The play then plummets into the arrival of Beatrice’s two cousins from Italy who are illegal immigrants. Eddie is shown here as a very caring husband over the incident with the tablecloth and he offers to go down and buy a new one if it would make Beatrice happy. The ‘honour’ that is bestowed upon the family as Eddie says, is pride. The law does not matter in this community as they make the rules. Eddie ironically tells the tragic story of Vinny Bonzano who told the Immigration Bureau that his uncle was an illegal immigrant and was staying with them. He was then disowned from the community. This states the harsh reactions that the community has against someone who ‘breaks the code’.The result is always violence. The arrival of the cousins creates apprehension and Marco who is the eldest is very courteous towards Eddie. Rodolpho is the younger of the two and he is blonde. This fascinates Catherine and she voices her fascination, like a child who is curious about something. The two brothers speak of their home in Italy and Rodolpho does all of the talking. Marco seems pre-occupied with other thoughts. After they talk about Marco’s family Catherine asks Rodolpho whether he is married. This direct action causes Beatrice to ‘cover up’ what Catherine has just said. When Rodolpho says that he can sing and he sings ‘Paper Doll’ for Catherine, Eddie can see Catherine’s eyes shining as she is captured in the music. Eddie cannot stand this attention, so he stops Rodolpho with the excuse that he will be ‘picked up’. Eddie realises that because he was able to get Rodolpho to be quiet so swiftly he is in charge and therefore, what he says goes. The stage directions say, ‘he rose with iron control’, this happens as he is realising this power. Eddie then picks Catherine to pieces in front of everyone just because she is wearing high heels, as though she were seven. This time Catherine is angry but still obedient. Catherine is suppressing her anger, but it may escalate later. Eddie seems to think that he has control, daring anyone to rival his position.
Alfieri then intercedes stating that Eddie never expected to have a destiny. This could be adding extra fuel to the fire. It is already obvious that Rodolpho excites Catherine and because he has dreams, Eddie could be jealous. In the next section, Beatrice confronts Eddie about not causing a scene when Catherine and Rodolpho come home from a date. It is at this point that Eddie voices his concern that Rodolpho is actually homosexual due to his blond hair and the fact that he can sing. Beatrice then voices her concern for her marriage. The sexual side of their relationship had diminished and Beatrice is concerned because she suspects Eddie has sexual feelings for Catherine. Beatrice has no luck with Eddie over their relationship or over Catherine. A conversation with two of his friends reinforces Eddie’s thoughts about Rodolpho’s sexuality. When they meet, Rodolpho tries to make conversation with Eddie, but he is antagonistic and insists that he needs to talk to Catherine. Affectionately calling her Katie, Eddie uses his familiar emotional approach, which is sensitive to Catherine's emotions. He suggests that all he is doing is looking out for her interests. He uses her inexperience to denunciate her arguments, harshly. Eddie then tells her that Rodolpho is only ‘goin´ with her’, for his American passport. Catherine sobs and Eddie is alarmed and does not understand why Catherine does not agree with him. Eddie orders Beatrice to ‘see’ to Catherine. This is when Beatrice tells Catherine that Eddie may have alternative feelings for her. Up until now, Catherine thought that the world was a lovely place and now the security of home has been shattered. Catherine now realises that she is going to have to defend herself; no one else can do it for her. That means that she would have to fight against Eddie. Against Eddie’s authority.
Eddie then visits Alfieri. Alfieri states that he knew what Eddie was going to say to him before Eddie said anything. The two characters have poor communications and neither one actually listens to the other. Eddie is trying to find a legal way in which to condemn Rodolpho. Alfieri, a man of the law is telling him that it is impossible and that the only legal way was ‘the means in which they entered the country’. Eddie denounces that idea swiftly. They get onto an argument as Alfieri is trying to get Eddie to understand that he cannot have Catherine and that he has to let her go. Now, the audience can see that Eddie is very possessive over Catherine. He says that Rodolpho is stealing from him, that Catherine is his possession. Alfieri feels helpless and he knows that something terrible is going to happen. These words create an increasing sense of doom, which is descending, while every word is spoken.
