Federico García Lorca Writer's methods Flashcards
When was the play written?
1936
When was Lorca assassinated?
August 1936 during the Spanish Civil War (Guerra Civil Espanola)
What time period was Lorca inspired by?
Ancient Greece
How did Ancient Greek plays inspire Lorca?
The main character (hubris) always has an arrogant or selfish personality which leads to their downfall (nemesis); this is similar to how Bernarda’s selfish and stubborn personality leads to the death of Adela
He also built the play around the three unities of time, place and action which were key features of Greek tragedies
What place does the play focus on and why?
The singular location of Bernarda’s house which allows Lorca to emphasise the feeling of confinement
Which two contrasting lifestyles are present in the play?
Life inside the house (imprisoned daughters and sexual repression) vs life outside (women are free to be with men and indulge in their sexual appetites)
What structure does the play follow in each act?
Act 1 - establishes the main characters and plot
Act 2 - the plot thickens
Act 3 - the plot unravels
What type of theatre was Lorca interested in writing?
Theatre that focussed on the lives of ordinary people, using vibrant native Andalusian language
Examples of Andalusian popular speech used in the play:
- laísmo; the incorrect use of “la” instead of “le” for indirect objects e.g. “La quedan cinco mujeres.” - La Poncia, Act 1
- the local use of the infinitive for commands e.g. “¡Ayudarla vosotros!” - Bernarda, Act 1
- the placing of the definite article before the name e.g. La Poncia is colloquial and characteristic of uneducated Spanish
How does Lorca use Bernarda’s bastón/stick as a symbol?
The bastón represents Bernarda’s authority; she uses it to strike her daughters as punishment
The bastón is broken by Adela which symbolises how the youngest daughter’s rebellious spirit has triumphed over the cold, strict authority of her mother
What key word of dialogue is used to create a circular narrative?
Bernarda’s “¡Silencio!” said as her first and last line; the first line represents her authority whilst the last one represents her obsession with preserving her reputation
What does Bernarda’s house symbolise?
It symbolises oppression; the house is like a prison
How does Lorca use colours as symbols?
Adela’s colourful green and red fan stands out against the black mourning clothes and the white walls of the house
Red connotes passion and green connotes youthful energy; both being attributes of Adela’s personality
Adela’s green dress when she tends to the chickens in the yard represents her willingness to disobey her mother
How does Lorca use horses as a symbol?
The stallion kicking at the wall of the his pen is an auditory image which represents male sexuality; Bernarda calls for the horse to be let out which symbolises how men have sexual freedom
The female mares on the other hand are not allowed to leave the pen, symbolising women’s lack of sexual freedom compared to men
How does Lorca represent bad omens/bad luck?
When Magdalena spills salt
When Angustias receives a pearl ring from Pepe instead of a traditional diamond ring
