Eddie antagonises Marco by making a joke about wives left in Italy. Eddie says “they count the kids and there’s a couple extra than when they left?” This really insults Marco because he was reading a letter, which is most likely from his wife. Also Marco has just said “I’m lonesome” and Eddie is out of order saying that which would make him feel even more lonesome. Marco would also feel insulted because there’s a lot of poverty and lack of work in Italy so Marco has illegally emigrated to help his family and thought of himself at risk and then the thought of his wife is committing adultery would make him feel that emigrating was pointless. Marco is also from a strict Catholic background and it‘s not right to commit adultery.
When Rodolfo says “It’s more strict in our town. It’s not so free” Eddie lets out his feelings about Rodolfo taking liberties with Catherine. Eddie says “but in your town you wouldn’t just drag off some girl without permission.” Beatrice quickly realises that Eddie is relating to Rodolfo and Catherine’s growing relationship and not just in general. Marco says “(cautiously) Yes” agreeing with Eddie and taking his side while Beatrice takes Rodolfo’s side by saying “Well, he didn’t exactly drag her off though, Eddie”. When Eddie says “Well, Marco, till he came here she was never out on the street, twelve o’clock at night” Marco says “(to Rodolfo) You come home early now”. This shows his respect for Eddie and his wishes.
When Catherine suggests that she dance with Rodolfo this increases the tension a lot. This is because Eddie doesn’t like Rodolfo anyway because he is very suspicious of his sexuality. Also Eddie has just explained how he believes that a boy should get permission to begin any kind of relationship with a girl. Catherine only asked Rodolfo to dance because she is getting back at Eddie because of his implication that she shouldn’t be friends with Rodolfo. Rodolfo says “(in defence to Eddie) No, I - I’m tired.” In reply to Catherine’s offer to dance. Rodolfo says this since he knows that Eddie doesn’t approve of this gesture, he can feel the tension between everyone. But Beatrice, who has been defending Rodolfo against Eddie’s points, persuades him to get up and dance. Beatrice says “Go ahead, dance, Rodolfo.” I believe she said this as she thinks that Rodolfo and Catherine can do what they want without Eddie interfering all the time. Beatrice is defying Eddie and defending Catherine and Rodolfo. Doing so, Beatrice makes the tension greater because Rodolfo is now doing something that Eddie disapproves of , in front of him.
Eddie implies that Rodolfo is gay without actually saying so but uses language to get his point across. Eddie says “I can’t cook, I can’t sing, I can’t make dresses”. He says this because he knows that Rodolfo does these three things. Eddie thinks these jobs are not very manly, so it backs up his views on Rodolfo’s sexuality. Eddie repeats the words “I can’t” in that speech, which makes it very powerful. Eddie says that if he could do these things he would not be at the water front but making dresses, which is mainly a women's job. While Edie is saying all this he is rolling up his newspaper tightly, which shows his anger on the issue with Rodolfo’s sexuality and his relationship with Catherine.
Eddie offers to teach Rodolfo to box with the intention to hurt him. Eddie gets Rodolfo to jab at his face. Then Catherine enter the room she says “(with beginning alarm)What are they doin’?” She sees the danger in this. But Beatrice “senses only the comradeship” and lets them get on with it. But then Eddie hit Rodolfo causing him to stagger and Catherine stops the lesson.
At the end of Act One Marco plays a game with Eddie, “Marco takes a chair, places it in front of Eddie, and looks down at it.” Marco then asks Eddie if he can lift the chair. Eddie asks “what do you mean?” Marco shows him, (“He gets on one knee with one hand behind his back, and grasps the bottom of one of the chair legs but does not raise it.)” Eddie tries, but fails every time. Marco then shows Eddie how to do it. Marco raises the chair over his head, then
“Marco is face to face with Eddie, a strained tension gripping
his eyes and jaw, his neck stiff, the chair raised like a
weapon over Eddie’s head-and he transforms what might
appear like a glare of warning into a smile of triumph, and
Eddie’s grin vanishes as he absorbs his look.”
Marco is showing his power over Eddie with this game. This is showing how Marco gets the last laugh. The ending of Act One foreshadows the ending of the play where Marco kills Eddie and over powers him again.
All of the dramatic tension is below the surface. The characters never show their feelings on one another openly but show it in actions or in their language. They all want to appear that they are being friendly, civilised and even having fun with each other while really there’s a lot of tension under the surface.