The next scene is the climax before the second act. In this section, Catherine finally realises that she has to stand up to Eddie, the man who brought her up. There is a small argument about oranges and lemons and Eddie says how they paint oranges so they look orange. Rodolpho tries to get his point across which concerns lemons. Eddie squashes Rodolpho considerably. The fact that Eddie mentioned the oranges being painted - covering up their identity as an indirect implication to Rodolpho. It could be stating Eddie’s point about Rodolpho´s sexuality that he makes out of be someone that he is not. He is painting his character. Beatrice’s creates peace and asks Marco about his family. Eddie, pouring oil onto the fire states that some women are unfaithful while their husbands are off earning money. Surprisingly for Eddie, Rodolpho says that life is strict in Italy and Eddie rises to the occasion. Eddie retaliates with the comment that it is also strict here and he does not like Rodolpho bringing Catherine back so late. Marco gives in to Eddie’s power, trying to create peace between the two. There is now an air of tension and suppressed rivalry in the room. Catherine at this point is sick and tired of the person she loves being denounced in such a way. She therefore challenges Eddie’s authority in asking Rodolpho to dance. Eddie simply freezes and carries on attacking Rodolpho by asking him to box. In this way, Eddie was putting Rodolpho to a sick test. Eddie was wondering if Rodolpho were actually going to hit him. Marco was quiet throughout the whole boxing scene and when it was finished, Catherine and Rodolpho started dancing again. Marco then challenged Eddie to his own kind of test. When Eddie fails to pick up a chain by one leg, Marco does it exposing his full strength. Although this action was done without any words, Eddie knew what Marco was signalling. Eddie had gone too far and Marco was protecting his baby brother. Marco, who was normally a quiet, self-contained and polite figure, was now questioning Eddie´s authority because Eddie had violated his. The Italian passion for justice comes through again as Marco violently protects his brother. Marco had arisen and with great strength, everyone was now questioning Eddie´s authority.
In the next act, Alfieri states that because a crate of wine ‘accidentally’ fell off a ship Eddie was likely to come home drunk. Another warning. In this next scene, Catherine and Rodolpho show their love for each other through words and they talk about Eddie. Rodolpho knows that Catherine has to get away from Eddie. They make love. Eddie comes home early in the morning and Catherine comes to the door to meet him. She is wearing little. Rodolpho comes out of the same room and Eddie is able to draw the correct conclusion. Eddie tries to force Rodolpho out of the house. Catherine stands up for herself and tries to go too. As Catherine is trying to state her argument Eddie pulls her close and kisses her on the mouth. Rodolpho is disgusted and then Eddie kisses Rodolpho on the mouth to prove to Catherine that he is gay. Eddie goes to Alfieri and this time Alfieri knows what will happen. When Alfieri could not do anything for Eddie, he called the Immigration Bureau. Eddie committed the injustice, which he was so against at the start of the play. Eddie was on his last legs and when the officers came for the cousins Marco knew, using the Italian instinct, he knew that Eddie had called the Bureau. Marco therefore made a large show, telling everyone in the street what Eddie had done. By this time, Catherine hated Eddie, but Beatrice still stood by his side, the gesture of a true wife. By this time, the climax has been reached and Marco insults Eddie, and accuses him of killing his children. Catherine goes with Rodolpho to Alfieri to get Marco bail. Catherine still wants Eddie to some to her weeding, but Eddie´s pride prevents it and prevents Beatrice from going. Marco after a surge of anger finds Eddie and Eddie tries to stab Marco, but Marco turns the knife and Eddie dies. As all the events fell into place, Eddie´s last words were, ‘my B!’ This shows that he was caring and he finally told Beatrice in two words how much she meant to him, the Eddie way.
Each of the events mentioned help to add and create the atmosphere of impending doom. The apartment should have Eddie´s rocking chair, doors into bedrooms and kitchen and certain accessories to make the house more homely. There will have to be a gramophone present because of the record, ‘Paper Doll’. A picture or stature of the Virgin Mary would be appropriate with the Catholic background and Eddie’s flippant referral to Catherine as the Madonna. At the beginning when Eddie is questioning Catherine about her appearance, Beatrice is not present. Eddie could be showing her his secret displays of affection behind Beatrice’s back. However, Eddie knows that she cannot see these. Catherine would be dressed in flattering clothes for her figure and she would look cute. Every time Eddie sees Catherine, he has to smile in a certain way, which would tell the audience that he does like her as more than just a father-daughter relationship. Beatrice mentions to Catherine that she is provoking an alternative thought as she sits on the bathtub while Eddie is shaving in his underwear. This scene could actually be used in the play to add to the relationship between the two. Whenever Eddie is talking to Catherine, he should always use a tone of voice that one would use for a small child. This would enhance the feeling that she is very innocent and inexperienced. A smaller man who has very artistic features and cleaver ways of speech could portray Rodolpho. When he sings 'Paper Doll,´ Eddie´s face could get darker and darker, perhaps even using lighting to create this effect. Whenever Rodolpho is talking, Eddie could always have a newspaper in his hand and be crumpling it up and maybe even tearing it apart. At certain times when Eddie realises his power, he could have a smile on his face, as if he were slowly going crazy over his unhealthy obsession. When the fight section comes with the chair, the lyrics of 'Paper Doll,´ can seem as though they are driving Eddie on more, and the shadow of the chair could easily have another light coming from behind it to enlarge the shadow of the chair. Maybe even making the shadow fill the room, so there will be more significance when everyone stops. When Rodolpho and Catherine are having their romantic scene, it should be by soft gas lighting to create a warm glow in the room. When Eddie arrives, the warm light could be tinted with blue, or another colour which signals 'danger,´ or which isolates Eddie from everyone else. The slip that Catherine wears when she greets Eddie could be very provocative and although Eddie was drunk, the audience could see some of the rationale behind Eddie´s kiss. When Alfieri realises what Eddie is going to do and the telephone box has a blue spotlight on it, therefore isolating it, Alfieri´s desk could go black as soon as Eddie steps out of the door, but Alfieri is still yelling out, telling Eddie not to do it, not to call Immigration. When Eddie is stabbed, a dark light could be shown on him, to create the sense that he was wrong, but he fought for what he believed in.
