Talking about this brings up the subject of Marco’s wife. Eddie says, “I betcha there’s plenty surprises sometimes when those guys get back there, heh… I mean, you know – they count the kids and there’s a couple extra than they left.” This, also, is building up conflict because Eddie is now trying to insult Marco – and he does but he also tries to hide the insult by joking about it. This type of statement is provocative and illicits a response of denial and annoyance by Marco.
“It’s more strict in our town. (Eddie looks at him now) It’s not so free.” The movement of Eddie when he looks at Rodolfo shows that there is an unspoken challenge from Eddie to Rodolfo. Also, there is a threat to Rodolfo by the facial expression on Eddie’s face. The audience is now awaiting an outburst from Eddie very soon.
“(Rises, paces up and down). It ain’t so free here either, Rodolfo, like you think.” The stage directions describe Eddie’s movement pacing up and down, which convey frustration. Eddie cannot restrain his anger for any longer. Eddie is annoyed as Rodolfo is beginning to think that Eddie doesn’t mind Catherine dating Rodolfo but Eddie does mind. The audience is expectant of physical aggression as the tension is gradually building up.
Miller creates tension through loading many of the character’s statements with Sub-Texts such as when Eddie says, “It ain’t so free here either, Rodolfo, like you think…Girl don’t have to wear black dress to be strict. Know what I mean?” Eddie is referring straight to Rodolfo and Rodolfo doesn’t pick up on that and replies, “Well, I always have respect – ”. Eddie also realises that Rodolfo has not picked up that Eddie is talking about him so he gets straight to the point. “I know, but in your town you wouldn’t just drag off some girl without permission, I mean.” Rodolfo, now Eddie has said that, picks up straightway that Eddie is talking about him and quickly says, “I have respect for her, Eddie. I do anything wrong?” This conversation slowly builds up the conflict because Eddie starts off about talking about people in general and how they drag off girls but then gets straight to the point about Rodolfo trying to do that with Catherine. Rodolfo realises this and straightaway tries to back himself up by saying he has respect for her. This type of conflict is also Sub-Text because Eddie’s tone of voice is full of accusations to Rodolfo. The effect on the audience is that the tension is now developing very rapidly.
“Well then, be an uncle then. (Eddie looks at her, aware of her criticizing force.) I mean.” Beatrice’s outburst is to silence Eddie (peace-making) before the verbal aggression turns into physical aggression. It also betrays her thoughts to help Catherine and Rodolfo get together in any way she can because she know that Catherine’s time to get married has come. The audiences’ focus of the conflict is shifted to the relationship between Eddie and Catherine.
Further example of conflict developing is when Eddie exclaims to Beatrice, “Yeah, but he don’t have to go looking for it, Beatrice. If he’s here to work, then he should work; if he’s here for a good time then he could fool around!” This shows that Eddie is very annoyed with Rodolfo for taking Catherine out that late and would very much like to hit Rodolfo. He is also annoyed with Beatrice for correcting him. This type of conflict is know as an outburst because Eddie says his thoughts abut Rodolfo straight out at Beatrice and Rodolfo. The audience is aware of Eddie’s outburst that is slowly building up and now Eddie has let it all out.
Another example of conflict is when Catherine starts to say, “You wanna dance, Rodolfo?” (Eddie freezes). This shows that Catherine is annoyed with Eddie for telling Rodolfo off for staying out late with her. The Sub-Text reveals Catherine’s tone of voice and Eddie’s movement as he freezes. The audience can hear and see from Catherine’s tone of voice and her facial expressions that she is being spiteful to Eddie.
“It’s wonderful. He sings, he cooks, he could make dresses…” When Eddie says the above quote, he is being sarcastic to Rodolfo and all the things Rodolfo can do. He does not like it when Rodolfo sings. The sarcasm in Eddie’s tone of voice implies that Eddie disapproves of Rodolfo’s effeminate nature.
Also, another example of conflict is when Arthur Miller describes Eddie’s movement as the tension builds up much faster than before. “(He has been unconsciously twisting the newspaper into a tight roll. They are all regarding him now; he senses he is exposing the issue and he is driven on)”…“(He has bent the rolled paper and it suddenly tears in two. He suddenly gets up and pulls his pants over his belly and goes to Marco.)” In this description of Eddie’s movement, Eddie is moving/acting as a man does when he is about to get himself ready for a fight. This Sub-Text describes the stage movements of Eddie that indicate conflict. The audience is beginning to think that a fight between Eddie and Rodolfo might soon take place.
