A study of image symbol and theme in La casa de Bernarda Alba

University of the Pacific Scholarly Commons University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 1971 A study of image, symbol, and theme in La casa de Bernarda Alba Iris Scribner Bird University of the Pacific Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds Part of the Spanish Literature Commons, and the Theatre and Performance Studies Commons Recommended Citation Bird, Iris Scribner (1971) A study of image, symbol, and theme in La casa de Bernarda Alba University of the Pacific, Thesis https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/1752 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholarly Commons It has been accepted for inclusion in University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons For more information, please contact mgibney@pacific.edu h STUDY OP Ht\ GE SYNBOL q 7\ND TBE!NJ:: Hf A Thesis Pres en t.ed to ' the Faculty of the Department of English University of the Pacific In Partial Fulfillment of the Requireme~1 ::.s ~laster £o:: ·th2 Deg-ree of Ar.t.s by Iris Scribner Bird June, 1971 This thesis, written and submitted by Iris Scribner Bird is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council, University of the Pacific Department Chairman or Dean: Thesis Committee: 'l'ABI,E: 02 CON'.l'El-T'rS PAGI:: CHJ\P'l'BR I I I TilE PLAY ~ Hi::>·tory and Backg-:r:ound • • SGtt.i.nq ~ 13 • • Hhite • • "' - J.:~~ess C.LE::an.L • 24 • 25 e I 27 Cosmic • • • • • 30 • Hiding-blindness 3? ·~ • • ~ ~ • 3-1 » 36 Water Horse 38 • • • Other a!1ir.1c:.l s Body ·• • " • • • • Fer-near, in.side-outside Household Bernard a • • • • • • 45 • • • • 47 51 • it.ems~clothing Charact:ers 41 • • • • -j ! • " Imr:19ery 'J.'ime • • ~ t-IE:::C.t t (fire} • • • L ,,':) • • • $ Brief SynCJf)S iS Theme , •.rHE I'ROHLEN • • • 54 • • • • 55 • • • 57 i\" CHAPTER PAGE Pcmcia • • • Criada (servant) • Angustias • • Amelia • • • Magdalena • • • • • Prudencia • • • • • • • 75 • • • • • • • • • • The daugh-ter of la Librada • • • • Acts of: rebellion • • • • 81 84 85 • • • • • 87 • 89 90 • • The HaJce 73 • • • • The reapers BIBLIOGR.Z\.PHY 70 • • Paca lp Roseta Adelaida 68 • • • • 64 66 • • • 61 63 ~ • • • ~ • • • Marl.a Josef a Action • Martirio Adela • • 93 • 95 100 'l'HE PROBLEt-1 The tragedy, L~ S'_~ ,?e;, B~rda Alba, by Pederico Garc!"a Lorca is generally recognized as one of the finest poetic tragedies of the Twentieth Century, yet it has not drawn the critical attention afforded the plays of Lorca's contemporaries, such as 'l'ennessee Williams, for example Ironically, Williams' early plays evince a definite fl uence LorquJ an J n Close a.ttention has been paid to the poetic texture of.Williams• plays providing an important contribution -t:o understanding ·the art of his poetic tragedy The same has not been true of Lorca This may he due partly to the fact that J orca • s ·tragedies have no·t played very lvell in the United States and partly due to political considerations in his native Spain It is the purpose of this essay to make a detailed analysis of the poetic structure of La ~ de Bernarda Alba to show Lorca's brilliant welding of the basic elements theme, 10f' the drama into one underlying statement of Tb:i:s ''Will be accomplished throu9h a close reading of the p.l.aw ;.:;r;s ·originally \V'ri tten in the Spanish language scu& Blll!l:efarb, "I.ife and Death in Garc:La Lorca' s Hou~ gf ~~~:~;E·~~da !}.1:£~, 11 Dr~ Survey, Vol IV, No~ ~ , •·· ·) ( Summe:r, l.%:?1 , ·12 c~ , n • with especial attention paid to its setting, dominant image patterns, characters~ and action These, then, will be exand.ned and eJ.ucidat:ed in rela·tionship to thernatics, th~s demonstrating Lor.ca' s dramatic technique of fus.ii1g these fundarnental parts through use of symbol into one unified whole lan~Juage and CHAP'rER II 'l'HE PLl\."Y:· I r a ~a sa HISTORY AND BACKGROUND ge Bernarda ?>-lba, the last play in Lore a's trilogy of tragedies, composed of BC?SJ.as and r a casa de Bernarda Alb~, ~ ~sa,~_sg:£, Ye~·rn~~ \vas completed by the play- wright on June 19, 1936, exactly tlvo months to the day prior to his death before a firing squad in the opening days o:f the Spanish Civil War~ Its premier performance did not take place, hmvever, until March 6, 1945, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with Lorca's longtime friend, actress rJla.rgarita Xirgu, in the title rolE~~ The same year a French version appeared in Paris, an English version in London, -and a Czech version in Prague Honig refers to it as "Lorca' s suppressed drama," vlhich appears an apt description since the Spanish text was not printed until 1946, followed by an American translation in 1947 The Spanish premier finally took place in 1950 3"· Rob"arrt ;Lima, The Theatr~ of Garc~a r_,orca (Nevi York: Las Amer:i,c::as Publishing Company, 1963) p 26 2E&rin Honig Garcl