A View from the Bridge Marco & Rodolpho

Marco and Rodolpho are Beatrice’s two cousins coming to the United States from Italy. They are coming to the United States to make money to live better lives and they stick together through thick and thin. That is where the similarities end with these two brothers. Each one of them is there for completely different reasons. They are viewed differently by those around them and react differently to the situations that are presented to them.

Marco came to the United States for one reason only: to make enough money to return to Italy in six years and provide for his sick family. His children are sick with tuberculosis and he is unable to provide for them in a country that is still rebuilding from the ravages of World War II. Marco is seen as one of the guys on the docks. He works hard and the rest of the longshoremen respect him and his work ethic. Marco does not wish to stay in the United States permanently. He longs to return home to his family. Finally, he believes strongly in the idea of family and trust. He trusts his brother as well as his extended family that have opened their home to him. He does not want to get caught and hopes his trust in his family will keep him hidden; however, his plans go awry as Eddie starts to lose his grip on reality.

Rodolpho, for the most part, is the polar dichotomy of his brother, Marco. There are two different ways the reader can view Rodolpho, as he never revealed his true meaning for being in the United States and the Carbone home. The first way Rodolpho can be seen is how he presents himself to be. He