In what ways does the relationship between Eddie and Beatrice change during the play?

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Jesslyn Leung

In what ways does the relationship between Eddie and Beatrice change during the play?

The relationship between Eddie and Beatrice changes in a number of ways throughout the play. The changes are mainly fueled by Eddie’s inappropriate desires towards Catherine.

At the beginning of ‘A View from the Bridge’, Beatrice and Eddie are presented as having a loving and close relationship. Beatrice cares deeply for Eddie. This is evident when the family is waiting for the arrival of the cousins. Miller makes Beatrice display her concerns towards Eddie, ‘I’m just worried about you, that’s all I’m worried.’ We understand that they have a mutual relationship when similarly; Eddie is able to calm Beatrice, ‘don’t worry about the walls’. However, we as the audience are given hints by Miller about problems in their relationship near the beginning of the play. When Beatrice tells Catherine not to change herself when she goes to work, Miller makes Eddie strangely resentful to Beatrice. We realize that all is not going well between the two. What we also comprehend is that Catherine is coming between Eddie and Beatrice and perhaps, she is the source of the problems created. This notion is reinforced when Miller makes Eddie stand facing the two seated women, first Beatrice smiles then Catherine for a powerful emotion is on him [Eddie]. This is a perfect example of a love triangle. Another hint laid by Miller is that Beatrice avoids Eddie’s glance when Catherine lights a cigarette for Eddie. Against the background of the 1950s, the audience would recognize that cigar lighting could be perceived as sexual attraction. This symbol was widely used at that period of time. We understand that Beatrice does not feel comfortable in the relationship she has with Eddie.

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What marks an apparent change in their relationship is the time after the first encounter with Beatrice’s cousins. Beatrice sees Eddie, smiles at him, he looks away. Here, we see that Eddie is taking out his frustrations on his wife. He is in a bad mood as Catherine and Rodolpho are still not back from the cinema, ‘they would have seen every picture in Brooklyn already’. We, as the audience see that Beatrice and Eddie’s relationship is not as strong as before. Beatrice even voices her dislike of Eddie’s behaviour, ‘you’re just jealous’. It is clear that Beatrice feels that ...

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