The first time the family had a meal without the immigrants Eddie had all the attention around him and there was room around the table for them all to sit down. There was also excitement for Catherine because she has just got a job and will be earning really good money. The second meal contrasts with the first one because they are the immigrants are eating with them with and everywhere is very cramped and tense. Also instead of all the attention on Eddie it is on the two immigrants, Eddie significantly moves away and sits on his rocker on his own with his newspaper.
Catherine talks about Marco and Rodolfo going to Africa because she is trying to break the silence and trying to say she likes to marry a man who has been places. Catherine is interested in the world beyond Brooklyn that she does not know and is taken by the fact that oranges and lemons grow on trees. Catherine has been brought up in a over protected environment and it also seems like Eddie has kept her locked up all her life.
Eddie talks to Marco at this point and the significance of this is he could have talked to Rodolfo but doesn’t just because he doesn’t like him he is trying to ignore him at all times.
Eddie’s answers about the fishing “They gotta have boats, nets, you need money” tell us that he is trying to prove his knowledge so that he doesn’t look stupid in front of Catherine and he is also trying to show the immigrants he is not a push-over and is competing with them, Marco and Rodolfo.
Eddie reacts angrily to Rodolfo’s comment about lemons. I think this is because he is annoyed that Rodolfo is looking good in front of the family and is making him look stupid, Alls that Eddie does to Rodolfo is contradict him and just doesn’t want to get to know him.
In the next section of this act respect is a very important feature. Eddie is demanding respect from Rodolfo but he knows he must be careful opposing him and must be careful to not ignore the “laws” of kinship and hospitality that he, himself has acknowledged. Marco and Rodolfo in a similar way, must be careful not offend their host. For the first time in this play Catherine is defiant towards Eddie and is beginning to lose her respect for him.
The positions of the characters on the stage and what they are doing tell us there relationships with each other, for example Eddie is on one side of the room in his rocker reading his news paper (on his own). This is meaning that he is isolated and keeping himself to himself He doesn’t want be seen as though he is interested in the conversation and doesn’t want to be around Rodolfo while he is there. Marco, who is not bothered about discomfort because of where he comes from, is sat on a stool high up reading his letter from his wife. The stool Marco is on has no back on so he is not relaxed and is very tense. Reading the letter shows us that he hasn’t forgotten about his family and has all the care in the world for them. Catherine and Rodolfo are together reading a movie magazine. This show us that all Catherine and Rodolfo want to do is be together and Rodolfo reading the movie magazine shows that he desperately wants to become an American, so he is going to see movies etc just like an American.
At this point in the play Beatrice initiate’s a conversation with Marco because she wants to change the tense atmosphere in the room and break up the argument between Eddie and Rodolfo because Eddie us beginning to lose his temper. Beatrice’s conversation with Marco reveals that Marco has come over to America to do his job and get money for his family in Italy. We know that Marco misses his family but is doing what he intended to, keep his mind focused on his family and send all his money home, he keeps all his feeling to himself. Beatrice says ‘she must be nice, she’s pretty I bet heh?’ Marco reply’s ‘no but she understands everything’ tis shows that he is not shallow and doesn’t like his wife for her looks but for much more important qualities.
Eddie becomes involved in this conversation as soon as Rodolfo speaks because he doesn’t mind that Marco and Beatrice are talking however the minute Rodolfo gets into the conversation Eddie distracts him by interrupting him. Eddie avoids direct confrontation with Rodolfo by using a general conversation trying to get Marcos word backing him up. Eddie avoids direct confrontation because it is a matter of family honour that he provide somewhere for Marco and Rodolfo to stay. As a host he should not fight with him.
In this argument about respect Beatrice says ‘well tell him, honey?’ she is trying to get Catherine to stand up to Eddie and show him that she is grown up and doesn’t need him to make decisions for her (e.g. who she can go out with). She is trying to boost Catherine’s confidence in this. Eddie diverts attention from his objection to Rodolfo and Catherine’s relationship by changing the subject to his papers because he is out so late at the movies if he was coming back and got hit by a car he would have to go to hospital and also be identified. At this point Marco agrees that Rodolfo is no longer allowed out so late with Catherine. Eddie makes it appear as though he has Rodolfo’s welfare at heart. He did this earlier on in the play when Rodolfo was singing. Eddie again diverts his attention this way because he would snap at Rodolfo and everyone would see he is jealous. Marco responds to Eddies objections and anger by agreeing with Eddie. Marcos agreement with Eddie shuts him up because he wasn’t expecting it and Eddie just sits down and says nothing.
In this next part of this play there is both humour an growing tension between the characters. In this next section Eddies “Paper” Is a very important prop towards his actions, “He has bent the rolled paper and it suddenly tears in two” This Stage action shows his anger which he needs to unleash.
