2.2 Gender & Power in Lorca

Lorca's tragedy

Federico García Lorca's 'La casa de Bernarda Alba' (1936) is a play about a domineering mother who imposes an eight-year mourning, locking her five daughters away from men and freedom.

Repression

The house becomes a prison; the conflict between autoridad (Bernarda's authority) and deseo (her daughters' desire) drives the tragedy toward a devastating end.

Symbolism

Lorca uses powerful symbols — the color white and black, water and heat, the walls of the house — to dramatize repression, honor (la honra), and the constraints placed on women.

Key terms

'La casa de Bernarda Alba'

Lorca — tragedy of repression and control (1936)

Bernarda Alba

the domineering mother who imprisons her daughters

autoridad vs. deseo

authority vs. desire — the play's core conflict

la honra

honor/reputation — a driving social pressure

Generación del 27

Lorca's literary generation

Try an AP-style question

In La casa de Bernarda Alba, Bernarda imposes…

1. eight years of mourning and seclusion
2. a lavish wedding feast
3. freedom for her daughters
4. a journey to the city