AP Spanish Literature Study Guide: La casa de Bernarda Alba 🎭

This guide is designed to help you ace your AP Spanish Literature exam by focusing on key concepts, characters, and themes in La casa de Bernarda Alba. Let's get started!

🔗 Context of La casa de Bernarda Alba

Author Background

• Federico García Lorca: A renowned Spanish playwright, poet, and theater director. Key figure in the Generation of '27. Known for lyrical and symbolist writing, exploring complex human emotions and social issues. 💡

  

  Image Courtesy of The New Yorker

Time and Place

Historical Context

• Written in 1936, during a period of political and social instability in Spain. Reflects the tensions of the Second Spanish Republic and the prelude to the Spanish Civil War.

Geographic Context

• Set in a small, rural community in Andalusia, southern Spain. The setting influences social norms, cultural traditions, and the sense of isolation. 🏘️

Societal Context

Political

• Reflects the repressive atmosphere of early 20th-century Spain, with strict social conventions and gender roles. Mirrors the political unrest before the Spanish Civil War.

Socio-economic

• Examines the dynamics of a wealthy landowner family. The characters' socioeconomic status and desire to maintain their reputation greatly influence their behavior.

Cultural

• Explores cultural norms of rural Spain, focusing on honor, repression of women, and family dynamics. Highlights the conflict between societal expectations and individual desires.

🔗 Need to Know About La casa de Bernarda Alba

![Characters of La Casa de Bernarda Alba](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/files/0baca4f69800419293b4c75aa2870acd_b9888b_3964.jpeg?alt=media&token=61d401a9-b09f-4100-a3af-c23ee94db7e3)

*Image Courtesy of PechaKucha*

Characters

• Bernarda Alba: The domineering matriarch, representing repressive social conventions. 😠
• Adela: The youngest daughter, symbolizing rebellion and a yearning for freedom. 🔥
• María Josefa: Bernarda's mother, representing female liberation and repressed desires.👵
• Angustias: The eldest daughter, envied for her wealth and betrothed to Pepe el Romano. 💍
• Martirio: Spiteful and bitter, harboring unrequited love for Pepe el Romano.💔
• Magdalena, Amelia, and Martirio: Sisters representing different facets of societal expectations and repression. 👯‍♀️
• Poncia: Bernarda's maid, offering commentary and insight into the household. 🗣️
• Pepe el Romano: Never seen on stage, but a central figure of desire and conflict. 💘

Literary Terms and Devices

• Personaje: Characters used to explore human nature and societal expectations.🎭
• Ambiente: The setting, primarily Bernarda's house, creates a tense and oppressive atmosphere. 🏠
• Acotaciones: Stage directions that control actors' actions and expressions, enhancing dramatic impact. 🎬
• Público: The audience, engaged to provoke contemplation on the themes presented. 👁️
• Acto: Acts that divide the play, each representing a different part of the plot. 📜
• Tres unidades: The play follows the classical theater paradigm of three unities. 📐
• Tragedia: The play examines the negative effects of suppressed desires and societal restrictions. 😭
• Diálogo: Dialogue used to depict the characters' ideas, emotions, and conflicts. 💬
• Symbolism: Use of symbols like black (grief and repression) and fans (societal appearances). 🖤
• Metáfora: Metaphorical language to express emotions and relationships. ✍️
• Símil: Similes used to highlight characters' confinement and desire for escape. 🔗
• Falla trágica: Tragic flaws in characters, especially Bernarda and Adela, leading to their downfall. 💔
• Irony: Contrast between appearance and reality, highlighting hypocrisy. 🎭
• Prefiguración: Foreshadowing used to build tension and interest in tragic events. 🔮
• Hipérbole: Hyperbolic language to emphasize extreme emotions and the oppressive setting. 📢

🔗 Summary

La casa de Bernarda Alba is a tragedy set in rural Spain in the 1930s. It explores the oppressive nature of patriarchal society and the powerlessness of women. The play follows Bernarda and her five daughters, forced into mourning and subjected to her oppressive rule. 🏘️

Act Breakdown

• Act I: Bernarda announces eight years of mourning, and daughters grapple with their oppressive situation. Adela challenges her mother's authority. 😠
• Act II: Tensions rise, Adela declares her love for Pepe el Romano, leading to conflict with Bernarda. 💔
• Act III: Tragedy strikes as Adela commits suicide, leaving the family in shock and despair. 😭

