Reality vs. Poetry in The House of Bernarda Alba

Reality and Poetry in The House of Bernarda Alba

Many features and notes are taken from reality. In the first act, a surprisingly vulgar and prosaic scene comes in a conversation where Poncia is eating bread and sausage. Other elements of a realistic character in this first act are the beggar who comes to beg, the tolling of the bells for the death of Bernarda's husband, the arrival of the notary to read the will, and the story of Adelaida's father. In the second act, the realistic details are reduced, but we can still see the image of women sewing, the declarations of love, the visit of the man selling lace, the songs of the reapers, the sultry color, the episode of the portrait, and the lynching of Librada's daughter. In the third act, realism loses strength. Realistic elements can be seen in the women's dining scene, the horse hitting the corral, and the barking of dogs. And, of course, reality is a reflection of the society presented to us in the work: the strict morality based on appearances, the marginalization of women, and the classism noticeable in the work.

This work combines realism with poetry. In Act Three, magical, fantastic, and poetic elements are introduced: the starry night, the mysterious chase in the gloom between Adela, Martirio, and Maria Josefa, and the plasticity of the image of the old woman with the lamb in her arms. The work has been losing realism in favor of the poetic. Everything is seen from a poetic dimension: the hype, the abundance of metaphors and images in the speech of the characters, and the structure of the work on two levels, real and imagined, we talk about the poetry of reality.

Main and Secondary Themes

The central theme of the play is the confrontation between an authoritarian, rigid, and conventional morality (represented by Bernarda) and the desire for freedom. This usually appears because of a conflict, an impossible love (in the case of the infatuation of three of Bernarda Alba's five daughters), and the opposition between love and desire versus frustration and unhappiness as a final outcome (Adela's suicide). The author also gives each character their individual problems, which are a reality. The characters suffer from the social oppression in which they live.

The work shows great concern for honor. Society reflects social injustice, develops the theme of sensual love and the pursuit of man, shows the hatred and envy that presides over many relationships, and highlights the marginalization of women. Secondary issues include the eight-year mourning motivated by the death of Bernarda's husband and the absence of men throughout the work.

Other side issues that Lorca criticizes in his work are hypocrisy (concern for others' opinions), honor, and social injustice (throughout Lorca's work, he denounces injustice and social differences, class consciousness, and pride, which lead to cruelty in social relations). Finally, the marginalization of women is addressed by contrasting two female role models: one based on loose morals (Paca la Roseta, the prostitute hired by the reapers, and Librada's daughter) and the other based on a certain conception of decency (to which Bernarda subjects her daughters).