The Play Develops Essay

Eddie, Beatrice and Catherine, existent a cocooned life in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Then came Marco and Rodolpho, Beatrices cousins from Italy, and their insignificant world was turned upside down, and a series of events lead to Eddies demise. During the first act of the play, there are three outstanding events to take into consideration when discussing Eddie and Beatrices relationship. Catherine is offered a job and is delighted at the opportunity to earn notes and become a working woman. However, she wants to gain Beatrices support before verbaliseing Eddie about this chance. When she does tell Eddie he is defiant that she will not take this job.This upsets Catherine because she needs Eddies approval, as she sees him as a father figure. Beatrice encourages Catherine, notwithstanding Eddie is pessimistic about the whole opportunity. He makes up excuses as to why she shouldnt accept the job such as I dont like that neighbourhood oer there. In reality Eddie is keen to protect her a while longer, and he doesnt want to allow her go and gain independence. In Eddies eyes, no one is good enough for Catherine, and he doesnt want her to be talked about the way Longshoreman talk about other girls. Eddie neer admits to defend Catherine, and Beatrice never actually says this, still it is implied.This is one trait of their relationship- Beatrices respect for Eddie in the way that although numerous things are implied, Beatrice never comes out and says them in case she offends Eddie. This is obvious in the first act of the play, but towards the end this changes. This is also one of the first times there is an implication of an unnatural relationship amidst Eddie and Catherine. Eddie loves her greatly, and Catherine sees him as a father figure, but Beatrice can see a different side to Eddies love, and implies that he loves her in the wrong way. This is only implied all the way through the play, until right at the end. in the first place the cousins arrive there is an air of expectancy and anticipation. Nai ve Catherine asks what happens if someone asks about the cousins, and Eddie is quick to tell her If you said you knew it, if you didnt say it you didnt know it. There is a code of conduct to be obeyed, and that code is that you never talk about the immigrants or admit knowledge of them- you simply feign ignorance. No one would assume tell the Immigration Bureau for fear of being ostracized from the society. The irony of this code of conduct can be seen later on when Eddie rings the Bureau and snitches on Marco and Rodolpho.When the cousins finally arrive, there is some chemistry in the midst of Catherine and Rodolpho, and the audience can see something may develop between them. Eddie senses this, and when talking to the cousins, focuses his attention on Marco. Catherine and Beatrice think Rodolphos good humour and enthusiasm, and this makes Eddie uncomfortable. Eddie attempts to prevent Rodolpho from forming a relationship with Catherine. Beatrice feels he should not be interfering, but only implies this. The cousins arrival is a turning point in Eddies life, as Catherine starts to gain independence and discover the fact she can love someone who is not Eddie.