Blood Wedding: Summary, Characters, and Analysis
Blood Wedding
Plot
The main plot of the book revolves around an upcoming wedding that will unite the Bridegroom and the Bride. However, tragedy looms and prevents the marriage from being consummated. The Bride, who had suppressed her love for Leonardo, reawakens her feelings when she sees her former lover on her wedding day.
The play highlights the conflict between two families: the Bridegroom’s family, including his mother who lost her husband and a son because of the other family; and Leonardo’s family, including his wife and son. Leonardo is still in love with the Bride, a young woman he dated for three years and cannot forget, even though he is now married with a child.
Eventually, the Bride and Bridegroom get married, but soon after, the Bride and Leonardo escape together to fulfill their dream of being together. The Bridegroom chases them through the woods until he finds them. A fight ensues between Leonardo and the Bridegroom, resulting in the death of both men.
The Bride, feeling she has no reason to live, visits the Bridegroom’s mother, not to apologize, but to offer her own life as retribution. The mother, consumed by grief, is unable to accept this offer. Though she wishes she could fulfill the Bride’s request, she has no power to do anything, having lost all she had left: her son.
Summary by Act
Act 1
Scene 1:
The Mother and the Bridegroom have a conversation about the upcoming marriage. The Bridegroom then goes to the vineyard and encounters a neighbor, who informs the Mother that the Bride was previously in love with Leonardo. This triggers a memory of her husband and another son who died at the hands of Leonardo’s family, revealing a long-standing feud between the two families.
Scene 2:
Leonardo arrives at the blacksmith’s house, and his wife informs him that his cousin is impressed by the Bride. Leonardo admits to his mother that he had a courtship with her. The Mother is angered, and a young girl suddenly enters, reporting that the Bridegroom has bought several items for the wedding. Leonardo tells the girl to be quiet and defends his wife, who was speaking up for him. Leonardo leaves angrily.
Scene 3:
The Mother and the Bridegroom go to ask for the Bride’s hand in marriage at her father’s house. The wedding is set for Thursday, and after a long conversation, they leave. The Maid then enters and tells the Bride that Leonardo was standing outside her window the previous night.
Act 2
Scene 1:
The Bride and the Maid are preparing for the wedding at the Bride’s home. The Bride is unhappy and distressed. Leonardo arrives and criticizes her for going through with the marriage, reminding her of the passion they shared. The guests begin to sing verses alluding to the marriage.
Scene 2:
The wedding celebration begins. The Father and Mother talk about grandchildren. Everything seems to be proceeding normally, with the Bride and Bridegroom talking quietly and appearing happy. Suddenly, Leonardo announces that he and the Bride have run away.
The Mother tells her son and those who are on his side to go in search of the lovers to kill them.
Act 3
Scene 1:
Woodcutters discuss the events in the forest. Death appears, asking the Moon to illuminate the paths for the Bridegroom to find the lovers so that blood will be shed. The scene implies that both men are killed in the duel.
Scene 2:
The Bride returns, ready to seek forgiveness from the Bridegroom’s Mother. She offers to let the Mother kill her as retribution, but the Mother rejects both the offer and forgiveness. She decides to remain completely alone to mourn her dead.
Characters
Main Characters
Mother:
The Mother represents loyalty to the land and family. Her fierce protectiveness of her offspring can be seen as an extension of her connection to the land and bloodline. She believes in the importance of continuing life through her son. She is strong, steadfast, and patient in the face of adversity.
Bridegroom:
The Bridegroom is somewhat unaware of his bride’s hidden feelings. He is a good person, despite the killing. He loves his bride above all else and is proud of his land and his work.
Bride:
The Bride is an impulsive woman driven by a force beyond her control. She does not fully realize the damage she causes to others.
Father of the Bride:
The Father of the Bride is a tranquil man, primarily interested in the Bridegroom’s land. He subconsciously senses that the Bride does not truly love the Bridegroom.
Leonardo:
Leonardo is dishonest and selfish. He was rejected by the parents of his first love but remains deeply in love with the Bride. He is not ashamed to leave his wife and son to escape with the Bride. His character is driven by unconscious desires and passion.
It is worth noting that Leonardo is the only character in the play given a proper name, highlighting his importance in the plot. While the other characters’ roles are defined, or limited, by their titles, giving Leonardo a name allows Garcia Lorca to develop him more fully and make him a less stereotypical character.
Secondary Characters
Moon:
The Moon appears in the forest scene, the most poetic part of the play, as a young woodcutter with a white face. The Moon also plays a role as a “helper of death” because, through the light it provides (a theatrical element emphasized repeatedly throughout the play, with mentions of the intense blue light projected when the character appears), it contributes to the tragic end of the two men.
Death:
Death also appears in the forest as a beggar, barefoot and covered in a dark green cloth. This character is not included in the original deal but joins the Bridegroom’s search for Leonardo and the Bride.
Leonardo’s Mother and Wife:
These characters have a sense of foreboding about what will happen.
Maid, Neighbor, and Common People:
These characters express their concern about the unfolding tragedy.
Woodcutters and Waiters:
These characters act as narrators of the final events.