How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue.
Quote #1
Alfieri: "A lawyer means the law, and in Sicily, from where there fathers came, the law has not been a friendly idea since the Greeks were beaten." (1.1)
Alfieri is functioning like a Greek chorus by putting the play in a larger historical context.
Quote #2
Alfieri: "Oh, there were many here who were justly shot by unjust men. Justice is very important here." (1.1)
How is it possible for a person to shot "justly" by and "unjust" man? What is this thing called justice anyway?
Quote #3
Alfieri: "Now we settle for half, and I like it better." (1.1)
Settling for half means compromise to Alfieri. He sees it as the cornerstone to American style justice.
Quote #4
Eddie: "Come on show me! What're you gonna be? Show me!" (2.80)
This is Eddie talking junk to Rodolfo right before they fight. He's not settling for anything anymore. It's time for him to make his own justice.
Quote #5
Alfieri: "I kept wanting to call the police, but […] Nothing at all had really happened." (2.86)
American justice is failing our friendly neighborhood lawyer. He knows something bad is going to happen, but the law can't help him.
Quote #6
Marco: "In my country [Eddie] would be dead now." (2.241)
Marco wants revenge. This would be perfectly acceptable in Sicily. Does he have a right to it?
Quote #7
Marco: "All the law is not in a book." (2.257)
He's got a point here. There's all kinds of things that society agrees you just shouldn't do, but aren't technically illegal.
Quote #8
Marco: "He degraded my brother. My blood. He robbed my children […] Where is the law for that?
Alfieri: There is none." (2.259-261)
Marco is pretty unhappy with the failure of America to provide the kind of justice he thinks is only right and proper.