Explore the dramatic significance Essay

This scene takes place a few weeks after Marco and Rodolfo are first introduced into the play. The last scene has a climatic ending with recognition of apparent sexual attraction between Rodolfo and Catherine. In this scene, it appears that the two young characters have developed a liaison and intimacy, much to Eddie’s chagrin. This selected scene reveals to the audience not only the development of a romance between Rodolfo and Catherine but also the start of the deterioration of Eddie and Beatrice’s relationship as a result of Eddie’s affection for Catherine. The scene like many within the play, is introduced by Alfieri who pronounces: â€Å"Eddie Carbone never expected to have a destiny† (P22) thereby implying Eddie’s imminent downfall, similar to other protagonists found in Greek tragedies. However, as this is a modern tragedy, no one character is particularly corrupt. Indeed, they are just ordinary people. As confirmed in Alfieri’s speech as he asserts: â€Å"A man works, raises his family, goes bowling†¦ † (P22) Yet even inconsequential individuals can have extraordinary lives, and Miller encapsulates this in the play through the perceptive Chorus of Alfieri. Marco and Rodolfo who arrived at the Carbone household a few weeks prior to events occurring in this scene, are beginning to sense Eddie’s distress. During this introductory meeting Eddie generates a disliking for Rodolfo, which the audience realize, as a result of the magnetism between his niece and Rodolfo. He begins to only address Marco deliberately excluding Rodolfo from his conversation. Towards the end of this scene, Rodolfo and Catherine begin openly flirting, and in the background Eddie is seen with â€Å"his face puffed with trouble,†(P22) illustrating to the audience his future anxieties and jealousy in the play. Alfieri opens the scene, acting similarly to the chorus in a Greek tragedy. He comments upon the action whilst also instilling ideas into the audience’s mind. Being a lawyer, the audience regard him as a good judge of character. This is illustrated when he ends his speech with, â€Å"Now, as the weeks passed, there was a future, there was a trouble that would not go away. â€Å"(P22) Hence the audience will be awaiting the scene, hoping to find out what more danger lies ahead for this disillusioned protagonist, Eddie Carbone. Being the Chorus, Alfieri never leaves the stage, the lights dim or come up at his desk but he remains as judge over Eddie’s actions. The only other characters on the stage are Eddie and Beatrice. At the start of the scene, Eddie is standing at the doorway of the house anxiously waiting for Catherine and Rodolfo to return home from the cinema. Beatrice enters from the street, she is about to enter the house when Eddie talks to her. Miller gives many stage directions at this point as he knows exactly how he wants the scene to play out. The tension in which this scene begins is indicative of what is about to happen. Miller employs Eddie, his tragic hero, in this scene. It becomes obvious as to what his fatal flaw is. The role of Eddie is directed to be aggressive in order to attempt to conceal his inner anguish. Eddie â€Å"looks away† from Beatrice several times during their encounter, suggesting that he is ashamed of his feelings and obsession. His actions also reflect his growing disinterest in Beatrice, his wife, which mixed with his expanding interest in their niece creates a highly complex and dangerous situation. Nonetheless, Beatrice acts as the good wife and â€Å"smiles† at him when she catches sight of him. Despite this, Eddie looks away which emphasizes tension as it illuminates that there is some unease on Eddie’s part. Beatrice then continues to try and keep the mood light whilst avoiding the words she would have liked to say about her husband’s inappropriate affections. Miller directs her role to be more assertive causing the tension to rise further as what she is saying puts Eddie in a increasingly awkward state. Miller’s range of language devices in the play effectively bring out both character and theme. Alfieri’s language includes the dialogue spoken by an educated man critically aware of the tragic situation that is unraveling: â€Å"Who can ever know what will be discovered? † Miller thereby creates curiosity in the audience through his use of interrogative as well as a sympathetic response to Eddie who by now no longer can control his emotions. That said, Beatrice and Eddie speak in the simple dialect of the Italian American community, â€Å"You crazy or sump’m? † Beatrice (P23). Suggesting that she does not have the capacity to articulate her worries. In this section, Eddie refers to Rodolfo as ‘That’ several times; the absence of pronouns suggest that Eddie does not see Rodolfo as a person, more of a problem or obstacle which he has to overcome to save Catherine. The derogative language also implies sub-human, a reference to an animal, ergo proving that he deems Rodolfo as inadequate and displaying his hostility towards him. Ultimately, Eddie craves to convince Beatrice that Rodolfo is homosexual through facts like Rodolfo blonde and that male singers lack masculinity. Beatrice recognizes Eddie’s suggestions. In the stage directions, Miller writes that, ‘She realizes †¦ a campaign solidified in him. ‘ and as a result she takes a stand telling him, â€Å"Ain’t gonna start nothin’ here. † (P23) Her anger behind Eddie’s innuendos come from her realization of his jealousy as well as the fact that Eddie has not, as was case in 1940’s, fully understood what it is to be homosexual.