Discuss the development of Eddie Carbones character Essay

A View From The Bridge is a play written by Arthur Miller in the mid-1950s. Set during the Great Depression in around 1940, the play soak ups main character Eddie Carbone lead a stable life with his wife and niece in a tightly-woven community in Brooklyn, New York. Due to his sincerity, he is respected by the local community and he has his destiny plotted out for him. However, as the tragic play unfolds, Eddie makes a series of mistakes which affect his relationship with others and ultimately result in a catastrophe.Eddie Carbone is a traditional Italian-American, who earns his living as a longshore objet dart. He leads an ordinary life with his wife (Beatrice) and his niece (Catherine). Beatrice loves Eddie, this is shown when Beatrice says Youre an nonpareil Godll bless you.. The word angel suggests that Beatrice loves Eddie as she is comparing him to an angel. Furthermore, this shows the audience that Beatrice is a traditional adult female as she is praising (therefore supporti ng) her husband.In the era they lived in, men and women were expected to follow the traditional values of their communities. manpower were authoritative in the house and usually the breadwinners whilst women were housewives women were expected to support and obey their husbands. other member of Eddies family includes his niece, Catherine whom Eddie is protective over. This is shown when Eddie says to Catherine Listen, you been givin me the willies the way you walk down the street. The word willies suggests that Eddie feels uncomfortable with the way Catherine walks down the street. He feels this way because he has a close relationship with Catherine who looks up to him as a father-like figure.An important feel of Eddies character that is presented to the audience is his attitude towards snitching. He feels strongly against snitching, this is shown when he insults snitchers by calling them lav pigeons, using this word suggests that Eddie thinks lowly of people committing such act s. Furthermore, Eddie warns Catherine of snitches when he asks Beatrice to tell Catherine the story of Vinny Bolzano (a teenager who snitched on his uncle to the Immigration Bureau).When Rodolfo and Marco arrive troubles start to brew up and Eddies behaviour changes significantly. Eddie break downs more aggravated, this is shown when in the re-create directions it says He is sizing up Rodolfo. This shows that Eddie is trying to taunt Rodolfo by comparing their heights (height is a attribute of power). In addition, when Eddie says to Beatrice he sings (referring to Rodolfo), Eddie is suggesting that its non normal for a man to sing, he is attempting to suggest Rodolfo is gay.Eddie is in a way trying to put him down because he is jealous of Rodolfos relationship with Catherine. Another example of his sudden metamorphosis is that he has become more obsessed with Catherine. For instance, when Catherine and Rodolfo return from the Brooklyn Paramount, Eddie says to Catherine I simula tet see you no more. This quote suggests that Eddie is obsessed with Catherine because he claims that he doesnt see Catherine. Beatrices relationship with Eddie also deteriorates. This is shown to the audience when Beatrice says Everything aint great with me. When am I gonna be a wife again, Eddie?. This quote shows that the physical side of their marriage is falling apart because Beatrice is feeling ignore (due to Eddies obsession with Catherine).Initially, Eddie considers Marco to be a real man. This is shown when he says Marco goes around like a man nobody kids Marco.. However, as the play gradually progresses so does Eddies relationship with Marco. For example, in the scene with Marco and the extend, in the stage directions it says Marco is face to face with Eddie, a strained tension gripping his eyes and jawthe chair raised like a weapon over Eddies headEddies grin vanishes as he absorbs his look. The word vanishes suggests that the situation is threatening, as the tension i s so large that Eddies grin vanishes. This blusht symbolises that the relationship between Marco and Eddie has broken, more importantly it symbolises the start of Eddies downfall.By the end of the play, Eddie has changed drastically he has become a completely different man. He has become a snitch even though he despised snitching at the start of the play. His close relationship with Catherine has ended as Catherine does not look up to Eddie as a father-like figure anymore in fact she loathes Eddie, this is proven when Catherine says Hes a rat He belongs in the sewer.Also, Eddies relationship with Marco has deteriorated to such an end that Marco accuses him of murder and spits in Eddies face. We know this because Marco says He killed my children When Marco spits in Eddies face the community become aware of Eddie snitching and they are disgusted. His friend Louis ignores Eddie, this is shown in the stage directions which says Louis barely turns. Therefore Eddies main stage business now is to get his reputation pricker, this is proven when Eddie says I want my name. He wants his reputation back because he has been humiliated when Marco spat in his face.In the end, Eddie refuses to listen to Rodolfos pleas and demands an apology from Marco. When Marco refuses Eddie takes out a knife but he gets injured himself and dies in the arms of Beatrice. From a highly-respected member of the community, Eddie manages to relegate himself to a disgraced member. Even his most loyal friends ignore him all because of one error. Eddie is a hero in a Greek Tragedy, he made an error of judgement and he has to suffer immensely for it. Ultimately, he loses the love and respect of his niece Catherine which is what he was fighting for.