Symbolism and Oppression in Lorca's The House of Bernarda Alba

Key Metaphors in The House of Bernarda Alba

The Liberating Power of Water

The metaphor used in this work is water as a liberator. In the same way that a thirsty person leaves their current place to search for water, we hope that Bernarda's daughters will be released from the prison in which they are held and can be free. This simile is found mainly in the words of Adela – the youngest and most dreaming of the five sisters – repeatedly.

Shooting Stars: A Fleeting Escape

We also find the desire for freedom symbolized by the shooting stars that appear at the end of the play. Tired of spending all eternity held in the same place, they decide to move, even if it means burning out. It is again Adela who introduces us to this dream of escape.

Color Symbolism: A Palette of Emotion

The next metaphorical element Lorca uses repeatedly is color. In this work, there is little use of vivid colors; a great coldness, dominated by blacks and whites, pervades the scenes. Less common are bright colors like green, used here to represent hope.

• Black: The black color evokes a sense of sadness and pain. The whole family is dressed in black due to the recent loss of Bernarda's husband.
• White: White is widely used in the descriptions of the house: "White rooms in the interior of Bernarda's house. Thick walls. Doors with jute blinds..." This gives us an idea of isolation, sterility, and coldness that seems to separate the house from the outside world (reinforced by the idea of thick, impassable walls).
• Green: Finally, we find green in a dress belonging to Adela. Again, Lorca intends to highlight the vibrant character of the girl, who feels caged. This color provides a warm, encouraging contrast to the isolated house.

The House: An Impenetrable Prison

The house itself, isolated from the world where new, more liberal ideas can never penetrate, is another metaphor used throughout the play. The house resembles an impenetrable bunker with thick, whitewashed walls, from which the only way out seems to be death (past the final altar).

The Horse: Trapped Vitality

In the last act, we encounter the image of the horse. This animal gives us a sense of strength and vitality. Like a prancing horse locked up, Pepe el Romano feels torn between two paths: on the one hand, the need to marry Angustias to get her money, and on the other, his true desire for Adela.

Personal Reflections on the Play

For me, The House of Bernarda Alba is a highly impressive work. It uses language effectively and describes very tough situations. The despotic nature of Bernarda was the first point that intrigued me, perhaps because we now enjoy a series of freedoms that were once unimaginable. While the idea of Bernarda ruling her house with an iron fist is striking, even more striking is the lack of rebelliousness typical of youth, the daughters' low vitality, proving incapable of taking the reins of their own lives. This is exemplified by Angustias, who at age 39 cannot live outside the dictatorship imposed by her mother.