie because they can see his jealousy will lead him on the downward path to tragedy. The audience begin to see Eddie change from a considerate ‘father-type’ figure to a suspicious, jealous, obsessive character incapable of accepting that it is time to let Catherine go and move on with her own life.

As the play progresses, Eddie’s dislike of Rodolpho festers ‘he gives me the heebie-jeebies’. He cannot express exactly what it is he dislikes about Rodolpho or why he cannot be a real husband to Beatrice ‘I can’t, I can’t talk about it.’ This could be because he cannot bring himself to contextualise what he truly feels. Indeed, this seems to be his greatest fear, his fear of being known. Eddie begins to realise he is impotent to stop Catherine growing up.

The conflict between the justice and the law; jealousy and love run throughout the play. Eddie wants Alfieri to use the law to prevent Catherine and Rodolpho’s marriage. The tension is acute ‘His eyes were like tunnels’, ‘it was only a passion that had moved into his body’ but there is no law for Eddie’s situation. However, the audience now realise Eddie’s dilemma is more deep rooted – his own family honour is at stake. Honour, another theme, must be maintained – insults to the family must be avenged. Eddie’s honour is at stake, Rodolpho’s ‘quaintness’, ‘he ain’t right’, they’re laughin’ at him on the piers’, ‘I’m ashamed’ is the part of the reason Eddie does not want Catherine marrying him, because if she does then Rodolpho will be family and ‘they’ would be laughing at Eddie too. ‘When I think of that guy laying his hands on her I could – I mean it’s eaten me out.’ Eddie is at his wit's ends; he will do anything to prevent this, he’s being consumed and cannot see sense.

Miller uses Alfieri in his role as a lawyer as a dramatic device. He offers Eddie a lawful solution: he would get justice yet he would lose his honour. Alfieri is the first person to verbalise Eddie’s predicament. ‘She can’t marry you, can she?’ Eddie’s response is primeval ‘What the hell you talkin’ about?’ Yet again Eddie is singled out as the tragic hero ‘a dark figure walking down the hall towards a certain door.’ Alfieri’s certainty of disaster is clear to the audience. Alfieri, now in chorus mode, repeats ‘I knew, I knew then and there.’ At this point the audience has no sympathy for Eddie’s views on Rodolpho or his attempts to use the law against him but they sympathise with the sobbing, helpless man convinced his little girl is being stolen from him. Ironically Eddie predicts his own fate ‘I’m a patsy’.

Eddie realises he has to take the law into his own hands. He tries to humiliate Rodolpho to prove to Catherine that he is not a ‘proper man’. He challenges Rodolpho to a boxing match. At first Rodolpho declines, which shows the audience he is trying to stay on Eddie’s good side but finally he agrees. Eddie’s plan backfires. Although he gets to hit Rodolpho and release some of his tension, it is he who is humiliated and belittled by Marco as Marco has recognised Eddie’s hostility as something more than just harmless fun. The dramatic tension peaks as Marco slowly but surely raises the chair. The audience and Eddie see that Marco is more than what he seems. It appears that Eddie has found his nemesis, ‘[the chair raised like a weapon over EDDIE’s head CURTAIN FALLS] ’

Traditionally, a Greek tragedy would unfold in one act. However, the curtain fall technique is a powerful dramatic device used to capture dramatic tension. It leaves the audience with a lasting effect of Marco’s physical strength over Eddie. Marco too has a breaking point, bringing into the play once more the themes of justice and law: honour, family and love.

In Act One the times and dates were only approximate as the audience were more concerned with what was happening, rather than when. However, in Act Two Alfieri, as the chorus, draws the attention to a precise timing of events and the imminent tragedy ‘On that twenty-third of that December’. Alfieri introduces the scene like a formal announcement of important facts: winter, snow, broken case of whisky, Beatrice out shopping, boy not hired for work. The combination of all these factors can only lead to disaster.

In this scene the audience can tell that time has passed by the way Catherine and Rodolpho act. The audience sees that their relationship has progressed; Catherine has moved away from Eddie and is now seeking Rodolpho’s approval and trying to please him instead. She has grown more independent ‘I’m not a baby’. Rodolpho urges Catherine to move on with her life, to break free like ‘a little bird’ and he declares his true love for her. There is great dramatic tension as the older, more mature, sensible side of Rodolpho reveals himself and demands ‘you must go, mustn’t you Catherine?’ It is here that the ‘[light rises…EDDIE appears…drunk]’.

The audience can see that Eddie has been drowning his sorrows. Finally, confronted with the lovers’ sexual consummation Eddie realises there is nothing he can do to tempt Catherine back, Eddie “loses it”. There is an explosion inside Eddie, which embodies his frustration at losing Catherine to Rodolpho. He reacts in a physical way, by kissing them. These kisses are not purely acts of passion, though that is a large part of it, they are also an attempt by Eddie to prove to himself, just as much as to Catherine and Rodolpho, that he has not lost his control. Kissing Rodolpho is also one final effort to humiliate him in front of Catherine and to release his anxiety. This scene leaves a dramatic impact on the audience.

When Eddie ‘[kisses her (CATHERINE) on the mouth]’ Catherine is stunned by his actions and is described as a sobbing wreck; she is torn by her love for both Eddie and Rodolpho. In this climatic scene of dramatic tension, Eddie, blinded by his jealousy and frustration, and influenced by the alcohol ‘[suddenly kisses him (RODOLPHO)]’. With Catherine’s defiant cries of ‘I’ll kill you’ the audience witness that Catherine has truly grown up and is no longer in Eddie’s shadow.

