Glossary
Acotaciones
Stage directions provided by the playwright, which control actors' actions, expressions, and the setting, enhancing the dramatic impact and conveying unspoken meaning.
Example:
Lorca's detailed acotaciones, such as 'silencio' or 'golpe de bastón', are crucial for understanding the oppressive atmosphere and Bernarda's authority.
Acto
A main division of a play, typically representing a different part of the plot or a shift in the dramatic action.
Example:
The progression from Act I to Act III in La casa de Bernarda Alba shows the escalating tension and inevitable tragic outcome of the family's confinement.
Adela
The youngest and most rebellious of Bernarda's daughters, she symbolizes a yearning for freedom, passion, and defiance against societal constraints.
Example:
Adela's vibrant green dress, worn in defiance of mourning, highlights her passionate nature and her desperate desire for liberation.
Ambiente
The setting or atmosphere of a literary work, which in this play, primarily Bernarda's house, creates a tense, oppressive, and claustrophobic mood.
Example:
The stifling ambiente of Bernarda's house, with its thick walls and lack of natural light, mirrors the emotional confinement of the daughters.
Angustias
The eldest daughter, envied for her wealth and betrothed to Pepe el Romano, she represents the societal pressure to marry for status rather than love.
Example:
Angustias's engagement to Pepe el Romano, despite her age and lack of affection, underscores the economic motivations behind marriage in their society.
Assimilation and Marginalization
Themes exploring how characters struggle with societal pressures to conform (assimilation), leading to the exclusion or isolation (marginalization) of those who do not fit in.
Example:
Adela's refusal to assimilate into Bernarda's oppressive mourning leads to her marginalization and ultimate tragic end.
Bernarda Alba
The domineering matriarch of the Alba family, she embodies the oppressive social conventions and patriarchal authority of her time.
Example:
Bernarda Alba rules her household with an iron fist, demanding absolute obedience and enforcing a strict code of conduct on her daughters.
Diálogo
The spoken words exchanged between characters in a play, used to depict their ideas, emotions, conflicts, and advance the plot.
Example:
The sharp, often confrontational diálogo between Bernarda and Adela reveals their clashing wills and the generational conflict within the household.
El amor y el desprecio
Love and contempt; a theme exploring how these emotions are intertwined with resentment, envy, and power dynamics within the family.
Example:
The sisters' desperate desire for amor from Pepe el Romano quickly turns into desprecio and bitter rivalry among them.
El machismo
Male chauvinism; a theme focusing on the negative impact of male dominance and traditional male attitudes on women's lives and autonomy.
Example:
El machismo is a pervasive force in the play, dictating the limited choices available to the Alba women and reinforcing their subjugation.
El sistema patriarcal y las divisiones socioeconómicas
The patriarchal system and socioeconomic divisions; a theme examining how male dominance and class structures influence power relationships and opportunities within society.
Example:
El sistema patriarcal y las divisiones socioeconómicas are evident in how Pepe el Romano, despite being poorer, holds power over the wealthy Alba women simply because he is a man.
Falla trágica
A tragic flaw or error in judgment possessed by a character, often leading to their downfall or the tragic outcome of the plot.
Example:
Bernarda's unwavering pride and obsession with honor serve as her falla trágica, blinding her to the suffering of her daughters and ultimately leading to disaster.
Family Dynamics
The patterns of interaction, relationships, and power structures within a family unit, often complex and fraught with conflict in the play.
Example:
The strained family dynamics among the Alba sisters, fueled by jealousy and unfulfilled desires, ultimately lead to tragic consequences.
Federico García Lorca
A prominent Spanish playwright, poet, and theater director, he was a key figure in the Generation of '27. His works often explore complex human emotions and social issues through lyrical and symbolist writing.
Example:
Lorca's unique blend of poetry and drama is evident in La casa de Bernarda Alba, where even the stage directions read like verse, showcasing his signature style as a member of the Generation of '27.
