Play: The House of Bernarda Alba

Introduction
"The House of Bernarda Alba" is a play written in 1936 by Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca. It was among his last finished works before his unfortunate implementation by Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War. The play is an allegory of kinds that delves into styles of repression, power, as well as gender roles within the boundaries of a conventional society. It informs the tale of an oppressive woman named Bernarda Alba and also her five children, who are having a hard time to handle their individual needs and ambitions in a repressive home.

Setting as well as Characters
The play is set in a small village in Andalusia, Spain, throughout the early 20th century. The protagonist is Bernarda Alba, a 60-year-old widow and mommy of five little girls, who applies an oppressive as well as rigid code of conduct within her house. Her daughters, Angustias, Magdalena, Amelia, Martirio, as well as Adela, variety in age from 20 to 39. Each has her unique personality as well as desires, yet all are constrained by their mommy's dominance and a suppressing environment.

Other characters consist of La Poncia, Bernarda's key slave; María Josefa, Bernarda's senior mother; and Pepe el Romano, a wealthy and also eye-catching young man that ends up being the item of the daughters' love.

Story Summary
The play begins with the funeral of Bernarda's second husband, Antonio María Benavides. Following his death, Bernarda states an eight-year mourning period to be observed in her household, during which her little girls are restricted from connecting with males or leaving your home. This strict guideline applies the girls' seclusion, as they should suppress their interest, desires, and also yearnings for love as well as freedom.

As the story unfolds, the daughters end up being increasingly aggravated with their restrictive way of life. It is soon revealed that Pepe el Romano is involved to the oldest and wealthiest sis, Angustias, however his concealed affair with the youngest sibling, Adela, stirs up stress amongst the brother or sisters. The competition between the siblings for Pepe's love rises as keys are exposed, partnerships are broken, and jealousy reaches its peak.

Martirio, the center sibling, is particularly resentful of Adela and also Pepe's secret relationship. She covets Adela's younger beauty as well as is afraid that she, herself, will be entrusted to grow old without ever before recognizing love. As the play advances, Martirio's jealousy of her sis gets to harmful elevations, and she ends up being increasingly intent on screwing up Adela's joy.

Orgasm as well as Conclusion
The play reaches its orgasm when Martirio discloses Adela as well as Pepe's secret affair to Bernarda, shattering the already delicate relationships between the sis. Incapable to withstand the stress and also sense of arrest, Adela decides to take matters into her own hands.

In the closing scenes of the play, Bernarda tells her little girls that Pepe has been eliminated, leaving Adela ravaged. Minutes later on, it is disclosed that Pepe was not killed, yet instead the news was an act of manipulation by Bernarda to assert power and control over her children. Not able to cope with the excruciating situation, Adela ultimately chooses to take her life, hanging herself in her bed room. As Bernarda discovers her child's lifeless body, she demands keeping appearances as well as exists about the source of Adela's death, perpetuating the cycle of suppression in her family.

Motifs and Interpretation
"The House of Bernarda Alba" is a powerful expedition of repression, freedom, and the societal expectations positioned upon ladies during the early 20th century in country Spain. It sheds light on the damaging pressures birthed from excessive control as well as the denial of personal wishes, highlighting the importance of personal freedom and the power dynamics within a family. The play also serves as a poignant suggestion of the irreparable influence that behavior driven by envy, envy, as well as the rejection of one's true desires can have on a specific and their connections with others.