Federico García Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba: Context and Analysis

Posted on Dec 1, 2024 in Latin

Federico García Lorca and The House of Bernarda Alba

Author’s Background

Federico García Lorca, born June 5, 1898, in Fuente Vaqueros, Granada, was a pivotal figure in Spanish literature. His childhood in rural Andalusia and later studies in Almería and Granada shaped his appreciation for folklore. At the University of Granada, he befriended Manuel de Falla, further fueling his interest in popular traditions. From 1919 to 1928, Lorca resided in Madrid’s student residence, where he connected with prominent figures like Juan Ramón Jiménez, Machado, Dalí, and Buñuel. He traveled to New York on a scholarship and later directed La Barraca, a university theater company. Lorca’s final years were dedicated to theater, producing masterpieces such as Blood Wedding (1933), Yerma (1934), and The House of Bernarda Alba (1936). His life was tragically cut short in 1936 when he was executed in Granada at the onset of the Spanish Civil War.

Historical and Literary Context

Early 20th-century Spain was marked by political, economic, and social turmoil. The nation grappled with internal conflicts between progressives and traditionalists, while the wealthy bourgeoisie controlled major industries, and labor movements gained momentum. The reign of Alfonso XIII (1902-1931) saw escalating social tensions and political instability, culminating in Primo de Rivera’s dictatorship in 1923 and the Second Republic’s proclamation in 1931, which eventually led to the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Despite this unrest, culture flourished. Educational reforms aimed to combat illiteracy, and European art movements like Cubism, Futurism, Dadaism, Ultraísmo, and Surrealism influenced Spanish writers. Lorca was a key member of the Generation of 27, a group that included Rafael Alberti, Gerardo Diego, Luis Cernuda, Jorge Guillén, Dámaso Alonso, Pedro Salinas, Vicente Aleixandre, and Miguel Hernández. This group, named after a tribute to Luis de Góngora in 1927, sought to blend tradition and modernity in their poetic expressions. The Civil War profoundly impacted these writers, with Lorca being executed and others forced into exile.

Analysis of The House of Bernarda Alba Fragment

Theme and Plot

The central theme of this fragment is the lack of freedom. The drama unfolds within Bernarda’s household, where her daughters are trapped in a cycle of repression and jealousy over Pepe el Romano. Adela, locked away and believing Pepe dead, hangs herself rather than live without him. Bernarda, obsessed with maintaining appearances, insists her daughter died a virgin.

Characters

The fragment features six key characters:

  • Bernarda (“strong bear”): Represents repression and rigid social conventions. She is preoccupied with public opinion and wields absolute power within her home.
  • Adela (“noble nature”): The youngest, passionate, and rebellious daughter, determined to be with Pepe. She perceives her mother’s jealousy due to her youth.
  • Magdalena: Bernarda’s second daughter, resigned to spinsterhood at 30, submissive yet resentful of Angustias’ inheritance.
  • Martirio: The fourth daughter, 24, secretly in love with Pepe. She keeps his portrait and is drawn to Adela because she smells of him. She is the first to discover their relationship.
  • La Poncia: The old maid and Bernarda’s confidante, involved in the household conflicts and conversations. She acts as a spy and informant, wielding a degree of control within the house.
  • The Maid: Holds a grudge against Bernarda, though she remains outwardly submissive and hypocritical.

Setting and Structure

The action takes place in the courtyard of Bernarda’s house, characterized by white walls and pale blue accents, symbolizing the daughters’ limited freedom and connection to nature. The time frame is ambiguous, ostensibly spanning eight years of mourning but appearing to unfold within a single, intensely hot summer day. The text is a dramatic fragment, comprising stage directions and dialogue. Stage directions, such as (at the door), (The sisters are thrown back), (She runs), (Another daughter), and (She raises her hands at school), guide the reader’s visualization of the staging. The dialogue is literary yet incorporates colloquial expressions like “devilish!” and numerous exclamatory phrases such as “that we never end!”, “The tears when you’re alone!”, and “Silence!”, enhancing the expressive function of the language.

Literary Devices

The fragment employs various literary devices:

  • Metaphors: “a river of blood!” and “a sea of mourning” enrich the language and embody the themes.
  • Rhetorical Question: Bernarda’s final line, “I have heard?”, emphasizes her disbelief and denial.
  • Simile: “softly, like a roar” adds expressive and connotative force.
  • Alliteration: “Hush, hush I said. Silence!” emphasizes the command.

Adjectives like “minor” and “low” are used to specify and restrict the meaning of nouns. Verbs predominantly appear in the present tense (“know”, “es”) and present perfect (“you said”, “have risen”), with imperative forms like “Entres” and “Lift” also present. The declarative and exclamatory sentences heighten the dramatic tension. While explicit synonyms and antonyms are not evident, certain terms relate to the semantic fields of death, blood, and mourning.