At this point in the scene I think Eddie is reading his newspaper because he doesn’t want to be in the conversation with Rodolfo because he despises him, he is also reading his newspaper to hide behind so he doesn’t show everyone he is full of anger and jealousy of Rodolfo. Eddie is full of anger because he has just been in an argument with Rodolfo. Eddie has only stopped arguing because Marco is on his side and he agrees with him, which Eddie did not expect so he still has all his anger flaring up inside of him so he sits down and hides behind his newspaper.
Catherine putting on a record and asking Rodolfo to dance shows that her attitude towards Eddie is very revengeful and she knows that he doesn’t like her being with Rodolfo so she knows this will get him very angry. When Catherine asked Rodolfo to dance he refuses at first, because he knows Eddie doesn’t want him to dance with her and having Eddie in the room Rodolfo can feel “Eddie’s eyes on his back.” Rodolfo doesn’t want to antagonise Eddie any more.
At this point in the play when Eddie asks if the record “Paper Doll” is a new record, He is implying that Rodolfo is spending a lot of money on records and other American things and not saving it to go back to Italy. The stage directions at this point “She watches them dance Eddie turns his head away” tells us that Beatrice’s feelings are very proud for Catherine and happy for her because she is watching her dance, where as Eddies feelings should be the same but he is angry that Rodolfo is dancing with his niece and he is backing up his belief that Rodolfo is only going to marry Catherine for his papers, which he doesn’t want and he “Turns his head away” not wanting to watch them because he doesn’t like the sight of them being together.
Beatrice continues to talk about the fishing boats because she knows that she looks foolish, so she keeps talking so she doesn’t look so bad and is also trying to lighten everybody up because it is getting very tense in the room. It also shows that she just like Catherine has been brought up in an over protected environment and is very interested and wants to know more just like Catherine did.
The effect on the audience of Eddie lowering his newspaper and saying “He’s a cook too” is that everybody will find it funny and laugh and it is also saying that he is not reading his paper he is listening to every word and is hiding his anger behind his paper. When Eddie says this, the stage direction about Rodolfo suggests that he has taken it as a compliment and “smiles thankfully,” when really Eddie is trying to imply that he is a homosexual. The tone of Catherine’s words “They get some high pay those guys” is, that she knows Eddie is insulting him but she is pretending to take it the same way as Rodolfo by saying this. She is also saying that he can go further in life than Eddie and is also sticking up for Rodolfo. The effects of Eddies repetition of “He sings, he cooks and makes dresses” is that he wants to insult him and it is only at this point in the play that Rodolfo realises that he is insulting him.
As soon as Eddie has torn the paper his mood changes dramatically. From insulting Rodolfo in his much masked way he offers the two brothers an invitation to a bout. The other characters can’t quite make out at this point but they are happy that he isn’t insulting him no more.
At this point in the scene Miller includes the stage direction. “Pull’s his pants over his belly.” This is showing the audience and the other characters around him his manliness, as though he is getting ready for something. Eddie offers to take Marco to a boxing match because Eddie wants to get at Rodolfo and not asking him to the boxing match at first and asking Marco is like he is trying to say come on Marco let us men go to a manly fight, and leave “girlie” Rodolfo to do his “girlie” cooking and making dresses .
Marco is “uneasy” in his reply because he doesn’t know what Eddie is trying to do, and he doesn’t know what Eddie wants out of him. Eddie has just insulted his brother so he is really not sure. The significance of Eddie inviting Rodolfo along too shows that he has clearly thought this process through so he will get the chance to show Rodolfo how to box and give him a taste of what he’s made of. Eddie has been ignoring him and offending him and is now inviting him to go out to the fight with him to cover up his animosity.
“Danish” it is a nickname which suggests friendship. It also links up to the beginning of the play when Eddie had no reason to hate Rodolfo and he says this. Eddie is also trying to lighten the atmosphere in the room.
At this point in the play Catherine offers to make some coffee for everyone because she feels that Eddie has finally got to like Rodolfo and is being kind to him by inviting him to the boxing match. Miller has got her to go out the room so when she comes back in and finds Eddie and Rodolfo fighting she will be in great shock.
Eddies reply “Go ahead, make some! Make it nice and strong!” shows that he is still on the subject of boxing and to be a boxer you need to be very strong. He also says this because having her out the room makes it better for Eddie to hit Rodolfo whilst teaching him to box. It is also a side swipe at Rodolfo. He says “make it strong” because he isn’t and needs to be to figure with Eddie. Eddie saying “Make it nice and strong” mystifies Catherine because she can’t fully understand why he has said this and is confused.
