This is revealed when Eddie says “ Near the navy yard plenty can happen in a block and a half. And a plumbing company! That’s one step over the water front. They’re practically longshoreman.” And than he goes on further saying “ Listen B, she’ll be with a lotta plumbers? And sailors up and down the street? So what did she go to school for?” I would say these quote suggest that Eddie is over precise for her.
He probably thinks that because he knows what men are like as he is one himself. Eddie calls Catherine Madonna. This is shown when Eddie says “ Oh sure, well listen, so you gonna start Monday, heh, Madonna?”. This quote tells us that Eddie believes no guy should meet her and he calls her words, which make Beatrice jealous.
Eddie himself doesn’t know what he feels about Catherine. His personally attracted to her.
Catherine enjoys looking after Eddie. (In a close way.) This is revealed when Catherine says “here, I’ll light it for you! (she strikes a math and holds it to his cigar.) Don’t worry about me Eddie, heh?.” This quote suggests that Catherine is over interested in old men than young men until Rodolpho arrives and changes her thoughts. Catherine is innocent and she’s to close to Eddie which aint suitable. ( She’s always around Eddie wearing short clothes.) This is shown when Beatrice says, “You still walk around in front of him in your slip.”
All these points have affected Eddie’s marriage to Beatrice as Eddie gives more attention to his niece Catherine. This is revealed when Beatrice asks Eddie “When am I gonna be a wife again, Eddie?.”
I personally think Eddie his given his sexual life up with Beatrice, and is after Catherine. He has no sexual desire for Beatrice. When ever Beatrice asks Eddie about being a wife again, Eddie always makes excuses up such as: I got a headache, don’t feel right etc…
This is shown when Eddie says “ I aint been feelin’ good .” I would say these excuses are for women not men.
Eddie’s interest aint in Beatrice anymore. Catherine is the one who’s caught his eye. Although Beatrice is horrified by Eddie’s actions, she is loyal and turns to him instead of away from. This is because of her love for him as well as the Catholic marriage and the belief that is a life long commitment. Although she is forced to come out with the truth in the end that it is Catherine he wants and not her name.
When Eddie is told by Alfieri what’s going on Eddies head about Catherine aint right. Eddie doesn’t believe it. This is revealed when Alfieri says “A man works hard, he brings up a child, sometimes it’s a niece, sometimes even a daughter, and he never realizes it, but through the years- there is too much love for the daughter, there is too much love for the niece.” This suggests that Eddie doesn’t know or understand his feelings for Catherine deep down.
Into this house-hold come two Sicilian cousins of Beatrice, They are illegal immigrants whose presence must be kept secret from the immigration authorities.
Eddie gets on well at first with the elder brother, Marco whose interest is to earn money to send home to his wife and family in Sicily, but he instantly disapproves of Rodolpho, who is young, unmarried and obviously attractive to Catherine.
Eddie starts picking on Rodolpho form the first night. In my point of view, Eddie is Jealous of Catherine’s attraction to Rodolpho, Which I believe this is taking Catherine’s attention away from Eddie.
I personally think Eddie uses Rodolpho’s illegal status against him and exercises his authority over him. Eddie believes Rodolpho has abused the family hospitality as Eddie brought him here and he stole Eddie daughter.
Rodolpho is a guy who would irritate Eddie. Eddie justifies his suspicions of Rodolpho protesting that he has fair Blond hair, a high singing voice, a taste for feminine occupations such as: cooking and dress-making. This is shown when Eddie says “ He sings on the ships, didja know that.” Then he goes on further saying “ And with that wacky hair; he’s like a chorus girl or sump’m (so he’s blond)” In my personal view I think that Eddie believes Rodolpho to be homosexual which for him is an excuse to keep Catherine and Rodolpho apart. Looking at all the words Eddie has said for Rodolpho comes to a conclusion that Eddie is simply jealous of Rodolpho and that deep down he doesn’t think Rodolpho is “GAY”.
Eddie always says to Catherine that Rodolpho wants to marry her for his passport only and than dump her.
This is shown when Eddie says“ Katie, he’s only bowin’ to his passport.”
In one way, Eddie has a point about immigration. Catherine reacts badly to this and the tension between everyone in the flat grows.
Coming to a conclusion in some ways Eddie deserves sympathy since he could not distinguish his feelings to his niece. He does not really understand his improper desire and therefore is unable to hide these feelings for his wife Beatrice.
In Real Life, however Eddie in my view does not deserve sympathy since not every man would love their nieces the way he did and had to pay for the consequences of his actions. In general it can be said that he had a wife that stood by him through out. This is not always practical in life.
