Bernarda Alba's House: Authority, Repression, and Female Desire

Introduction to the Play's Themes

The focus of the work is the moral confrontation between the authoritarian, rigid, and conventional figure (Bernarda) and the desire for freedom (represented by Adela and María Josefa). Sub-topics include passionate love affairs, the critique of hypocrisy and falsehood among the characters, and the conflict between two fundamental attitudes towards life and opposing ideologies.

Moral Clash: Authority vs. Freedom

This opposition is present from the start. Bernarda attempts to impose her oppressive rules, based on the traditional authority of the head of the household. Meanwhile, Adela and María Josefa try to rebel against this domination. The other daughters fearfully obey. The imposed eight-year mourning period rigidly dictates the daughters' behavior, especially concerning men. Bernarda restores order when the girls argue, and with few exceptions (like Martirio's hidden feelings), all are subject to her discipline.

Adela's desire for freedom and the strength of her love prove stronger than her mother's authority. She demonstrates defiance with her fan and green dress. She expresses her desire for freedom and her decision to break her mother's rules, leading to a direct confrontation where she shatters Bernarda's symbolic stick, reclaiming her freedom. However, her subsequent suicide tragically closes off this path to freedom for the others.

María Josefa channels her rebellion through her madness, which represents the only escape for these oppressed characters. Her perceived madness gives her the strength to proclaim aspirations of liberty, confront Bernarda, and expose her tyranny and the suffering it causes others.

Sensual Love and the Search for a Male Figure

The central drama for the women stems from the lack of love in their lives and the fear of remaining single. The tyrannical mourning imposed by Bernarda, along with her strict control over her daughters' movements, prevents them from forming relationships, leaving them with little hope of finding partners. The arrival of Pepe el Romano triggers the repressed passions of these single women, who desire marriage primarily as an escape from their mother's tyranny.

The presence of human love and passion is depicted in two main ways:

• Through references and allusions to love stories that have occurred offstage.
• Through the authentic experiences and desires of the characters within the play.

Martirio is also secretly in love with Pepe. Her jealousy and envy drive her to attempt to destroy Adela. Pepe, despite the relationship troubles he causes, remains cold and indifferent.

Hypocrisy and Social Appearance

Obsession with Cleanliness

Poncia, the maid, meticulously cleans the house even during the funeral, symbolizing the overriding concern for maintaining appearances.

Fear of Gossip

The fear of gossip is a constant factor shaping the miserable lives of the daughters and dictating Bernarda's conduct. She goes to great lengths to preserve the family's reputation, such as hiding her own mother (María Josefa) and severely restricting visitors.

Hypocrisy and the Need to Maintain Appearances

Hypocrisy affects both Bernarda and Martirio. Magdalena criticizes Martirio's hypocrisy when the latter, despite her own feelings and anxieties, congratulates their sister Angustias on her engagement. After Adela's suicide, Bernarda's immediate reaction is to hide the reality and demand that everyone pretend nothing unusual has happened, prioritizing reputation over truth and grief.