Eddie has several pursuits for justice in the play. His view on justice is misplaced. He believes that Rodolfo, Beatrice’s immigrant cousin, shouldn’t be allowed by law to have a relationship with and marry Catherine. He thinks that Rodolfo only wants to marry Catherine “to get his papers”. He feels that it is unjust for Rodolfo to do this. Eddie tries to back his point of view by implying that Rodolfo is a homosexual, “with that wacky hair; he’s like a chorus girls or sump’m.”
Eddie’s visit to Alfieri highlights Eddie’s frustrations and his feelings that the law is inadequate. Eddie finds it difficult to communicate his frustrations regarding Catherine and Rodolfo. This is shown when Eddie says “The guy ain’t right, Mr Alfieri”, which Alfieri struggles to understand because Eddie isn’t explaining himself properly. Eddie is frustrated because “there is nothing illegal about a girl falling in love with an immigrant”. He shows his frustration with comments such as, “it’s eatin me out; Mr Alfieri”. This leads him to feel that the law is inadequate because it won’t deliver what he wants. The only issue of state law is that Rodolfo, and Marco, entered the country illegally. In Sicily the community law of the code of honour would allow Eddie to avenge Rodolfo. Alfieri believes that the state law has to be followed, but inside he sympathises with Eddie and his wishes for justice. There are several natural laws that Eddie fails to recognise and understand. For example, it’s natural for Catherine to grow up, get a job, fall in love and eventually marry. This is similar for Rodolfo. Alfieri tries to explain to Eddie that he needs to let Catherine “grow up and go away”.
Eddie becomes very frustrated when he realises that he cannot gain the justice he desires. He doesn’t understand why the law cannot do anything to help him, “you mean to tell me that there’s no law that a guy that ain’t right can go to work and marry a girl and-?” The stage direction “(with a fuller flow of indignation)” highlights Eddie’s confusion and frustration. Throughout this, Eddie is only thinking about his own feelings of injustice.
Eddie is ignorant to the injustice he causes regarding other people. He treats Beatrice badly and takes her for granted, “When am I gonna be a wife again, Eddie?” This shows that Beatrice still continues to love Eddie; regardless of the way he treats her. Beatrice wants to have a happy life with Eddie acting as her wife. When Eddie is trying to stop Catherine’s relationship with Rodolfo, because he is jealous of Rodolfo, he does not think about the injustice he causes towards Catherine. Eddie is only Catherine’s uncle and he has no right to try and manipulate Catherine and her life for what he wants. Beatrice reminds Catherine that she to seek justice personally, “You gotta give him to understand that he can’t give you orders no more”. This reinforces that Eddie is ignorant to Catherine’s injustice and that Beatrice is also aware of this.
Marco, Rudolfo’s elder brother, has numerous demands for justice. He wants to be able to live happily in America. His purpose is to work and send money home to his family, who live in poor conditions, “They eat the sunshine”, “I send everything”. Marco finds the way Eddie treats Rodolfo unjust. Marco enforces his dominance over Eddie at the end of the first act by proving his greater strength when he lifts the chair with one hand. This is Marco’s message to Eddie that he should stop mistreating Rodolfo. However, Eddie ignores this and eventually rings the immigration bureau. In accordance with the Sicilian code of honour Marco wants to gain justice against Eddie by killing him. When Marco calls Eddie “Animal!” it shows how much he hates him, which reflects how deeply he believes in Eddie’s injustice towards Rodolfo. Marco’s feelings that he must seek vengeance may seem unnecessary. However, when it’s put into the context that that is how he was brought up to think, it seems more reasonable.
I believe that Marco’s demands for justice are more justified than Eddie’s. Marco’s wishes to work and for him and Rodolfo to be treated justly are natural and fair demands. However, it is not right for Eddie to seek what he believe is his justice, because Eddie’s sexual desire for Catherine defies natural law and is abnormal.
When Marco speaks to Alfieri he says that he thinks that it’s just for him to seek vengeance, “In my country he would be dead now.” This highlights the Sicilian views on law that people should each search for justice personally, and that one wrong cancels out another. If Marco followed the community code of honour he could kill Eddie. However, this would break state law. Marco’s view that “all law is not in a book” tells us of his intention to pursue his own justice regardless of the state law. In Marco’s view, Eddie broke moral laws by degrading his brother, ringing the immigration bureau and therefore stopping Marco working. Marco finds it difficult to understand that Eddie is innocent in the eyes of the law, “There is no law for that?” This reinforces that in Sicily community laws would deal with Eddie. When Marco has to promise to Alfieri not to avenge Eddie, he “(lowers his eyes. It almost seems he is ashamed)”. This shows the depth of the code of honour within Marco. Alfieri’s comment that “Only God makes justice” suggests that he believes that Marco has no right to judge other people and think that his justice is more important then others’.
