Rodolpho

=What do I need to know about ... Rodolpho?=

Brief Description
Travelled from Italy with his brother to earn money in America. He can sing, sew, cook, dance and wants to have a motorcycle. He falls in love with Catherine and Eddie bcomes jealous. Rodolpho is eager, open and he has some qualities which Eddie finds feminine. Rodolpho is Catherine's second cousin, so he goes to stay with his family in America. Rodolph has a good relationship with his brother.

Key Quotations
 * Eddie: **"You want something?"** and Rodolpho responds **"Yes! She'll be my wife. That is what I want. My wife!"** Rodolpho. This is the point that Rodolpho starts to stand up to Eddie and show his love for Catherine
 * **"Lemons are green..."** Eddie(p 52) Eddie is trying to prove to Catherine that he knows more than Rodolpho
 * Rodolpho's brother Marco is protective when Eddie hits Rodolpho while practising boxing "**lifts the chair above Eddie's head like a weapon"** (p 58). By exhibiting his superior strength, and defending Rodolpho, Marco is warning Eddie not to mistreat Rodolpho any more
 * **"You like sugar?"** Catherine asks him, **"Yes, I like sugar very much"** Rodolpho replies. While she is referring to the sugar for his coffee, the tone of this exchange suggests flirtation and Rodolpho's use of the word has possible sexual connotations.
 * Beatrice is happy to see Catherine married and moving away and tries to get Eddie to let her go **"they're going to get married next week Eddie"** Beatrice (p 70). This way Eddie can focus more on their own relationship.
 * **"I don't know, he was just humourous."** Mike to Eddie (pg.38) - here Eddie's co-workers are teasing Eddie because he is related to someone who is so effeminate.
 * He sings to entertain Catherie and Beatrice, after this Catherine says-"**Leave him finish, it's beautiful."(**pg.32) This shows her intrest in Rodolpho.
 * **"Because we never had no singers here."** Eddie (pg. 33) While he is warning him not to sing again, because he doesn't want to attract attention. Fundamentally, however, the threat of the Immigration Bureau finding Marco and Rodolpho simply because Rodolpho is singing in a house where no one has sung before is unrealistic and Eddie is just using this as an excuse to silence Rodolpho as Eddie is aware that his singing is captivating Catherine

His role in the novel
Rodolpho is the character that triggers the drama in the play. Eddie becomes jealous of Rodolpho's relationship with Catherine, which causes Eddie to try and impress Catherine and try to demoralise Rodolpho. Eddie becomes overly sensitive at losing Catherine and this leads to him betraying his family by telling the immigration authorities that the 'submarines' are hiding at his house, resulting in his death. While Eddie chooses to think Rodolpho 'aint right' and use this as a reason for disapproving of his relationship with Cahterine, claiming that he only wanted citizenship in America, it is arguable that no one would have been good enough, in Eddie's view, for Catherine.