Themes

• La dualidad del ser: Duality of being, exploring inner conflicts and contradictions of characters. 🎭
• La construcción del género: The construction of gender, highlighting restrictive gender norms and their impact on women. ♀️
• El sistema patriarcal y las divisiones socioeconómicas: The patriarchal system and socioeconomic divisions, influencing power relationships within the family. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
• Assimilation and marginalization: Characters struggle with societal pressures to conform, leading to marginalization for those who don't. 🫂
• La diversidad: Diversity, highlighting the characters' different personalities and viewpoints. 🌈
• El machismo: Male chauvinism, and its negative impact on women's lives and autonomy. 😠
• La tradición y la ruptura: Tradition vs. rebellion, the conflict between adhering to social norms and the desire for change. 🤝
• La trayectoria y la transformación: Trajectory and transformation, showing the characters' journeys and the impact of societal limitations. 🛤️
• El amor y el desprecio: Love and contempt, intertwined with resentment, envy, and power dynamics. ❤️💔
• La comunicación o falta de comunicación: Communication or lack thereof, leading to misunderstandings and secrecy. 🗣️🤫
• La imagen pública y la imagen privada: Public image vs. private image, the conflict between upholding appearances and inner desires. 🎭
• Oppression: The oppressive nature of a patriarchal society and its tragic consequences. ⛓️
• Patriarchy: The power of the patriarchal system and its subjugation of women's rights. 🏛️

🔗 Analysis and Significance

Lorca's La casa de Bernarda Alba is a tragic exploration of human nature, societal constraints, and the destructive power of repression. It critiques the repressive social conventions and gender roles of Spanish society, highlighting the characters' struggles for personal freedom within a constrained setting. 💡

Significance

• The play is significant for its critique of the repressive forces limiting individuality, particularly for women. It highlights the oppressive environment of societal norms and the negative impacts of gender roles. It serves as a powerful reminder of the need to challenge oppressive systems and fight for a more just and equitable world. ✊

• Pay special attention to the themes of oppression, patriarchy, and the duality of being. These are frequently tested on the AP exam.

🔗 Final Exam Focus

High-Priority Topics

• Themes: Oppression, patriarchy, repression, family, tradition, and the duality of being. 🎭
• Characters: Bernarda, Adela, and Pepe el Romano (though unseen) are central. Know their motivations and symbolic roles. 🎭
• Literary Devices: Symbolism, metaphor, simile, irony, and foreshadowing are key. ✍️
• Societal Context: Understand the political, socioeconomic, and cultural context of 1930s Spain. 🇪🇸

Common Question Types

• Multiple Choice: Expect questions on character identification, theme analysis, and literary device recognition. 🧐
• Short Answer: Be prepared to analyze passages and discuss the significance of specific scenes or dialogues. 📝
• Free Response: You may be asked to compare and contrast characters, analyze themes, or discuss the play's social and historical context. ✍️

Last-Minute Tips

• Time Management: Allocate time for each section. Don't spend too long on one question. ⏰
• Common Pitfalls: Avoid summarizing the plot. Focus on analysis and interpretation. ⚠️
• Strategies: Read questions carefully, underline key terms, and plan your responses. 🧠

🔗 Practice Questions

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does the color black primarily symbolize in La casa de Bernarda Alba? a) Hope and freedom b) Grief and repression c) Love and passion d) Wealth and power

2. Which character in the play is most associated with a desire for freedom and rebellion? a) Bernarda b) Angustias c) Adela d) Martirio

3. What is the significance of Pepe el Romano in the play, despite never appearing on stage? a) He represents the possibility of love and happiness. b) He is a symbol of male oppression and control. c) He is the cause of conflict and tragedy among the sisters. d) All of the above.

Free Response Question

Analyze the theme of oppression in La casa de Bernarda Alba. Discuss how Lorca uses literary devices, characterization, and the setting to convey this theme. Support your response with specific examples from the text.

Scoring Breakdown:

• Thesis (1 point): A clear thesis statement that identifies the theme of oppression and its significance in the play.
• Analysis of Literary Devices (3 points): Discussion of at least three literary devices (e.g., symbolism, metaphor, irony) and how they contribute to the theme of oppression. Provide specific examples from the text.
• Characterization (3 points): Analysis of how characters (e.g., Bernarda, Adela) embody or react to the theme of oppression. Explain their motivations and actions with textual evidence.
• Setting (2 points): Explanation of how the setting (Bernarda's house) contributes to the oppressive atmosphere and reinforces the theme. Provide specific examples from the text.
• Conclusion (1 point): A concluding statement that summarizes the analysis and reinforces the significance of the theme of oppression in the play.

Short Answer Question

Explain how the concept of "la dualidad del ser" is portrayed through the characters in La casa de Bernarda Alba. Provide specific examples of characters who demonstrate this duality.

Good luck on your exam! You've got this! 💪