The Rivals

The Rivals

  • Submitted By: Uvainism
  • Date Submitted: 02/28/2010 6:03 AM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 644
  • Page: 3
  • Views: 504

*Lisa Durant
09-10-09*
English Essay
How does the relationship between Eddie and Catherine change during the first act of the play?
Eddie and Catherine’s relationship is a father-daughter relationship, when Eddie and Catherine where first introduced into the play together, eddy and Catherine both wants each other approval. Eddie gets more protective, and possessive of Catherine as he play progresses,throughout the first act Eddie seems to put out some suppressed sexual feelings that he has for Catherine. In result Eddie’s feelings starts to change the way he acts towards Catherine in a more aggressive way.
The relationship at the start of the play is persuaded as any other normal father daughter relationship, despite that Catherine is not Eddie Carbone’s real daughter, and like any real daughter she thrives on Eddie’s approval. In the First Scene of the play Catherine shows up in a new skirt that she bought for her new job, Eddie’s reaction to Catherine’s new skirt and job is a combination of anger and anxiety, Eddie says “I think it’s too short, ain’t it?” this shows eddies concern and worry for Catherine catching the eye or young men, thus portraying to the reader that Eddie is very protective of Catherine. In addition eddies says “that ain’t what I wanted, though” about Catherine’s new job, he disagrees about her getting this job because she hasn’t finished school yet and he is worried about the work conditions in the navy yard, since there is a lot of men there.
On arrival of Rodolfo in the Carbone home, Catherine is instantly drawn to Rodolfo, which immediately takes her attention away from Eddie, and results in eddies and Rodolfo’s rivalry to win Catherine over. Catherine attraction towards Rodolfo makes Eddie jealous and disapproves of Rodolfo. Eddie’s disapproval is shown when he says, “That’s a nice kid? He gives me the heebie-jeebies.” This illustrates that Eddie doesn’t like Rodolfo, because Rodolfo is putting himself towards Catherine,...

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