By Minna W and Isabel H, Year 10 Journalist Leaders

Is Eddie Carbone a likeable character? The most likely response to this question would be no. No, because the unnatural nature of his feelings towards his niece seem completely unjustifiable and disturbing. Yet it is a question that remains constantly at the forefront of my mind. Therefore, I hoped that seeing A View From the Bridge in the theatre would help to draw some clarity. On Thursday the 13th of June a group of year 10 students were lucky enough to see A View From the Bridge, featuring Dominic West, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket – an amazing opportunity that developed our understanding and appreciation of the play.

The character of Catherine irritated me during the performance which made me think again about the question: Is Eddie Carbone a likeable character? I did not have an answer, however my frustration towards Catherine’s character may be due to my thinking that she was just as to blame for the tragedy as Eddie. It was her refusal to take any blame of the tragic fate that certainly caused my disliking towards her character. But then how does this affect how likeable Eddie Carbone’s character is? 

Nevertheless, on Monday the 17th of June, year 10 students were incredibly fortunate to have Dominic West come to NHEHS to discuss his West End role – an amazing opportunity… The most memorable question was along the lines of: Do you like Eddie’s character? Essentially my entire dilemma. In response, West discussed that yes, he must have liked Eddie to an extent in order to play the role – an actor must be able to like the character they portray to an extent to enable them to empathise with them and to appreciate their dilemmas. West suggested that in spite of Eddie’s hamartia, he was once an honourable man who sought to provide for his family, a supposedly likeable trait. 

And yet even this was unable to influence me to arrive at any form of an answer. I believe that one can definitely feel sympathy for Eddie’s predicament, but that does not mean he is likeable. What is there to like about Eddie Carbone’s character?

So, after analysing and exploring, we decided to consider things from Eddie’s point of view (after all, as Dominic West said, you have to have sympathy for all characters, especially the one you are playing). So think about this: how would you feel if you had brought up and looked after your niece for her entire life, making sure you ensured she had a happy, comfortable and successful future, only to have her taken from you at 17 by the first man whom she meets, who to you seems sleazy, self-absorbed and only out to get her for his passport? You would feel angry –  which Eddie justifiably is. In this case, it is not Eddie who is the villain but Rodolpho, Eddie’s wife’s cousin who has just immigrated to America. Looking at the story from this perspective, it is easy to see how Eddie is in fact the good character – kindly bringing up his niece and acting as a father figure to her, and being justifiably protective of her. As he is a longshoreman who works on the waterfront, he knows how men can be dangerous, and so warns Catherine about this, and is reluctant to let her work in a place where she could be in danger. Through this viewpoint, Eddie’s overprotective attitude and ‘controlling’ nature is actually justified – he is simply a father figure who wants to protect Catherine.

As well as this, it could be argued that Eddie’s attitude towards Rodolpho is normal for a father figure to have. Worried about Catherine’s safety, he becomes obsessed over her and Rodolpho’s romance – not because of his jealousy and desire for Catherine, but perhaps a more simple explanation; he doesn’t want her to be upset if Rodolpho betrays her and leaves her. After all, there are suggestions about Rodolpho’s interest for shiny things rather than practicalities, which shows how it is quite likely that he might marry Catherine, be able to stay in America and then leave her, seeking a more glamorous future. In this case, Eddie’s anger seems completely justified – Catherine’s fiancé might be more concerned about himself than her.

Essentially, the entire story of Eddie’s dilemma of Rodolpho and Catherine’s love could be mostly because of this fear of her getting hurt, which is what Eddie protests, instead of his overprotectiveness stemming from his underlying desire for her. This is why Eddie could be seen as a likeable character; he simply is a troubled father figure who wants the best for his niece. This is actually completely normal, right? And this was what I thought was emphasised throughout Dominic West’s production. Unlike in other productions in years before, Eddie was presented as more of a likeable, humorous character. In our interview with West, he expressed this, describing how when performing, he received laughs from the audience in places that he had never thought were amusing.

So, with this evidence, is Eddie an inherently good person? In my opinion, he is; at the start of the play. But as his obsession grows and his actions become more questionable, he morphs from a good natured family man into a jealous, violent, unpredictable individual, who has been torn apart by his own emotions and thoughts, which he becomes more confused about throughout the play. But, despite this, anyone could disagree – it just depends on your perspective of Eddie. Maybe it is all down to the performance, where Eddie is presented in different ways in different productions. This is why we recommend A View From The Bridge to you – it is an incredible play, one that I will definitely be going to see again! And by seeing it for yourself, you will find your own opinion of Eddie – kind and caring, or controlling and vicious? The choice is yours. Go and watch A View From The Bridge!