English Lit - "A View from the Bridge" - In depth analysis of Eddie

Eddie Carbone
Eddie's Character

Emotionally unstable
Obsessive over Catherine
Betrays his family, and community law
Compared to a rat
Hubris ­ blinded to what he has done
Tragic hero
A kind family man

Eddie Carbone over the entire play

Eddie is 40 years old, an American of Sicilian decent. He…

He mocks Rodolfo's skills at cooking, singing and sewing, claims he is homosexual and tells Catherine
that he only wants her to gain US citizenship.

He tries to get the law involved and is amazed when Alfieri says that nothing can be done.

He tries violence: he 'teaches' Rodolfo to…

Pg. 27: `He looks at her like a lost boy' ­ He doesn't know how to deal with losing Catherine, and he
is vulnerable

Pg. 28: `He marries you he's got the right to become an American citizen' ­ Eddie is cruel and plants
this horrific image in Catherine's mind…

`Hi Eddie!' ­ She's excited to see him, she respects him and treats him as a fatherly figure
`You like it?' She cares for his opinion
However, during the course of the first scene, Eddie changes the atmosphere by stating `I
think it's too short'
Moreover, Eddie is incredibly possessive:…