GCSE Coursework: Examine how the Sicilian cultural background influences the action in "A View from the Bridge".
Eddie is a Sicilian immigrant living in New York as a long shore man. He is strict because he follows the Sicilian code of conduct. He works hard and looks after Beatrice (his wife) and her orphaned niece Catherine. They are poor but content.
Beatrice's cousins, Marco and Rodolpho arrived illegally from Sicily. The Carbone family's life changes forever with the arrival Marco and Rodolpho in New York. Their lives and loyalties are tested - and results in tragedy for the Carbone family. The Sicilian people believe that they should follow their code of conduct very strictly. For example, before Marco and Rodolpho came to stay, Eddie told Beatrice and Catherine - "Just remember, kid, you can quicker get back a million dollars that was stole than a word that you gave away."This informs us about how much Sicilians respect their culture and heritage and would do anything to make sure they do not expose the illegal immigrants that live amongst them. In a similar circumstance, the community's deep cultural connections with old Sicily, and Sicilian ways of understanding 'justice' and honour are very entrenched.
Marco is different from Rodolpho in terms of his character and ambition. Each one of them came to the United States for completely different reasons. They are viewed differently by those around them and react differently to the situations that are presented to them.
Marco came to the United States for one reason only, and that is, to make enough money to return to Italy in six years to provide for his sick family. His children are sick with tuberculosis and he is unable to provide for them in a country that is still rebuilding from the ravages of World War II. Marco is seen as one of the guys on the docks; he works hard and the rest of the long-shoremen respect him and his work ethic. Marco does not wish to stay in the United States permanently. He longs to return home to his family. Finally, he believes strongly in the Sicilian code of conduct and anyone who comes between him and his family would suffer in pain - just like Eddie did. (Quote)
Rodolpho only came to the United States to make big money. He wanted to be rich and famous. Rodolpho is quite wimpy and has a very feminine side. For example, Rodolpho loves to cook, sew and sing. Rodolpho also works at the docks. The long-shoremen do not really respect Rodolpho but find him funny as he is very feminine and has a unusual hair colour for someone of his background. Rodolpho does not know why the long-shoremen laughs at him but he may assume that they are trying to be friendly. Rodolpho does not want to return to ...
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Rodolpho only came to the United States to make big money. He wanted to be rich and famous. Rodolpho is quite wimpy and has a very feminine side. For example, Rodolpho loves to cook, sew and sing. Rodolpho also works at the docks. The long-shoremen do not really respect Rodolpho but find him funny as he is very feminine and has a unusual hair colour for someone of his background. Rodolpho does not know why the long-shoremen laughs at him but he may assume that they are trying to be friendly. Rodolpho does not want to return to Sicily, as he has nothing there for himself. Sicily was suffering from severe poverty as a result of the destruction of the Italian economy during the World War II. (Quote)
When Catherine and Rodolpho started to go out together frequently, Eddie begun to think that Rodolpho was untrustworthy. Eddie therefore became jealous and despised Rodolpho even more. Eddie tried everything to persuade Catherine to leave Rodolpho.
According to the play Eddie explained to Catherine that Rodolpho is only using her to gain the authority to be an American Citizen, by marrying her. Catherine tries to resist what Eddie forces through to her but soon considers that maybe Rodolpho is using her.
Beatrice is more aware than ever of the attention Eddie is giving to Catherine. She talks to Catherine about being a woman and tells her she must grow up and make her own decisions. Beatrice encourages Catherine to get married to Rodolpho if that is what she wants to do. Catherine agrees to try. (QUOTE)
Eddie, still frustrated with Rodolpho and Catherine's intimate relationship, visits Alfieri and asks if there is any way he can get rid of Rodolpho by law as he is suspicious that Rodolpho is only after Catherine to gain a US citizenship. Eddie also suspects that Rodolpho is homosexual because of his femininity. But Alfieri assures him that there is no lawful way except for the unthinkable of reporting the two brothers to the immigration authorities.
Alfieri tells Eddie that he needs to let Catherine go (stop loving her in a sexual way) but Eddie commences a rage and storms out in a dramatic sulk. Before Alfieri speaks to Eddie he talks to the audience and quotes: "His eyes were like tunnels; my first thought was that he had committed a crime, but soon I saw it was only a passion that had moved into his body, like a stranger".
Marco thinks that Eddie does not respect his brother. This is because Eddie makes barbed comments, implying that Rodolpho is too friendly with Catherine and too casual with his money. He pretends to admire the fact that Rodolpho can cook, sew and sing, before adding that it is wrong for someone with those skills to work at the docks. He offers to treat Rodolpho and Marco to a night watching a prize-fight. Eddie asks Rodolpho if he wants to learn how to fight. This is clearly just an excuse to punch Rodolpho, but Rodolpho takes it good-humouredly. The fight turns into a real one when Eddie "accidentally" punches Rodolpho in the eye, making him fall back onto the floor. Catherine goes running to Rodolpho's side, which shows that she is more interested in Rodolpho's safety than Eddie's.
