In what ways can Rodolfo be seen as a catalyst to the tragedy?

Paul May 11B

A catalyst is defined as something that sparks up a reaction. To answer the question posed, I will need to explore the various ways Rodolfo does spark up a reaction in the play and why.

The most obvious tragedy in the play is the death of Eddie. It can be argued that Rodolfo sparks up the most devastating reaction in Eddie, more so than other characters. From the entrance of Rodolfo, we can immediately tell that Eddie has not received a good first impression of Rodolfo. He already has concealed suspicions about Catherine’s attraction to him, and therefore already reacts to Rodolfo as some sort of threat, “sizing him up”, with “a face puffed with trouble”. This already indicates an unnatural relationship between Eddie and Catherine, although it is not the first time the audience sees Eddie’s over-protective nature towards her.

In the opening of the play, Eddie unintentionally allows the audience to notice that he does not want Catherine to grow up. When Eddie has allowed his mood to become more calm after hearing the news that Catherine has got a job, he utters that he never “figured” that Catherine would grow up, uttering a “sound-less laugh”. This suggests a laugh without mirth, meaning that in Eddie’s eyes that it is not a happy, joyous happening, the maturing of Catherine. He wants her to stay a child, so he can ‘keep’ her for himself. This statement can be fortified by the ‘pet names’ Eddie uses to refer to her – ‘child’, ‘kid’ and ‘baby’ all suggest that he feels she is his daughter. On a bolder limb, ‘madonna’, a more unexpected name, suggests that he feels that she is ‘untouchable’, as that term refers to the Virgin Mary. Catherine in return seems to accept this role as Eddie’s daughter (without realising). She lights his cigar, brings him a beer and sits on the edge of his bath while he shaves. These are not mannerisms that girls of her age naturally perform, and this shows the audience the unnaturalness of their relationship. Rodolfo, in Eddie’s eyes, is stealing this from him, which he treasures so dearly.

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Eddie, it can be argued, may have good reason for this. Their relationship certainly deteriorates as soon as Rodolfo enters their lives. Catherine starts to notice increasingly how over-protective Eddie is when there is any sign of flirtation between her and a man. Catherine uses Rodolfo as a means of rebellion against this, and as a means to finally grow up. She is spurred on to do this by Beatrice, who of course has been put in the middle of this situation. I perceive her character as being capable of taking an overview of the situation, and so she has realised that Eddie’s relationship with Catherine is not within acceptable bounds. She realises that she has to warn Catherine that her behaviour is contributing to his infatuation – “if you act like a baby and he be treatin’ you like a baby”. But Catherine is still unsure on whether to abandon Eddie and marry Rodolfo, until Rodolfo, the catalyst that he is reassures her that Eddie’s suspicions are not true. It is at this point that she accepts her love for Rodolfo without constraint, gaining strength of character, independence and the ability to quite loyally condemn Eddie’s actions if she sees fit. She gets these character traits simply from the presence of Rodolfo, which, I believe, is proof of Rodolfo as a catalyst.

An alternative reason for Rodolfo sparking up a negative reaction in Eddie is their difference in personalities. The fact that Catherine finds a man so unlike Eddie attractive could be interpreted by Eddie as Catherine never finding him attractive in personality, which would anger him. This would, however, be arguing for a more incestuous side of beliefs. Eddie’s personality is extremely similar to Marco’s, and I believe that the fact that Marco is the opposite of Rodolfo was a theme intended by Miller for this melodrama. For example, Marco is a family man; he has the responsibility of looking after his family. Rodolfo, on the other hand, has no responsibility, which is exemplified best when he talks about his aspirations and dreams. I think Marco put it best when he said “When you have no wife you have dreams”. But Rodolfo’s dreams consist of his talents, his skills. He wants to be someone famous, and important. His dream of riding a blue motorcycle is a good example because for delivering the messages he will gain social recognition, society giving him a status. He is very optimistic, and doesn’t see things as seriously as Marco because of his lack of responsibility. His lively sense of humour not only endears him to Catherine, but also to the audience. We (the audience) feel sorry for him because Eddie sneers at his talents, and his love for Catherine, because of Eddie’s theory that he is too effeminate. Eddie’s hostility towards him upsets him mainly because he cannot understand why Eddie dislikes him. He also tries to warn Eddie and tries to stop him fulfilling the destiny of his own tragedy – “I think, maybe when Marco comes, if we can tell him we are comrades now”.

Rodolfo also sparks up a reaction between Beatrice and Eddie, although it could be argued that this is just a consequence of Eddie and Catherine’s relationship. Before Rodolfo’s appearance, there does not seem to be too much animosity between Beatrice and Eddie – “You got too big a heart” (suggests loving attention). Yet when Rodolfo enters the drama Beatrice becomes more and more worried about their relationship. Beatrice’s eyes take in all surroundings and factors, and because she is less involved in the main issues in the drama she is able to see it from a fair, unbiased and moral perspective. This allows her to see Eddie’s thoughts about Catherine, which are more obvious when Rodolfo enters the play. This causes her to have a change in character, she no longer cowers, or changes the subject from Eddie, she is more assertive. “When am I gonna be a wife again?” indicates that he has not made love to her for some time, and that she is trying not to let their relationship break down because of Eddie’s thoughts about her niece.

In a View from the Bridge, Miller uses a variety of language forms that can produce some conclusions about some of the character’s personality from their speech. For example, Marco’s speech is slow, but serious and calculated, which suggests intelligence. He speaks very little, but each time it is important. At the melodramatic end to the play, Marco speaks in short bursts, but they are full of passion, and fury – “Anima-a-a-l!” However, Eddie, Beatrice and Catherine speak in short, uncomplicated, and sometimes seemingly forced sentences. This gives the impression that they sometimes speak without thinking as they say only a small part of what they mean, they may not want to express their innermost thoughts. Rodolfo’s conversation is very attractive, as he talks in a very light-hearted way, quipping jokes and laughing throughout the dialogue. His intelligence shines thorough the language barrier, especially when he is describing his home town – “We stand around all day in the piazza listening to the fountain like birds”. It is unusual for someone without English as their first language to use similes and metaphors in such a confident manner. Beatrice and Catherine are enthralled by this.

Miller increases the enjoyment of the text and the enjoyment of the play as a whole by using dramatic devices to build up the tension in the play, and even make the character’s feelings more obvious. There are examples of this throughout the play, from start to finish, each significant to each theme. For example, Miller created the scene in which Eddie and Rodolfo box (followed by Marco’s chair-lifting competition) to build up the violent tension between Marco and Eddie. Marco is showing Eddie that family is so important to him that he will stand up for Rodolfo no matter who is challenging him. The “look of triumph” on his face tells the audience that he feels he has shown Eddie that if it ever came down to a physical battle between them, he would be the victor (and obvious pre-emption to the climax).

Another dramatic device is when Eddie kisses Catherine and Rodolfo, trying to explain that Rodolfo enjoyed the kiss, so he must be a homosexual. Because of Eddie’s recent brutal nature towards them, Catherine and Rodolfo are left in no doubt that they will be powerless if Eddie decides to act further upon their relationship.

Rodolfo can be seen as a catalyst to the tragedy because as he has such a flamboyant character, the other characters either love him or hate him, depending on their personalities. He sparks off the reactions unintentionally, but obviously. But I think it is Eddie’s reaction to him, which is the catalyst.

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