In A View from the Bridge, what does Eddie mean by saying that "Marco's got my name"? Why is it so important to him to get his name back?In Act II...

In A View from the Bridge, Eddie's
use of "name" in "I want my name!…Marco's got my name." (Act 2), is a literary device
called a trope, which is a literary technique, meaning it is an optional choice the
author makes for specific purposes. The trope, one of many kinds, selected by Arthur
Miller is called a metonymy.

The definition of the trope
metonymy will help explain the meaning of Eddie's line. A metonymy is a substitution of
one simple, common word or phrase for a more elaborate or complicated word or phrase. A
metonymy is employed for dramatic effect and for simplification of understanding. Two
common examples of metonymy are "the White House" and "the sweat of your brow." Examples
of their use are:
"The White House declared it would not back
down."
"He lived by the sweat of his brow."

Taken
literally, these sentences are meaningless; a house, white or otherwise, can not back
down, up or sideways, and no one has ever earned a living by selling
their...perspiration. In actuality, "White House" substitutes for the power of the U.S.
presidency and the decision of the sitting President. The substitution of the seat of
power--the White House--summons up recollection of--or at least a feeling of--the
Constitutional powers and the distinguished history of the presidency: It's not just one
man talking; it's one man invested with the power of the people through the
Constitution. This metonymy is dramatic and invokes a powerful
imagery.

The same explanation holds true for "sweat of the
brow," which substitutes for hours and years--maybe decades--of hard manual labor from
which earnings are gained with much struggle. This too is a substitution that is
dramatic and carries a powerful imagery with it.

The
metonymy that Miller has Eddie speak, "my name," substitutes for the concept of an
honest life lived with resppectability and high principles. A variation is "my good
name." Maybe Miller had Eddie leave out "good" because Eddie wasn't convinced he had a
"good name," meaning a good and honorable life lived genuinely year after year and
hardship after hardship.

Marco spits at Eddie--a huge
insult--and tells the whole neighborhood that Eddie called Immigration. This destroyed
Eddie's "good name," his reputation for being an honorable, respectable man. Eddie says,
"I want my name!" because he wants Marco to make the situation right by taking back his
accusation and thereby removing the shame and enmity his accusation brought on
Eddie--his neighbors all turned their backs on him and won't talk to
him.

Eddie says "Marco's got my name." because it lies with
Marco, and Marco alone, to clear the cloud of guilt and betrayal from Eddie's
reputation--Marco's got his good name in his power: he can clear Eddie's name by saying
that, no, he made a mistake; it wasn't Eddie who called.