Generation of '27
A group of Spanish poets and writers who rose to prominence in the 1920s, known for blending traditional Spanish literary forms with avant-garde movements.
Example:
The Generation of '27 sought to renew Spanish poetry, often incorporating elements of surrealism and symbolism, much like Lorca did in his plays.
Geographic Context (Andalusia)
The rural region in southern Spain where the play is set, influencing the strict social norms, cultural traditions, and sense of isolation depicted.
Example:
The oppressive heat and dusty landscape of Andalusia contribute to the claustrophobic atmosphere within Bernarda's house, emphasizing the characters' confinement.
Hipérbole
Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally, used to emphasize extreme emotions or the oppressive setting.
Example:
Bernarda's declaration that 'aquí no se respira' (one cannot breathe here) is a hipérbole that vividly conveys the suffocating atmosphere of her home.
Historical Context (1936)
The year *La casa de Bernarda Alba* was written, reflecting the political and social instability of the Second Spanish Republic and the prelude to the Spanish Civil War.
Example:
Understanding the historical context of 1936 helps explain the play's themes of repression and societal tension, mirroring the unrest in Spain at the time.
Honor (Cultural Norm)
A central cultural value in rural Spain, emphasizing reputation, family dignity, and adherence to societal expectations, particularly for women.
Example:
Bernarda's obsession with maintaining her family's honor drives her to impose an eight-year mourning period, isolating her daughters from the outside world.
Irony
A literary device involving a contrast between appearance and reality, often highlighting hypocrisy or unexpected outcomes.
Example:
It is irony that Bernarda, so obsessed with maintaining her family's 'clean' reputation, ultimately presides over a household filled with deceit, envy, and tragedy.
La comunicación o falta de comunicación
Communication or lack thereof; a theme highlighting how misunderstandings, secrecy, and suppressed dialogue contribute to conflict and tragedy.
Example:
The pervasive falta de comunicación in Bernarda's house, where true feelings are hidden, leads to escalating tension and ultimately, Adela's suicide.
La construcción del género
The construction of gender; a theme highlighting the restrictive societal norms and expectations imposed on individuals based on their gender, particularly impacting women.
Example:
The play powerfully critiques la construcción del género by showing how women are confined to domestic roles and denied personal freedom, while men enjoy greater liberty.
La diversidad
Diversity; a theme highlighting the characters' different personalities, viewpoints, and responses to their shared oppressive environment.
Example:
Despite their shared confinement, the sisters exhibit la diversidad in their reactions, from Angustias's resignation to Adela's fiery rebellion.
La dualidad del ser
The duality of being; a theme exploring the inner conflicts and contradictions within characters, often between their public facade and private desires.
Example:
Martirio's outward bitterness contrasting with her secret longing for love exemplifies la dualidad del ser, showcasing her internal struggle.
La imagen pública y la imagen privada
Public image vs. private image; the conflict between upholding appearances for society and the characters' true inner desires and realities.
Example:
Bernarda's relentless focus on maintaining a flawless imagen pública forces her daughters to suppress their authentic selves, creating a stark contrast with their tormented imagen privada.
La tradición y la ruptura
Tradition vs. rebellion; the conflict between adhering to established social norms and the desire for change, freedom, or individual expression.
Example:
The central conflict of the play is the clash between Bernarda's rigid adherence to la tradición and Adela's desperate yearning for la ruptura from those norms.
La trayectoria y la transformación
Trajectory and transformation; a theme showing the characters' journeys and the impact of societal limitations on their development and ultimate fate.
Example:
Adela's trayectoria from hopeful defiance to tragic despair illustrates the destructive power of the societal limitations she faces, leading to her profound transformación.
Martirio
One of Bernarda's daughters, characterized by her bitterness and physical ailments, she harbors unrequited love for Pepe el Romano and is consumed by envy.
Example:
Martirio's hidden love for Pepe el Romano fuels her resentment towards Adela, leading to a destructive rivalry.
María Josefa
Bernarda's elderly mother, who represents female liberation and repressed desires, often speaking truths that others dare not voice.