Eddie is “Weirdly elated” because of what he is about to do. He is rubbing his fists into the palm of his hand as though he is about to have a fight and he is going to hit Rodolfo and this makes him excited and happy. Beatrice’s comment “What’s he got to learn that for?” shows she has noticed that something bad is going to happen and is warning us of this. Eddies comment “Someone’s liable to step on his foot?” is ironic because we know what is going to happen in the end and that the person who is going to step on his foot is going to be Eddie.
Rodolfo only agrees to let Eddie teach him how to box because Beatrice says “Go ahead , Rodolfo. He’s a good boxer, he could teach you” He takes Beatrice’s advice as she is part of his family and he trusts her.
If I were directing this play I would show that Rodolfo isn’t very good at boxing but he was able to pick it up very easily. The characters around him were saying at boxing he was good to try boost his confidence, especially when Beatrice says “He’s very good!” because he starts to jab at Eddie with a lot more comfort in doing it.
Miller at this point has Catherine come back into the room because now Eddie says “Now I am gonna hit you so block me, see?” so this will make Catherine think that they’re having a fight and could take it the wrong way, and be very shocked, Eddie also waits for Catherine to enter the room so he can show Rodolfo up by hitting him and showing how weak he is. Eddie, later on in this play repeats this “show” by kissing Rodolfo in front of Catherine.
The effect on the characters and the audience of Eddie landing Rodolfo with his right is that everybody is shocked. Marco rises as though he is ready to get Eddie and defend his brother, and the audience feel that he is going to say something to Eddie, Beatrice and Catherine are shocked because they didn’t think that Eddie would do such a thing as this. The effect of Eddie “Rubbing the back of his hand across his mouth” is that it is showing that he has finished with him, just as you would if you were to wipe your mouth when you are finished with your dinner. It also shows a sense of enjoyment and that he has won and beat Rodolfo.
Rodolfo says that Eddie did not hurt him when he punched him, he has “certain gleam and smile” as if to say that no he didn’t hurt me I am a strong man and that his punch was very weak, when really it did hurt him. He is trying to mock Eddie but Rodolfo also gives a sign that he understands Eddies motion’s perfectly and fully intends to pay him back.
Eddie turns to Marco and says “He could be very good” because he is trying to cover the fact that he really did mean to hurt him but then saying this just means he was just teaching him.
When Eddie says “I’ll teach him again” it has a double meaning because the way he wants everyone to take it, is that he will teach him boxing again also saying that he will teach him properly and really have a fight with him and teach him not to mess with him again.
At this point Rodolfo asks Catherine to dance because he knows that Eddie doesn’t like seeing them together so having Eddie see them dance close together he will not like it and it will make him jealous, Rodolfo is getting his own back on Eddie in his own tormenting way.
The closing scene of the first act is extremely tense and dramatic, Marco challenges Eddie to a contest of strength. Whilst it is all quiet and only Catherine and Rodolfo are dancing, Marco slowly and quietly picks up a wooden chair and places it in front of Eddie, and looks down at it. The audience are very confused as to what Marco is doing as well as Eddie and Beatrice. Marco then says “Can you lift this chair?” The curiosity is increasing in everybody as to what is going on. Marco then explains what the task is that he wants Eddie to do. He goes down to the chair, kneels, grasps the bottom of one of the chairs legs but does not lift it because if he did it would take the drama from Eddie failing it. “From here” Marco says with a quiet soft voice. Eddie thinking it will be very easy reply’s “Sure why not?” He goes to the chair, kneels, grasps the leg, raises the chair one inch, but leans over to the floor. Eddie tries over again and again he fails, although the task is very hard, he tries to tell Marco why its so hard by giving him an excuse for him failing “Its on an angle, that’s why, heh?” Marco kneels down and grasps the leg of the chair. He lifts the chair fully off the ground and keeps rising stands up tall with the chair held way above Eddie. Marco is face to face with Eddie, a strained tension in Marcos face as he gripping the chair telling the characters that it is hard but yet he is determined to do it.
Marco is doing this in family solidarity, defending his brother as Eddie has just defeated Rodolfo and now, Marco has just defeated Eddie. Eddie was acting like a bully to Rodolfo and now Marco has got Eddie as if to say bullies never win. The end of this act is like the same as the end of act two because Eddie is been defeated by a kind of strength and the characters are very tense and silent.
The significance of placing the interval here is that Miller knows the audience needs a break from the tension. Doing this he gives the two acts a symmetrical structure which helps the audience predict the later action. Ending this act in tragedy from Eddie’s behaviour prefigures the end of the play. This scene has demonstrated the destructive nature of Eddie’s love for Catherine. His love for her has taken over his life and it is as if it is the only thing on his mind in the play. Eddie, Beatrice, Marco and Rodolfo all have to start to consider the importance of family loyalty and honour.
