Federico Garcia Lorca's "The House of Bernarda Alba"

Paper Summary:

The paper begins with a review of the plot. Following this, the paper looks at the underlying meaning of the play. The intention of the play to be an image of reality is discussed and the role of women in the play is explored. A detailed synopsis of the build-up to the Spanish Civil War is given and the paper then relates these events to parts of the play. The meaning of the title is analyzed and the symbolism within the play is studied. The social divisions evident in the play are brought up and the theme of illusion versus reality is investigated. The various settings and sounds of the play are also mentioned and the paper concludes with the messages on leadership suggested by the protagonist, Bernarda Alba.

From the Paper:

"Federico Garcia Lorca's final published play was The House of Bernarda Alba, written in 1936 just before the start of the Spanish Civil War. The play mirrors many of the tensions then besetting Spanish society, and the plot of the play also reflects the situation developing and in some ways foreshadows what is to come. The basic themes of the play relate to universal concepts of life and death, family unity and disintegration, and social conflict, but they have a resonance in this play because they also are connected to events then taking place and a conflict about to become much greater and more damaging than could then be seen."

More papers on Federico Garcia Lorca's "The House of Bernarda Alba":

• Book Review # 103424 : "Federico Garcia Lorca's Rural Trilogy"
• Analytical Essay # 10013 : "The Use of Technical Devices in Literature"
• Analytical Essay # 57481 : "The House of the Spirits"

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