Eddie starts to teach Rodolfo how to box. Everyone is saying how good Rodolfo is getting. “Sure, he’s terrific! Look at him go! (Rodolfo lands a blow.) ‘Ats it! Now watch out, here I come, Danish! (He feints with his left hand and lands with his right. It mildly staggers Rodolfo. Marco rises.)” Eddie calling Rodolfo ‘Danish’ is put across as name calling because of Rodolfo’s blond hair and pale features. When Eddie hits Rodolfo, Rodolfo thinks that Eddie is doing that casually as Eddie is teaching him, but Eddie actually lets out some of his frustration when he ‘mildly staggers’ Rodolfo. This is where the verbal aggression is developing into physical aggression. The punches show the conflict between the characters as physical aggression.
Another example of where Arthur Miller shows conflict is when Eddie says, “Yeah. (Rubbing his fists together) He could be very good, Marco. I’ll teach him again.” Eddie rubbing his fists together indicates conflict because it reveals Eddie’s desire to hurt Rodolfo again or to teach him a lesson. The audience is now thinking that something big is going to happen between Eddie and Rodolfo, resembling a serious fight.
A final example of conflict is when Marco raises the chair above his head. “(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.)” This scene becomes increasingly confrontational towards the end because of verbal and physical aggression as Marco raises the chair above Eddie’s head. In the above stage directions, Arthur Miller is turning the tension around showing that Marco is an aggressive man and how he will not let anything happen to his brother, Rodolfo. Marco’s facial expression makes the audience think that Marco is soon going to have a fight with Eddie.
The audience are feeling sympathy for Catherine because Eddie won’t let her behave maturely or go out with Rodolfo. They are feeling grateful towards Beatrice because she is the peacemaker in the situation. Towards Eddie is the anger and frustration from the audience for the fact that he is the ‘troublemaker’. Finally, they are feeling commiseration for Marco and Rodolfo because of Eddie’s sarcasm, rudeness and punches. The relationships between the characters have changed quite a bit since earlier in the play. Eddie and Catherine’s relationship has become more uncomfortable and awry. Beatrice and Eddie’s relationship has a lot more tension in it. These changes contribute to the drama in several ways. Catherine is now uncomfortable with Eddie because of Eddie’s great dislike for Rodolfo. Beatrice and Eddie hardly talk much because of Eddie’s over protective ways of Catherine.
Arthur Miller suggests a generation gap, a difference in attitude between Eddie, Beatrice and Marco; Rodolfo and Catherine, in different ways. Eddie, Beatrice and Marco are more formal in their language; they are more organised and more supportive. Rodolfo and Catherine are more laid back; want more freedom and like to date.
Beatrice’s role in the argument is a peacemaker. She takes Catherine side in most things because she wants Eddie to know that Catherine has matured and can make decisions for herself. Eddie expects Catherine to behave formally, not wear skimpy clothes and not to go out with Rodolfo. These changes add to tension as Beatrice is having an outburst at Eddie around everyday and Catherine asking Rodolfo to go out/dance, makes Eddie jealous that Catherine is starting to like Rodolfo more than she likes him.
Miller wants to achieve conflict and building up the tension dramatically in the final scene of Act one. His main purposes in this part of the play are to show how many of the characters are comfortable/uncomfortable with being around or talking to each other. Also, he wants to show the relationships between the characters and how they relate to the particular scene. Miller moves the situation from one of underlying tension to one of open physical conflict when he describes Eddie getting ready for an outburst in stage directions. Also, when he describes Eddie’s movement as of rolling the newspaper into a tight roll and then suddenly Eddie tearing it into two. Miller moves the situation to physical conflict when he describes Eddie teaching Rodolfo how to box and Eddie staggering Rodolfo when he lands one of his punches.
The final moments of Act One where Marco stands holding the chair above Eddie’s head are very effective as Marco’s facial expressions are very clear to the audience; 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. These facial expressions tell the audience that a fight might soon take place between Marco and Eddie. The ending of Act One links to the ending of the play in numerous ways. Both the endings have Eddie and Marco involved and both the endings describe Marco being superior to Eddie as in the ending of the play Marco turns Eddie’s knife around and pushes it home. This moment has an influence on the audience’s feeling towards Eddie because prior to that their feelings towards Eddie was hatred and now they feel sorry for him. The play is a tragedy for the fact that the audience can predict the outcome, the character is unaware of their fate – Marco kills Eddie but Eddie has the intention to kill Marco, as he is the one that has the knife.
