Bernarda Alba.qxd - State Theatre

Themes in the Play 5Women’s LivesLike Lorca’s other major plays, La casa de Bernarda Albafeatures women as the central characters. (During the play, menare mentioned, but never actually seen.) The story is set inspaces traditionally associated with women, such as the homeand kitchen. The characters constantly make reference to theirplace as women in a society that has very strict social codesgoverning the behavior of both sexes.Bernarda takes these rules to an extreme, prohibiting all butone of her daughters from having any contact with men. Indenying them an outlet for their sexual needs and desires, shebrings about the tragedy that ends the play.Prudencia visits Bernarda Alba and her daughters.Based on the following lines from the play, what can you inferabout the characters’ attitudes about gender? What do you think itwould be like to be to be a young woman living in Bernarda and Poncia’s household?BERNARDA: “Needle and thread for women. Whiplash and mules for men.”PONCIA:“They’re women without men, that’s all; and in such matters even blood is forgotten.”DeathDeath hovers over the characters in La casa de Bernarda Alba throughout theentire story. The play opens on the day of her husband’s funeral, when Bernardaimposes an eight-year mourning period on her household. All the daughters exceptAngustias face eight years of being trapped inside their house with nobody to talk toexcept for each other and little contact with the outside world.Given what you know about Lorca, why do you think he would choose to focus onthe theme of death? Does the situation in which Bernarda’s daughters findthemselves reflect anything in his own experience?As you watch the performance, notice the ways that death affects the women inthe play. Do they all have the same reaction? What lines in particular give youinsight into their responses to death?Adela and MartirioReason and PassionSome of the characters in this play respond to situations with reason (commonsense), while others are guided by passion (emotions).Which characters in the play are guided by reason, and which by passion? (Citespecific words or actions to support your opinions.) Which characters have themost influence—the sensible ones or the emotional ones?MartirioDo you think it’s wise to make choices in life based solely on reason or passion?Why or why not? What are some of the consequences of doing so?