In conclusion, throughout the play, I feel that Eddie is feeling very new and incomprehensible emotions for Catherine. He knows they are wrong and yet, he cannot do anything about them. He feels frustrated that another man is getting the attention that he wants so much and that person happens not to be a proper man. These feelings of jealousy are also very new to Eddie and I do not think that he really understands who Rodolpho is. There is only a certain length of time that Eddie can see Catherine with another man. He will soon break, as would anyone who has very strong feelings for someone else. I also think that Eddie does not know that the feelings that he possesses are actually love for a girl that he brought up as his own daughter. Eddie´s rational being has been turned upside down and when Beatrice confronts him about his feelings he is unable to put his feelings in words. This is a classic characteristic of Eddie. Eddie never settled for half. That was how he got Catherine such a good education and how he paid for her stenographer lessons. However he did not step down and realise that he was not going to get Catherine, or stop her from seeing Rodolpho. Because of his obsession, Eddie went about events the Italian way, to the death.
A soon as Rodolpho steps in through the door, Catherine shows her interests in Rodolpho's physical appearance. Yet, Eddie holds her in a lock. His intentions to show power dominate his actions. Rodolpho´s speech is lively and descriptive, if a little frivolous. Catherine seems to be attracted to his different style, which contrasts to Eddie's simple, normal style. Eddie is antagonistic towards Rodolpho because he is jealous of the obvious chemistry between the younger ones. Eddie unsuccessfully does his utmost to eliminate Rodolpho. He sees him as a homosexual who is using Catherine to get an American passport. Catherine is attempting to be independent but she cannot stand up to Eddie. Catherine sees Rodolpho and immediately expresses to him in different words how handsome and attractive he is. She does not believe in hiding her emotions for another person. When Beatrice warns Catherine about Eddie´s alternative feelings and about how she is provoking them by walking around in her underwear she is shocked and this changes her considerably. I also believe that it enhances her love for Rodolpho as she realises that she has to protect the love that matters to her. Catherine has to undergo a process that should have been performed gradually in a matter of a few months. She now has something to be independent about and she can trust herself to make the right decisions because she cannot trust Eddie anymore. Just as Eddie is passionate about getting what he wants and what he thinks is right; Catherine defends what she loves.
Rodolpho is a very outgoing character; it is in this that he, and Catherine get on very well together. He is very brave to be able to stand up and sing ‘Paper Doll’to three people whom he met ten minutes ago. The words of ‘Paper Doll’ are very provocative and Catherine loves the music and falls through the hole of love for this man. He came to the States with a very open-ended attitude and with the prospect of fulfilling his dreams. This annoys Eddie because he is not realistic.
Marco is the most conservative at the beginning. He is very concerned for his family back in Italy and he wants to start work straight away so that he can send money home. Eddie almost admires him and reassures himself that he would do the same for Catherine if he were in Marco´s position, which he thankfully was not.
If Eddie had managed to get Catherine, it would have been unnatural and ridiculous. Beatrice notices the relationship but her unwillingness to speak out makes her part of the problem. The reason why Eddie betrayed his wife’s cousins is that he loved Catherine so much. However, even Eddie Carbone could not stand in the way of fate. Rodolpho and Catherine were meant to be together and no amount of vigorous and passionate arguing could stop fate from running its natural course. The doom in this play starts at the very beginning with Eddie´s outward and awkward feeling for Catherine, when he claims her as his own. The prospect of dooms mounts as the play goes on, but the main factor is that the play is about incestuous love, jealousy and betrayal. When these are combined with an underprivileged, passionate Italian way of life, the results are harsh.