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Catherine and Rodolpho’s betrayal

As Act Two opens, Rodolpho and Catherine are alone for the first time in the apartment. They chat, Catherine is crying and says Teach me. [She is weeping] I don’t know anything, teach me, Rodolpho, hold me. They move into the bedroom.

Eddie returns drunk, and is shocked to see the pair emerging from the bedroom. Rodolpho holds Eddie’s gaze challengingly. Eddie tells Rodolpho to pack and leave.

In the heated argument that follows, Eddie grabs Catherine and kisses her on the mouth. He then does the same to Rodolpho, laughing and crying at the same time.

Eddie’s betrayal

Alfieri appears on stage as the chorus and says that the next time he saw Eddie, he felt afraid for him. He adds that his eyes were like tunnels and something about him made Alfieri want to phone the police, although he did not do this.

Then Eddie joins him on stage and Alfieri, shifting to his role as a lawyer, tells him that he has no moral or legal rights over Catherine. He warns Eddie not to do what he is thinking of doing.

The blue light of the phone box begins to glow. Eddie phones the Immigration Bureau but refuses to give his name. As he returns to the apartment Beatrice tells him that her cousins have moved upstairs.

Eddie and Beatrice have another fight about Catherine and Rodolpho and their own sexual relationship. Beatrice says that she is sick of the whole situation but Eddie reminds her that it was she who invited Marco and Rodolpho. He tells her that he wants the respect due to him but when Beatrice tells him that Catherine wants him to go to her wedding the following Saturday, he seems touched.

As Catherine arrives from the upstairs apartment where Marco and Rodolpho are now staying, Eddie calms down a bit. Catherine invites him to her wedding, and he tells her that he wishes she would wait a while and maybe go out with some other boys, but her mind is made up. She adds that two other illegal immigrants, relatives of Mr Lipari, the butcher, are living upstairs too. Eddie is horrified.

The immigration officers arrive

Two immigration officers arrive and knock at the door. Eddie suddenly panics and urges Catherine to help the cousins escape, saying Get them out of the house! Catherine suddenly realises that Eddie has phoned the Immigration Bureau.

The officers question the family, and Beatrice is horrified as the truth dawns on her too. Marco and Rodolpho are taken away. Marco spits in Eddie’s face as he passes. Eddie is shunned by his neighbours as they all understand what he has done.

At the jail

At the jail, Alfieri, in his role as a lawyer, tells Marco that he will be returned to Italy, but that if he promises not to go after Eddie, he can get him out on bail. Alfieri tells him To promise not to kill is not dishonourable. He will then be able to continue working and earning money until he leaves America.

Rodolpho, after marrying Catherine, will become an American citizen. Marco gives his word that he will not harm Eddie, even though the concept of revenge is so strongly ingrained in him. The stage directions note that promising not to kill is a new idea to him and it becomes clear that he only makes the promise so that he will be freed.

The tragic outcome

In the final scene, Beatrice says she is going to Catherine’s wedding, but Eddie tells her you walk out that door to that wedding you ain’t comin’ back here, Beatrice. He is still obsessed with gaining respect, especially after Marco spat in his face.

When Catherine arrives, Beatrice changes her mind and tells her that she won’t be going with her. She does give her blessing though. Rodolpho comes to tell Eddie that Marco is praying in church, implying that he is asking forgiveness for what he is about to do.

All three urge Eddie to escape, but he refuses. Eddie becomes crazed when Beatrice blurts out that Eddie wants a relationship with Catherine, his own niece, but can never have her.

Marco and Eddie fight. Eddie produces a knife, which Marco turns on Eddie. Eddie dies in Beatrice’s arms.