Example:
María Josefa's longing for a husband and a life outside the house, though dismissed as madness, articulates the very desires her granddaughters are forced to suppress.
Metáfora
A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as,' expressing emotions and relationships metaphorically.
Example:
When Bernarda declares, 'Mi casa es mi cárcel,' she uses a powerful metáfora to convey the oppressive nature of her home.
Oppression
The unjust exercise of authority or power, often by a dominant group or system, leading to the subjugation and suffering of others.
Example:
The pervasive oppression within Bernarda's household, enforced by her strict rules and societal expectations, stifles the daughters' lives.
Patriarchy
A social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.
Example:
The play is a powerful critique of patriarchy, demonstrating how its rigid structures limit women's freedom and lead to tragic consequences.
Pepe el Romano
A central figure of desire and conflict in the play, though never seen on stage, he represents the outside world, male freedom, and the catalyst for the sisters' rivalries.
Example:
The unseen presence of Pepe el Romano drives much of the plot, as his pursuit by multiple sisters exposes their desperate longing for escape and love.
Personaje
A character in a literary work, used by the author to explore human nature, societal expectations, and thematic ideas.
Example:
Each personaje in La casa de Bernarda Alba, from the tyrannical Bernarda to the rebellious Adela, serves to illustrate different facets of oppression and desire.
Poncia
Bernarda's maid, who serves as a confidante and observer, offering insightful commentary and a more pragmatic perspective on the household's events.
Example:
Poncia's cynical remarks and warnings to Bernarda often foreshadow the impending tragedy, highlighting her understanding of the family's true dynamics.
Prefiguración
Foreshadowing; a literary device where hints or clues are given about future events, building tension and interest in tragic outcomes.
Example:
Poncia's early warnings about the dangers of keeping the daughters locked up serve as prefiguración for the tragic events that unfold later in the play.
Público
The audience of a play, engaged by the playwright to provoke contemplation on the themes and issues presented.
Example:
The play forces the público to confront uncomfortable truths about gender roles and societal repression, prompting reflection long after the curtain falls.
Repression of Women
The systematic suppression of women's rights, desires, and autonomy within a patriarchal society, a key theme in the play.
Example:
The daughters' inability to choose their own husbands or express their sexuality exemplifies the severe repression of women prevalent in their society.
Repressive Atmosphere
A societal condition characterized by strict control, suppression of individual freedoms, and rigid adherence to conventions, often seen in early 20th-century Spain.
Example:
The constant surveillance and strict rules imposed by Bernarda create a palpable repressive atmosphere that stifles any joy or individuality among her daughters.
Symbolism
The use of objects, colors, or ideas to represent abstract concepts or deeper meanings within a literary work.
Example:
The color black is a powerful symbolism in the play, representing not only grief and mourning but also the pervasive repression and lack of freedom.
Símil
A figure of speech that compares two different things using 'like' or 'as' (como in Spanish), often highlighting characters' confinement or desire for escape.
Example:
A character might describe feeling trapped 'como un pájaro enjaulado' (like a caged bird), using a símil to express their longing for freedom.
Tragedia
A genre of drama that examines the negative effects of suppressed desires and societal restrictions, typically ending in the downfall or death of the protagonist(s).
Example:
The play is a quintessential tragedia, as the characters' desperate struggles against an oppressive system lead to inevitable suffering and death.
Tres unidades
The classical theater paradigm of three unities (action, time, and place), which the play largely follows to create a focused and intense dramatic experience.
Example:
By adhering to the tres unidades, Lorca intensifies the drama, as all the action unfolds within a single house over a short period, heightening the sense of entrapment.
Wealthy Landowner Family
Refers to the socioeconomic status of the Alba family, whose desire to maintain their reputation and social standing significantly influences their behavior and decisions.
Example:
As a wealthy landowner family, the Albas are acutely aware of their public image, leading Bernarda to enforce extreme measures to preserve their honor.