Federico García Lorca’s poem “La casada infiel” depicts the story of a gypsy who makes love to a married woman on the shore of a river. When looking deeper into the poem, Lorca appears to provide a critical observation on the values of the conservative society at the time in which he lived. The woman, at her most basic reading, is treated as an object, elaborating on the sexist values in society at the time. Lorca addresses issues of sexism as well as issues of sexuality within society mainly through the poem’s sexist narrative voice, objectification of the female character and overriding sense of a lack of desire throughout the poem. His achievement to do so will be analysed throughout this commentary with particular attention to Lorca’s use of poetic techniques such as diction, personification and imagery.
In the first verse of “La casada infiel”, the reader is introduced quickly to the sexist narrative voice and Lorca’s criticism of societal values surrounding female sexuality and sex at the time:
“Y que yo me la llevé al río
creyendo que era mozuela,
pero tenía marido.”
From the
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very first verse Lorca clarifies the poem will be about an act of infidelity. The sexist narrative voice and double standards surrounding women and their sexuality at the time are conveyed to the reader in two main examples in this verse. Firstly, Lorca’s choice to use the term “mozuela” for the word “virgin” creates a power imbalance between the gypsy and the woman, and introduces the reader to the woman’s treatment as an object, as “mozuela” is a derogatory term as well. “Mozuela” also means “lass”, and using this term to label the female character as such degrades her to a position of both status and power lower than that of her male counterpart. Lorca could have instead used the word “doncella” without altering the number of syllables in the line and without attaching a derogatory term to the female character and creating a power imbalance. However, “doncella” does not have the same derogatory meaning attached to it, and thus would not create the same power imbalance nor convey the woman’s position as an object, so in order to convey both these things it is understandable that Lorca would opt to use “mozuela” instead. Secondly, the fact that the gypsy thinks the woman to be a virgin (“creyendo que era mozuela”), despite his knowledge of her being married (“pero tenía marido”) is significant of societal values surrounding women and their sexuality at this time. The gypsy shows ignorance in such thinking, particularly as marriage was usually consummated through sex, thus demonstrating the impossible ‘pure’ standards set on women at the time in which this was written. Moreover, the gypsy’s convincing himself that she is a virgin shows that he views her as a sexual conquest, dehumanizing her. Lorca continues to treat the woman as an object throughout the poem; her treatment as such being exemplified further once she and the gypsy have begun to have sex: “Aquella noche corrí el mejor de los caminos, montado en potra de nácar sin bridas y sin estribos. No quiero decir, por hombre, las cosas que ella me dijo.” Lorca compares having sex with the woman to riding a young mare without a bridle and stirrups (“montado en potra de nácar sin bridas y sin estribos”). As a result of this animalistic comparison, the reader is further deprived of the ability to view her as a human being. This comparison also lends weight to the view that the gypsy views the woman more as a sexual conquest as the action of riding a young mare without a bridle and stirrups is spoken of as though it were an achievement. Additionally, the gypsy plays further into societal double standards when he refuses to elaborate upon what the woman has said to him, (“No quiero decir, por hombre, las cosas que ella me dijo.”) giving the reader the impression he thinks the woman’s words of lust and sex to be beneath him and that her words are too ‘dirty’ to be spoken in a society which over-values the purity and sexual chastity of women. There also appears to be a lack of desire prevalent throughout the poem, conveyed to the reader through both the descriptions of the characters’ actions and the environment surrounding them: “En las últimas esquinas toque sus pechos dormidos,” The pace of the poem is slowed here through the personification of the woman’s sleeping breasts (“pechos dormidos”).
Not only does this personification alter the pace of the poem, but the fact that the woman’s breasts – important sexual organs and symbols of female sexuality – are portrayed as sleeping conveys a lack of arousal and general desire, particularly on the behalf of the woman. This sense of a lack of desire between the gypsy and the woman is communicated later in the poem through the description of the characters’ undressing before they begin to have sex:
“Yo me quité la corbata.
Ella se quitó el vestido.
