Miller conveys masculinity to be central to Eddie Carbone's character, pride, conflict and downfall. It is his own pride in the traditional masculine ideal of performing manual labour that creates conflict with seemingly more effeminate Rodolpho, and his own masculine ideal of physical strength that conflicts with Marco, competing towards in the end in a test of their respective power and entitlement. It is this conflict between these two men and his patriarchal dominance over niece Catherine, that results in his downfall at the end of the play. Miller is most likely warning what toxic masculinity can do to a man and how it can destroy one from the inside.