Marco and Eddie both see themselves as the head of their families. They should be compatible because they are similar, but they end up in mortal combat. Marco shares the view with Eddie about community law, that people must right a wrong themselves.
Rodolfo has a more liberal approach to law and justice. He doesn’t believe that seeking revenge personally is the right thing to do. The justice he seeks is to “marry Catherine”, “work” and “to be an American.” When Rodolfo compares Catherine to a “little bird” that “wishes to fly”, but cannot be released as she is loved too much, it shows Rodolfo’s belief that Eddie is unjust to try and control Catherine. This is because it means that Catherine is not very willing to defy Eddie and marry Rodolfo, which is an injustice to Rodolfo and Catherine.
Towards the end of the play Rodolfo attempts to mediate between Marco and Eddie to get them to “settle for half” and not avenge each other. He apologises to Eddie for not asking for permission to marry Catherine, as he believes that it is this that stimulated the problems between them all, “ It is my fault, Eddie. Everything.” This shows Rodolfo’s ability to compromise, as he did not have to apologise, because Eddie is not Catherine’s father. Rodolfo accepts that Eddie may not have meant to insult him, with his behaviour towards him and in particular by kissing him, which reinforces that he can compromise. Rodolfo concedes as he has less reputation so he doesn’t need to assert himself, whereas Eddie has pride and honour within the community to uphold. Rodolfo pleads with his brother to promise not to avenge Eddie, which would mean Marco would be conceding to Eddie and compromising his honour. However, neither Marco nor Eddie compromise, as they want their honour and personal justice.
Rodolfo’s capability to compromise is close to Alfieri’s view that people should “settle for half”. It is Marco and Eddie’s failure to “settle for half” that allows the tragedy to occur.
Arthur Miller’s views on justice are relevant today. For example, Nadia Eweida, a check-in worker at Heathrow Airport, was asked to cover up her cross necklace, which is a symbol of Christianity. She refused, as she feels it is her right to express her faith and display it in a Christian manner. The airport said that it was the uniform policy that religious symbols should be covered up. Nadia Eweida wants the justice of being able to show her cross necklace, whereas the company want the justice of their workers complying with their policies.
Justice is different for each character, as they all have different desires in life. Their points of views about law vary. For example, whereas Eddie follows the code of honour, Rodolfo does not, as he is content with abiding by state laws. Their views are different because Rodolfo is younger and beliefs are changing as time progresses. I sympathise with most of the characters’ search for justice, apart from Eddie. I understand what Eddie wants, but I do not support it.
I believe that in the future the law will appear more adequate. An example of law becoming more adequate is that more laws are being formed to create equality between males and females, such as the Equal Pay Act (1970).
Rodolfo, Catherine and Beatrice are all “winners” in the play. Rodolfo compromised, so he gained a future. Catherine was able to move forward. This was because Eddie died, which allowed her the freedom to seek justice. She did not have a vendetta against Marco for the role he had to play in Eddie’s death, which enabled her to move on. Beatrice compromises when Rodolfo comes to warn Eddie about Marco, as she understands that Rodolfo is compromising as well. This is shown when she says, “Eddie, he’s apologizing!” Although she loses her husband, she has a future ahead of her, because she is able to compromise. Eddie and Marco are the “losers” in the play. Eddie dies so has no future at all. Marco ruins any chance of working well in America by killing Eddie and is deported
Miller wrote this modern tragedy to question the American government’s moral authority, and possibly other governments too. This is linked to people’s feeling that the law is inadequate, potentially due to their failure in finding justice. I think that he believed that the American government was inadequate, as it worked with legal authority and not moral authority. Perhaps he had experienced or known someone else who experienced moral injustice by the state laws.
I think that Miller succeeded in his purpose in writing the play. I found the story and emotional tragedy interesting and exciting, but I admire him more for the subtext he created, which made me question the British governments adequacy and the justice that I seek.