Bernarda Alba's House: Themes of Repression and Desire

• Daughters Magdalena, Amelia, and Martirio resignedly accepted their fate.
• Adela's rebellion is evident from the outset; her desire for freedom overcomes the fear of maternal authority. Ultimately, freedom proves to be a mirage. With her suicide, the path to freedom is forever closed for her sisters.
• María Josefa shows her liberation through madness. Her confinement is even harder than that of the daughters, so her only escape is insanity.
• The servants live under Bernarda's stranglehold, ruled by fear, whispering only behind her back.

Other significant themes include:

Sensual Love: Almost all protagonists in Lorca's poetic and dramatic works are marked by impossible love and erotic frustration. In the play, Bernarda does everything in her power to prevent her daughters from marrying any man in the area. She causes Enrique Human, who sought Martirio, to flee and prohibits men from entering the house. The only permitted marriage is Angustias's engagement to Pepe el Romano. The play frequently references love and men:

• The maid refers to the amorous compliments Bernarda's husband gave her.
• The frustrated love between Enrique and Martirio is recalled.
• This refers to the sexual love Poncia had with her husband.
• Qualities of men in love are discussed.
• Men talk about Rosetta Paca, who took another man after tying her husband to a manger.
• Librada's daughter is attacked; she had a child out of wedlock, killed and buried it, and therefore deserves the punishment of all the village women.

Hypocrisy, False Appearances, and the Fear of Social Judgment: This theme is evident in several aspects:

• Bernarda's obsession with cleanliness.
• For fear of gossip, her daughters are kept hidden, deprived of freedom, and constantly silenced.
• Women of higher social status, like Bernarda and her daughters, treat those of lower status with contempt (class attitude).
• Related to the problem of appearances is the issue of honor, which compels Bernarda to demand flawless conduct from her daughters.