Do Now Task

A history of the tragic

hero: the tragic hero or
protagonist (=first or
most important actor)
commits an offence,
often unknowingly. He
must then learn his fault,
suffer and perhaps die.
In this way, the gods are
vindicated and the moral
order of the universe
restored.

1.To what
extent is
Eddie a tragic
hero?
2.What are his
flaws and
weaknesses?

 We are shown at first a good man who seems perfectly happy: he has the
dignity of a job he does well, he is liked in the close-knit community of
Red Hook, he has the love of wife and foster-daughter/niece, and his
doubts about Catherine's prospective job are not very serious.
Next a catalyst is introduced, and we see, by steady and inexorable
stages how the happiness is destroyed. A catalyst is literally something
which speeds up a chemical reaction; in this play it refers metaphorically
to Rodolpho, one of Beatrice's illegal immigrant cousins. Catherine's
attraction to him brings Eddie's love for his niece into the open. This
unlawful love first appears in Eddie's obsessive concern with Catherine's
appearance and way of dressing.
Later, as Catherine is attracted to Rodolpho, Eddie tries to discredit his
rival: he first implies that Rodolpho is not serious, merely in search of
American citizenship. When this fails he comes to believe that Rodolpho
is a homosexual, and tries to show up his lack of manliness. The failure
of this in turn causes him to betray Rodolpho and Marco, a futile
gesture, as Rodolpho is allowed to stay. Indeed, his marriage to
Catherine is brought forward to secure his staying in the country.
Marco's accusation of Eddie leads him, in the latter stages of the play,
to an impossible effort to recover his good name in the community. In
his doomed attempt to force Marco to take back his accusation, Eddie
dies.

Most of us, says Alfieri, are "civilized", "American"

rather than Sicilian. Most of us "settle for half", and
this has to be a good thing. (He has earlier told us
with relief of the passing of the gangster era, and
that he no longer keeps a loaded gun in his filing
cabinet).
But although Eddie's death was "useless", yet
"something perversely pure calls to [Alfieri] from his
memory - not purely good, but himself purely, for he
allowed himself to be wholly known". Most of us, says
Alfieri, being more educated, more sophisticated,
more in control, can either hide our feelings or,
better, overcome them.

Eddie is a suitable subject for a modern tragedy

because the potential for self-destruction, which is in
all of us, in Eddie's case has destroyed him. And
apart from this improper love, Eddie is a good man;
and this love has its origin in the quite proper love of
father for child, and Eddie's sense of duty to his
family and community. This is shown in the early part
of the play in the love and trust Catherine and
Beatrice have for Eddie, and of what we learn of his
hustling for work when Catherine was a baby. Eddie is
a very ordinary man, a decent and well-liked man, and
yet the one flaw in his character forces those around
him and Alfieri to watch "powerless" (as does the
audience) as the case runs "its bloody course".

Previous Questions
Alfieri: 2014
Marco: ?
Rodolpho: 2012
Beatrice: 2013
Catherine: ?
Eddie: ?

Question is always
a) How is X
presented in Act
X, Scene X?
b) How is X
presented
throughout the
rest of the play?

Character

Catherine

Beatrice

Rodolfo

Marco

Eddie

Moves from being:

Innocent
Obedient
Trusting
Nave
Innocent
Idealistic
Irresponsible
Carefree
Protected by marco
Responsible
Respectful
Strong
Silent
Contained
Bottled up
In control
Part of community

To being:
Mature
Responsible for her actions
Determined to think for
herself
Perceptive
Desperate
Understanding of eddie
Responsible
Rational
Protective of marco
Proud
Vengeful
Furious
Out of control
Cant control his feelings
Desperate
Scared

The question that Arthur Miller makes us ask

ourselves is, is better to "be civilised" and "settle
for half?
What Miller does suggest is that we have basic
impulses, which civilisation has seen as harmful to
society, and taught us to control. We have selfdestructive urges, too, but normally we deny these.
Eddie does not really understand his improper
desire, and thus is unable to hide it from those
around him or from the audience. In him we see the
primitive impulse naked, as it were: this explains
Alfieri's puzzling remark that Eddie "allowed
himself to be perfectly known".

