The House of Bernarda Alba: A Critical Analysis
The House of Bernarda Alba
Plot Summary
The play begins in Bernarda’s house following the funeral of her husband. Only two maids are present, as the rest of the household is still at the funeral. After the death, Bernarda orders her daughters into a period of absolute mourning, forbidding them from leaving the house. Angustias, the eldest daughter, is engaged to Pepe el Romano, and he visits her at night, speaking through the window to avoid being seen or heard. However, Adela and Martirio witness these encounters, creating tension and conflict among the sisters. Adela is secretly in love with Pepe, while Martirio harbors her own feelings for him. This complicated situation leads to arguments and anger, fueled by Bernarda’s strict and oppressive rule.
The play culminates in tragedy when Bernarda fires her gun into the night, claiming to have killed Pepe el Romano. In a desperate act, Adela grabs the shotgun and takes her own life. The play ends with Bernarda ordering her daughters to be silent and not to mourn Adela’s death.
The House and the Outside World
The house in the play represents a suffocating environment of dictatorship disguised as maternal overprotection. It embodies austerity, restraint, and imprisonment. Bernarda, the head of the household, wields absolute authority, making her daughters feel like prisoners within their own home. The outside world, in contrast, is depicted as a rural society dominated by machismo and hypocrisy.
Character Analysis
Bernarda
Bernarda is a 60-year-old woman who has been married twice. She has a strong, strict, cruel, and cold personality. She symbolizes ultimate authority and is obsessed with maintaining a respectable outward appearance for her family. This leads her to impose a dictatorial regime on her daughters.
Adela
Adela is a 20-year-old woman with a compassionate nature and a zest for life. She is cheerful, naive, and passionate. As the youngest daughter, she feels particularly oppressed by her mother’s authority and yearns for freedom. She represents rebellion and the desire to break free from societal constraints.
Maria Josefa
Maria Josefa is Bernarda’s 80-year-old mother. Bernarda keeps her locked away to hide her perceived madness from the outside world. She symbolizes oppression and often disrupts the tense atmosphere of the house with her outbursts.
Angustias
Angustias is the eldest daughter at 39 years old. She is considered fortunate because she is the only one getting married and is the heir to the family’s wealth. She represents both luck and misfortune, as she is resigned to her fate and lacks the will to challenge her mother’s authority.
Magdalena
Magdalena is a 30-year-old daughter who embodies resignation. She has been tamed by her mother’s authority and accepts her fate without resistance.
Amelia
Amelia is a 27-year-old daughter who is portrayed as the obedient and problem-free child, further highlighting the theme of resignation.
Martirio
Martirio is a 24-year-old daughter who symbolizes envy and malice. Her feelings for Pepe el Romano fuel her resentment towards Adela.
Poncia
Poncia is a 60-year-old maid who has a complex relationship with Bernarda. While they sometimes appear to be friends, their relationship is strained. Poncia is characterized by her irony and represents a voice of anti-hypocrisy.
La Criada (The Maid)
La Criada is a 50-year-old maid who symbolizes the potential for evil and malicious gossip.
Pepe el Romano
Pepe el Romano is a handsome young man who, although never appearing on stage, is a crucial character. He is the object of desire for several of the daughters and represents love, envy, jealousy, and sexual desire.
Structure of the Work
The play is divided into three acts, following a traditional dramatic structure of exposition, rising action, and resolution. The first act establishes the relationships between Bernarda, her daughters, and the maids. The second act introduces the conflict caused by Pepe el Romano’s presence. The third act brings the play to its tragic conclusion.
The play adheres to the classical unities of time, place, and action. The action takes place within a single location (Bernarda’s house) and unfolds over a relatively short period (approximately a week and a half).
The play’s events often follow a pattern of conflict followed by a period of calm, highlighting the cyclical nature of oppression and rebellion within the household.