It is clear from the play that Eddie is constantly engaged in creating and protecting his own personal world of illusion where he can remain blind from the significance of his actions and his own true feelings. This is what motivates Eddie: supreme self-interest. Because of the success of his imagined world he never is truly aware of his feelings for Catherine and the only outlet he has for his feelings are invested in suspicion and hatred of Marco and Rodolpho, which causes him to commit completely irrational and unforgiveable acts. It is this that is so tragic about Eddie, and what ultimately causes his tragic end. His inability to recognise and accept the bubble world he has created causes it to turn into a prison from which he is fated never to escape. The irrational actions he starts to "protect" (as he sees it) Catherine from the attentions of Rodolpho then lead to a vain quest to regain his honour by challenging Marco, which ends in his death.