The question that

Arthur Miller makes us
ask ourselves is, is
better to "be civilised"
and "settle for half?

Act Two
Eddie: I want my name! He didnt take my name; hes a
punk. Marcos got my nameand you can run tell him,
kid, that hes gonna give it back to me in front of this
neighbourhood, or we have it out.

How does this connect to the wider

themes in the play?

Themes

Immigration, home and

belonging
Love and desire
Respect, honour and
reputation
Justice and the law
Maturity and independence
Self-destruction

How is Eddie presented?

Key Event

Quotation(s)

He is absurdly over
protective over
Catherine.

Act One
Eddie (To Alfieri, referring to Rodolfo)
Hes stealing from me!

He isnt happy about

Catherine finding a job.

Act One
Eddie: No- no, you gonna finish school. What kinda
job, what do you mean?

He has distanced
himself from his wife,
Beatrice.

Act One
Beatrice: When am I gonna be a wife again, Eddie?
Eddie: I aint been feelin good [.] I dont know, B.
I dont want to talk about it.

He still sees Catherine

as a child who cannot
make decisions for
herself

Act One
Eddie: Katie, I promised your mother on her deathbed. Im responsible for you. Youre a baby, you
dont understand these things.

He has always been

determined to take
care of Catherine and
provide for her.

Act One
Eddie: I made a promise. I took out of my own
mouth to give to her. I took out of my wifes
mouth. I walked hungry plenty days in this city!

He feels he deserves
respect.

Act Two
Eddie: I mean I got a couple rights here.[] This is
my house here not their house."

He feels
uncomfortable about
Rodolfo singing and
behaving in an unmanly
way.

Act One
Eddie: Thats a nice kid? He gives me the heebyjeebies.
You know theyre callin him now? Paper Doll theyre
callin him, Canary. Hes like a weird.

He tries to convince
Catherine that Rodolfo
is only interested in
American citizenship.

Act One
Eddie: Katie, hes only bowin to his passport.

Eddie vows to kill

Marco if he does not
apologise for publicly
shaming him for calling
Immigration.

Act Two
Eddie: Hes gonna take that back. Hes gonna take
that back or Ill kill him! You hear me? Ill kill him!

Hes scared of losing

Act One:

Notes

Connection to theme/message

How is Eddie presented?

Key Events

Quotation(s)

He desperately seeks help

from Alfieri to prove that
Rodolfos intentions are
selfish.

Act One
Eddie: You mean to tell me that theres
no law that a guy which he aint right
can go to work and marry a girl and?

He betrays his own code of

honour by calling
Immigration.

Act Two
Eddie: I want to report something.
Illegal immigrants. Two of them. Thats
right.

He becomes angry when

Alfieri suggests he is in
love with his niece.

Act One
Alfieri: She wants to get married,
Eddie. She cant marry you, can she?
Eddie: (furiously) Whatre you talkin
about, marry me! I dont know what the
hell youre talking about!

He is desperate to earn
back respect.

Act Two
Eddie: I want my name! He didnt take
my name; hes a punk. Marcos got my
nameand you can run tell him, kid,
that hes gonna give it back to me in
front of this neighbourhood, or we
have it out.

Catherine no longer sees

him as a kind and loving
father figure.

Act Two
Catherine: (To Beatrice)
Whatre you scared of? Hes a rat! He
belongs in the sewer!

His betrayal provokes

Marco into seeking revenge.

Act Two
Marco: Animal! You go on your knees to
me!

Eddies final act of love is

to turn to Beatrice rather
than Catherine.

Act Two
(The two women support him for a
moment, calling his name again and
again)
Eddie: Then why Oh B!
... My B.!

Notes

Connection to theme/message