“ I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to put down his life, if need be, to procure one thing — his sense of personal self-respect ” ( Miller ) . This is relevant to the characters in View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller. In the drama, Miller demonstrates through each of the chief characters the strong sense of seeking justness in order to protect their ain personal self-respect. Eddie Carbone is one of the chief characters in the drama that goes through extraordinary steps in order to protect his name. However as the cousins of his married woman, Beatrice, arrive from Italy and dispute his authorization, his position in the household and even in the community downgrades, and ends in calamity.
Eddie ‘s character in the beginning of the drama can be described as a adult male who is highly proud of his name and respected in the community. However, his authorization is questioned as his niece, Catherine decides to take a occupation as a secretary, and the illegal reaching of Beatrice ‘s cousins, Marco and Rodolpho. Marco and Rodolpho come to America seeking a better life for themselves and their households back in Italy due to the economic crisis traveling on because of the wake of the World War II. Marco ‘s program is to do adequate money in order to maintain his sick boy who is “ ill in the thorax, ” ( 24 ) and back up the remainder of the household. He represents a true Italian with dark tegument, dark hair and really strong, “ load the whole ship by himself ” ( 33 ) . His most outstanding feature is his award. It is foremost represented in the scene where Marco and Eddie have a lifting chair competition. He does this in order to protect his household ‘s award every bit long as with his brother ‘s repute. He is non afraid to stand up to Eddie yet he does this in a respectful mode, until he kills Eddie in ego defence due to Eddie exposing him and his brother to the in-migration. This battle over interrupting the mute jurisprudence about being ever loyal to the 1 ‘s household shows Marco ‘s conquering for justness and shows his award.
While Marco represent ‘s a true looking Italian who will work hard for this money, Rodolpho is considered to be different by Eddie because of his expressions and the fact that he likes to cook, sing, and dance. While Eddie accepts Marco, he can non accept Rodolpho who in his head may be homosexual and falls in love with Catherine, Eddie ‘s niece. He has ever been highly protective of his niece and may be excessively protective because of his unconscious feelings for her. Having Rodolpho get marrieding his immature niece sets Eddie on the way where he will travel every bit far as turning the two illegal immigrants to the authorization. Rodolpho ‘s chief end is to go an American citizen and do a better life for himself, “ I want to be an American so I can work, that is the lone admiration here-work! ” ( 60 ) . Bing the sort, respectful and honest adversary of the drama, it is clear that the supporter, Eddie, does non accept him.
Rodolpho ‘s future married woman, Catherine, is the chief cause of the all jobs as Eddie is unconsciously in love with her. He has raised her, and while he seems as the male parent figure in her life, in his head she means more to him than merely a girl. He does non recognize this until the terminal, and that is with the aid of Rodolpho and his ain married woman Beatrice. Catherine is a 17 twelvemonth old who appreciates everything that Eddie has done for her and that makes her afraid to stand up to her authorization figure. She is fearful of traveling out, as she says, “ I can state a block off when he ‘s bluish in his head and merely wants to speak to person quiet and nice ” ( 61 ) . She views herself as “ quiet and nice, ” nevertheless as her character develops throughout the drama with the aid of her aunt, Beatrice and Rodolpho, she eventually stands up for herself. “ I think I ca n’t remain here no moreaˆ¦ I ‘m non gon na be a babe any longer ” ( 63 ) are her words when she eventually finds adequate bravery to allow her uncle know that she will be traveling out. This is the concluding scene that drives Eddie to perpetrate the picks because of his niece ‘s actions seeking her ain justness and freedom.
Catherine ‘s bravery was built up by her aunt Beatrice, who advises Catherine to go a adult female and halt her infantile Acts of the Apostless that draw her hubby towards her. Beatrice is the 1 with the clear concise position of everything that is traveling on in the family, and she is non afraid to talk up. She realizes of her hubby ‘s unconscious ideas even before he does and attempts to convey it up several times. “ When am I gon na be a married woman once more, Eddie? ” ( 31 ) are her exact words that notify the reader of the state of affairs in the house. Eddie is so busy look up toing his niece, and worrying about her traveling out that he does non do clip for his married woman. Beatrice seeks out her ain ways of how trade with this state of affairs as she wants her hubby back. She advises Catherine to eventually go a adult female, merely like Rodolpho did. Equally good as opening Catherine ‘s eyes, she besides exposes her hubby to the truth by crying, “ you want something else, Eddie and you ca n’t hold her! ” ( 83 ) . She opens his eyes to world by stating out loud what Eddie was scared to acknowledge to himself.
Eddie being involved in everyone ‘s personal businesss and puting up problem creates his ain ruin. He is so deep in denial that he can non see what the truth is any longer. Bing the tragic hero merely like the Oedipus and Hamlet, they all portion the common subject of tragic flaw, tragic defect. Eddie ‘s actions lead him toward his ain devastation. His chief tragic defect is his ain denial about his niece and the remainder unravels from that yarn. The harm that Eddie created has non merely harmed his household, but besides his community. Populating in a close knit Sicilian community, naming in-migration on your ain people is considered scandalous. From that point, Eddie tries to take everything back and acquire his “ name ” back. However it is excessively late because in-migration take away the cousins, and the other two immigrants that Eddie did n’t even cognize approximately. Eddie realizes that there is no turning back at this point and he seeks his justness, merely like the Greek Goddess, Nemesis, who embodied the spirit of requital. However Eddie ‘s requital is decease as he has nil else left in this universe without the regard for his name.