Eddie kissing Catherine suggests incest and kissing Rodolpho suggests a line of homosexuality. Although both these themes have been implied either by actions, emotions ‘[he (EDDIE) is affected by her (CATHERINE)]’ or words ‘he ain’t right’ neither of them have been expressed in such a forceful, primeval way as this. This tense, dramatic scene ends with Eddie’s forewarning of ‘Don’t make me do nuttin’’. The implication of the sentence is clear to the audience and they realise if Eddie fulfils this threat he will compromise his integrity, the one thing he is trying to avoid. However, it is quite a subdued delivery to finish on after behaving ‘[like animals that have torn at one another]’ but there is still a great amount of unresolved dramatic tension hanging in the air.

Due to the rage and conflict in this scene, the pace of it quickens as the characters are acting on emotions and physical passions. The dialogue too is very short, sharp and concise ‘You ain’t goin’ nowheres.’ ‘I’m not gonna be a baby no more!’ ‘Stop that! Have respect!’ ‘Don’t argue!’

Alfieri then, as the chorus, predicts the final moments of the play and reflects on his inability to stop this inevitable tragedy. There is a sense of foreboding, like the lull before the storm. Alfieri appears melancholic to the audience as he uses phrases like ‘I will never forget’ and ‘I kept wanting to call the police, but nothing had happened’. When talking to Eddie, Alfieri assumes a double role as a character in the play yet his words are still very choral. He talks to Eddie about morality; tries to tell him Catherine ‘is a free agent’. Alfieri is confined by the legal parameters in which he must work as his sterile and uncompassionate language suggests. However, when Alfieri sees this is not working he tries to give Eddie a “reality check” ‘You won’t have a friend in the world’: with this appeal Alfieri, for an instant, becomes a friend, not a lawyer. He, like the audience, is aware of the impending tragedy. ‘Even those who understand you will despise you!’ The dramatic implications of these sentences are clear to the audience as they recall the story of Vinny Bolzano.

The glowing phone booth at the end of this scene is a very effective dramatic device. The audience can tell what is in Eddie’s mind and if they could they would cry out, like Alfieri, and tell Eddie not to ‘snitch’. However, the audience knows that nothing can stop Eddie now. The lighting on the phone booth shows the audience that Eddie is thinking of nothing else. The manifestation inside of him has grown too much and now, at his wits’ end, when he feels he has nothing else to lose, Eddie Carbone starts to fulfil his destiny.

It is ironic that Eddie betrays his honour when it is clear that it means everything to him. Honour is one of the themes prominent in the final stages but there is also a focus on respect. Eddie longs for respect from both his wife and his community. At the beginning of the play Eddie had their respect but after betraying his family and his honour, he loses it. Only the audience understands the reason for Eddie’s short-temper and snappy attitude at the opening of this scene ‘I want my respect Beatrice, and you know what I’m talking about’. In an effort to justify his actions Eddie tries to assert authority over his wife, a psychological kick back for not being able to assert his will over Catherine. The audience senses the underlying tension of the implication that Eddie is a failure as a husband. It is ironic that he yearns for Catherine, the one thing he cannot have, and yet cannot bring himself to make Beatrice ‘a wife again’. This confusion highlights just how lost and puzzled Eddie is. His emotions are overwhelming ‘[crying out in agony] That’s what you think of me – that I would have such a thoughts?’ Beatrice echoes Alfieri when telling Eddie to ‘go to her and tell her good luck’. In a last attempt to force Eddie to recognise the truth and avert a tragedy Beatrice, Eddie’s wife, is the one who finally verbalises what has been subtly hinted at throughout the play – Eddie’s feelings for his niece.

The dramatic tension peaks at the end of the play. Eddie’s endeavours to keep Catherine only drive her away; he tries to preserve his good name but in doing so loses it. Eddie is consumed by his demons and is blinded to the wider consequence of his actions. The themes of honour, family and love are threatened ‘you will kill a family’. In the final tense moments, the audience is certain Eddie will fulfil his destiny; he is now the doomed protagonist. He is publicly dishonoured by Marco and then disowned by his friends and neighbours. Eddie is confronted with his dishonourable actions and realises too late what he has done, but he never admits it, he just insists ‘I want my name’ ‘Marco’s got my name!’ ‘Eddie Carbone! Eddie Carbone! Eddie Carbone!’

In Eddie’s final speech he is almost hysterical as he fights for his name and he tries to redeem his honour, as a tragic hero should. Eddie’ s death fulfils his destiny and Alfieri’s ‘bloody’ conclusion is realised in a swift, dramatic fight. Eddie’ s death is dramatic because the tension builds rapidly. Marco’s impending arrival and Eddie’s challenge to Marco both create tension. It is at this point the themes of the play: love, honour, family, justice and law all begin to fall apart because of the two men’s pride.

The audience experiences a true catharsis as they witness the hero’s death. Alfieri’s closing words remind them of his opening lines ‘Now we settle for half, and I like it better’. This represents a compromise of people’s hopes, desires, and sense of justice. I think, however, Alfieri respects Eddie and his needs to be true to himself ‘not purely good, but himself purely’. Eddie behaved in the only way he knew how – instinctively and passionately. Despite his inevitable dishonour ‘he allowed himself to be wholly known’.

In my opinion Miller uses Eddie as a dramatic tool to get the audience thinking. He sets the question: Should we compromise our dreams and desires and ‘settle for half’ or be true to ourselves?’ Eddie Carbone is a passionate, emotional man incapable of expressing or understanding his complex feelings.

Eddie’s simplistic yet complex nature results in him living on a knife-edge: he is the subject of the tragedy – the character who was singled out for the audience – he is the driving force of the play. Miller plays out the story using Eddie’s conflicts, moods and passions. As Eddie is the tragic protagonist by rights, the audience lives through each and every one of Eddie’s emotions, creating tension from the moment he walks on stage.