Marco then challenges Eddie by showing off his strength by holding a chair from the bottom of one of its legs. Marco - (He kneels, grasps, and with strain slowly raises the chair higher) "Can you lift this chair?... from here?". Eddie tries to do this strength challenging activity, but then fails. This is of course a threat directed at Eddie not to disrespect Rodolpho.
Eddie comes home from work during Christmas time. He discovers Catherine is getting married to Rodolpho and is moving out of the apartment. This makes Eddie confused, heartbroken and furious as he loves Catherine and as a result feels definite hatred towards Rodolpho. (QUOTE).
Eddie returns to Alfieri and tells him what happened. Alfieri explains that there is nothing Eddie or the law can do to prevent the wedding. He advises Eddie to let the couple marry, warning him that there could be awful consequences if he didn't. Yet Eddie ignores Alfieri's warnings and in emotional angst of the prospect of Rodolpho marrying Catherine, Eddie telephones the Immigration Bureau, anonymously, to betray the cousins.
When Eddie returns home from work, he finds that Marco and Rodolpho have moved upstairs to a neighbour's apartment. There is a tense conversation with Beatrice. She is very angry with him. Beatrice directly discloses to Eddie that Catherine and Rodolpho are going to get married next week, ironically because Catherine is afraid that the authorities will catch up with the brothers. Beatrice tries to persuade Eddie to agree to come to Catherine's wedding. When Catherine walks into the room, Beatrice encourages Catherine to ask Eddie to come to the wedding. Catherine refuses to listen to Eddie's suggestion that it is not too late for her to meet other boys. This was Eddie's last-ditch attempt to prevent the wedding. (QUOTE)
Eddie discovers there are two other illegal immigrants in the upstairs lounge with Marco and Rodolpho. He becomes concerned and warns that they will be less safe from the authorities. He is obviously regretting the call he made to the Immigration Bureau, but it is too late as two immigration officers arrive. It is clear to Beatrice and Catherine that Eddie was the one who betrayed them. As the officers lead Marco, Rodolpho and the two other immigrants away, Catherine pleads with the men to spare Rodolpho, while Marco runs into the room where Eddie is and spits into Eddie's face. This is because Eddie betrayed their trust and the Sicilian Code of Conduct not to betray the family. Eddie shouts out that he'll kill Marco. Marco retorts that Eddie has stolen food from his children "...He killed my children! That one stole the food from my children" . Marco chanted this because he would surely be deported because of him living illegally in America. Eddie protests that he is innocent. "...I give them the blankets off my bed. Six months I kept them like my brothers", "...I'll kill him..." but all the neighbours turn away from him as they feel that Eddie is not to be trusted and is a hypocrite and a traitor to the Sicilian Society. They may also assume that the favour that Eddie had done for Marco and Rodolpho can never top the unthinkable that he had done to them. The honour of Eddie is now at stake because he had betrayed the Sicilian Code of Conduct.
At the end of the play, Marco, Rodolpho and Catherine are with Alfieri in the reception room of the prison. Alfieri needs a promise from Marco that he will not kill Eddie as a condition of bail. Marco is reluctant, feeling that Eddie should be punished, but agrees.
It is then the day of the wedding. Beatrice gets dressed in her best clothes, but Eddie tells her that if she goes, he won't let her back into the house (QUOTE). Catherine is angry, calling Eddie a rat(QUOTE). When Rodolpho arrives to take Catherine to the church, he says that Marco is at the church, praying. Eddie is furious. He wants to get even with Marco, for ruining his good name in the neighbourhood. Beatrice tries to calm him, telling him that the reason he is angry is because he is about to lose Catherine forever. But this truth fires Eddie up even more.
Marco arrives, calling out Eddie's name. Eddie goes to meet him in the street shouting his name and demands a public apology. Instead, Marco calls him an "animal". Eddie draws a knife, but Marco is able to grip Eddie's wrist and turns the knife on Eddie himself. Eddie dies in Beatrice's arms. Alfieri closes the play, commenting on how useless Eddie's death was, and how much he admired him for allowing himself to be "wholly known."
The play is a tragedy because Eddie loved someone he should never have loved; it concludes that bad, unlawful love ends with a disappointing consequence. The story explains that Marco and Rodolpho rigidly follow Sicilian law and social custom. However, Marco follows these laws more strictly than Rodolpho. At the conclusion of the play, Marco seeks revenge towards Eddie whereas Rodolpho asks for forgiveness from Eddie and even offers to kiss his hand before marrying his daughter. The lawlessness of Marco and Rodolpho are far overshadowed by Eddie. Whereas Marco and Rodolpho break laws in order to escape poverty in Italy and provide for their families, Eddie acts solely to protect himself and his pride.