Yo el cinturón con
revólver. Ella sus cuatros corpiños.” The hurried, anti-erotic description of the characters’ undressing gives the reader the impression the event is an act they both want to get over and done with, as quickly as possible. What’s more, the fact that the characters are undressing themselves can be seen as evidence of their lack of lust for each other, and lack of enthusiasm to explore each other’s bodies. Lastly, Lorca strengthens the sense of a lack of desire through vivid description of the poem’s surroundings: “Sin luz de plata en sus copas los árboles han crecido y un horizonte de perros ladra muy lejos del río.” The visual imagery revealed in the line “Sin luz de plata en sus copas” suggests a lack of moonlight in the characters’ surroundings. Thus, the reader is told of this event taking place on a night without the light of the moon; moonlight often being a symbol of lust and sexuality. The idea that these events took place in complete darkness strengthens the sense of a lack of desire in that the characters are unable to see each other’s bodies, implying a lack of excitement and attraction as well; particularly as the gypsy does not seem to care all that much about his inability to properly see the body of the woman he is about to have sex with. This sense of looming darkness surrounding the act is also illustrated through the personification of the trees having grown (“los árboles han crecido”), as this distances the couple further and further away from the world, further elaborating on the hidden environment and adding to the darkness of the night itself. Thus, despite the poem being about sex, it seems the act is more for the sake of sexual conquest and infidelity rather than genuine sexual desire. Lastly, the reader is reminded of the act of infidelity’s status as sin in the final verse of the poem: “La regalé un costurero grande, de raso pajizo, y no quise enamorarme porque teniendo marido me dijo que era mozuela cuando la llevaba al río.” The gift the gypsy gives the woman is significant both in the action of giving the gift itself and also in the item she is given. The fact that the woman is given the gift straight after sex makes it seem as though she were a prostitute; strengthening her position in the poem as an object and sexual conquest for the gypsy. The gift itself is symbolic of her marital status and almost acts as a punishment for having given in to her sexual urges. This is ironic coming from the gypsy as he is, in fact, just as guilty. The gypsy gives the woman a sewing box made from satin straw (“La regalé un costurero grande, de raso pajizo,”). The sewing box serves as a reminder of her status as a married woman and duties as a housewife as it serves as a symbol of female gender roles and female gender roles within the home in particular. Moreover, the final line of the poem echoes the first verse (“me dijo que era mozuela cuando la llevaba al río”). Through this technique, the power imbalance between the woman and the gypsy is reinforced and the reader is reminded of the woman’s position as a sexual conquest. In conclusion, Lorca communicates a critical insight of societal values surrounding gender, sex and sexuality at the time in which he lived through the use of a sexist narrative voice and the objectification of the female character. He demonstrates the impossible double standards surrounding female sexuality in the gypsy’s conviction that the woman is a virgin despite being married, while simultaneously dehumanizing her in her position as a sexual conquest. Moreover, the lack of desire evident throughout the poem emphasizes the role of the event as a sexual conquest and sex for the sake of infidelity, rather than for lust. Lorca achieves this through use of poetic techniques such as diction, imagery, personification and symbolism.
The readers are apt to feel confused in the contrasting ways the woman in this poem has been depicted. The lady described in the poem leads to contrasting lives during the day and night. She is a normal girl in her Cadillac in the day while in her pink Mustang she is a prostitute driving on highways in the night. In the poem the imagery of body recurs frequently as “moving in the dust” and “every time she is touched”. The reference to woman’s body could possibly be the metaphor for the derogatory ways women’s labor, especially the physical labor is represented. The contrast between day and night possibly highlights the two contrasting ways the women are represented in society.
Rather, it criticizes this culture through its portrayal of women. The narrative is focused on a male and is told by a male, which reflects the male-centered society it is set in. However, when we compare how the narrator views these women to who they really are, the discrepancies act as a critique on the Dominican culture. Yunior, who represents the typical Dominican male, sees women as objects, conquests, when in fact their actions show their resistance to be categorized as such. Beli, whose childhood was filled with male domination by Trujillo and the family she worked for, attempts to gain power through sexuality, the avenue the culture pushes women toward. This backfires, creating a critique of the limited opportunities available for women. La Inca portrays a different side to this, working quietly but in ways that are not socially acceptable through self-employment. Society attempts to cage these women, but they continue to fight against it. Diaz, in an interview, quoted James Baldwin, stating, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced" (Fassler). He exhibits the misogyny in the system but does not support it, rather critiques it through strong female characters. By drawing attention to the problem, the novel advocates for change. Diaz writes, at the end of part 1, “Nothing more exhilarating… than saving yourself by the simple act of waking”
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