As well as entering womanhood and attracting male attention, it is very clear Catherine is pretty, perhaps even beautiful, with Eddie saying ‘you’re like a madonna’. The obvious adoration perhaps foreshadows Eddie’s onset of inappropriate and incestuous feelings. Catherine growing up, or entering womanhood, is also shown through the symbol: high heels. ‘What the high heels for, Garbo’ draws attention to Catherine’s new emphasis on looking feminine and attractive. This quote also portrays Catherine as being quite childish; as Eddie’s mocking tone makes it apparent that he does not consider it appropriate for her to be drawing attention to her matured figure.
Catherine is also portrayed as becoming more and more interested in figures of the opposite persuasion, as when the complication of the plot arrives, (Rodolfo and Marco acting as the catalyst) she boldly says ‘You married too?’ The obvious romantic interest in Rodolfo is particularly prominent and obvious in Act 2, when she discusses returning to Italy with Rodolfo. Moreover, Catherine is perceived and presented to be naïve, as when asking Rodolfo if he was hungry, he replied ‘not for anything I can eat.’ Her sexual naivety is also demonstrated when, upon being asked if he likes sugar, Rodolfo teasingly replies ‘I like sugar very much.’ Another example of this is her exclamation of ‘teach me, Rodolfo!’
In addition to this, Catherine is naïve when it comes to her uncle as well. She ‘walks around her slip’ and ‘sits on the tub when he’s shaving’ clearly emphasizing her naivety and her perhaps slightly inappropriate behavior, that could be interpreted as sexual, now that Catherine has entered womanhood.
Despite this, as the plot progresses Catherine’s character develops and changes as she becomes more determined and assertive. She also becomes more opinionated, calling Eddie a ‘rat who belongs in the sewers.’ This obvious negative, derogatory tone to her voice shows her newfound maturity and determination to chase ‘independence’ (marry Rodolfo) and lead her own life, away from the danger and violence she now associates with her uncle’s irrational, incestuous behaviour.
Beatrice, Catherine’s aunt is very house-proud, as shown when upon hearing of the cousins early imminent arrival, says ‘I was going, to wash the walls!’ and ‘buy a new tablecloth.’ The concern over reputation and appearances, portrays her to be ambitiously house-proud and to present her family in the best manner possible. Developing on the idea of Beatrice raising a loving interconnected, tight-knit family. Beatrice’s character is also shown to be very loving. Miller clearly presents the Carbone family as being a loving one, with Beatrice stating ‘you’re a good man!’ and patting his cheeks lovingly. A loving Beatrice is also presented when Eddie placates Beatrice’s concern over not having made appropriate preparations and says ‘you got too big a heart.’ This could also imply that Beatrice is a sacrificing and sometimes gives up what is rightfully hers, to give to others. This is demonstrated when Eddie retells the story of them giving up their bed for 2 weeks so neighbours (after a fire) wouldn’t be homeless.
Despite Beatrice’s loving, attractive affectionate and house-proud character, she is also able to be assertive in her relationship with Catherine and Eddie. She confronts him about their lack of a physical relationship with ‘when am I gonna be a wife again Eddie?’ This shows her determination to retain her loving husbandly relationship. When Beatrice realises the true extent of Eddie’s feelings for Catherine, she says ‘You want something else Eddie, and you can never have her!’
Beatrice is also assertive when confronting and advising Catherine on Eddie’s incestuous feelings. Similarly, to Alfieri she is the voice of reason within the play and knows Eddie and Catherine well. She encourages Catherine to move out saying ‘You gotta a nice boy’, clearly exposing how much Beatrice longs for the previous comfort of her own family. This however, could be seen as jealousy on Beatrice’s part. As she longs to be ‘a wife again’, it is conceivable, that she is trying to push Catherine to Rodolfo and therefore leaving her to repair her marriage with Eddie. This is clear when she asks Catherine to dance with Rodolfo to ‘Paper Doll’. These attempts to an extent may even come vicious, as she lays bare to Eddie that he ‘wants something more and you can’t have her!’ Until this point even Eddie himself has not admitted this feelings to himself and so she drives Eddie into a state of confusion and denial, which ultimately lead to his death.
Throughout all the conflict as the plot progresses, however, Beatrice remains faithfully loyal to Eddie, despite his ultimate betrayal directed at her own family. Situational irony is shown here, as despite Eddie loving Catherine more as a wife with his apparent unnatural, incestuous feelings, Beatrice remains true to Eddie, right up to his final moments.
In conclusion, Miller’s portrayal of Catherine and Beatrice greatly helps shape the story into the memorable piece of drama it remains today.
