In Federico García Lorca’s La Casa de Bernarda Alba, a tyrant woman rules over her five daughters and household with absolute authority. She prevents her daughters from having suitors and gives them little to no freedom, especially with regard to their sexualities and desires. They must conform to the traditional social expectations for women through sewing, cleaning, as well as staying pure and chaste. While, as John Corbin states in The Modern Language Review, “It was entirely proper for a respectable woman in [Bernarda’s] position to manage her household strictly and insist that the servants keep it clean, to defend its reputation, ensure the sexual purity of her daughters, and promote advantageous marriages for them,” Bernarda inordinately …show more content…
concerns herself with it, to the point where she herself puts the family’s honour at risk (Corbin 723) . Bernarda’s unsustainable methods to maintain proper outward appearances or ‘buena fachada’ through strict command over her household and traditional values result in her daughter’s death and the social ruin of her family. Lorca demonstrates this in La casa de Bernarda Alba through staging and prop usage as well as through Bernarda’s characterisation and dialogue. One of Bernarda’s main concerns is what her neighbours think of her. She constantly reminds the household that they are watching and will gossip about anything they see, no matter how innocuous. When Poncia is letting María Josefa outside, Bernarda warns her not to let her get too close to the well. Poncia responds that she need not worry about her drowning. Bernarda replies cooly, “No es por eso. Pero desde aquel sitio las vecinas pueden verla desde su ventana” (Lorca 22) . She does not care about mother, only about what neighbours can see. When they come for the funeral, Bernarda even has Poncia lock her up so they mourners cannot see her. This brutality towards the woman who raised her demonstrates just how far Bernarda is willing to endeavour to protect their ‘buena fachada.’ She does not want anyone to gossip about her mentally-ill mother or what her mother might say to them like she threatens to when the mourners are there. She also does not allow her daughters to be sad at the death of their father or sister. At the beginning of the play, when one of her daughters starts crying at the death of her father, Bernarda tells her, “Magdalena, no llores. Si quieres llorar te metes debajo de la cama. ¿Me has oído?” (Lorca 14). This line is echoed at the end when she tells her daughters to stop crying about Adela’s death and to save their tears for when they are alone. In the minutes after her youngest daughter’s death, instead of being distraught at losing her, Bernarda closes the play by yelling, “¡Descolgarla! ¡Mi hija ha muerto virgen! Llevadla a su cuarto y verstirla como si fuera doncella […] Ella, la hija menor de Bernarda Alba, ha muerto virgen. ¿Me habéis oído?” (Lorca 116). Bernarda only cares that people believe that her daughter died a virgin. Her lack of emotion or love for her daughter paints her as a poor mother figure and demonstrates what truly matters to her is her reputation. She feels no guilt for having told her the lie that led her daughter to kill herself, nor does care the effect it has on her other daughters. Bernarda is brutally controlling of her household in addition to her emotions and Lorca helps illustrate this through props and setting. To maintain her authoritative control over the household, Bernarda carries around a ‘bastón’ which she uses to beat her daughters into submission.
In Act II, after they discover that Martirio has stolen the framed photo of Pepe el Romano from Angustias, Bernarda momentarily loses her resolve, but immediately uses her ‘bastón’ to get it back: “[las chicas] Salen. BERNARDA se sienta desolada. PONCIA está de pie arrimada a los muros. BERNARDA reacciona, da un golpe en el suelo […]” (Lorca 72). Although it should feel normal for Bernarda to be a bit broken-up when life is not going the way she planned, she does not let herself feel emotion. She is also worried what Poncia would think although she has worked for the family for over 30 years. Instead, when she sees Poncia, she once again asserts her dominance with the club. The ‘bastón’ is not only a physical object she can use to carry out her commands, but also a very phallic-shaped entity that represents masculinity and ultimately solidifies her control. As the eldest male of a family generally leads it, Bernarda essentially carries around a physical manifestation of this manhood with her, which permits her definitive power. This prop gives her the means to enact her control and keep up the ‘buena fachada’ she so desperately concerns herself with. Yet, the importance of ‘buena fachada’ is demonstrated even earlier in the play with the descriptions of the first setting in the opening of act 1. Lorca envisions a, “Habitación blanquísima del interior de la casa de BERNARDA. Muros gruesos” (Lorca 4). In fact, each scene opens up with the image of white walls. White walls not only conjure up mental images of sterile and constraining hospitals, but the colour also represents the purity Bernarda desires for her daughters. White is traditionally associated with purity and innocence and the walls help convey this idea to visitors. It is also the colour she intends for Adela to wear at her funeral. In
addition, the ‘muros gruesos’ protect the house from prying ears, one of Bernarda’s main concerns as she pays very special attention to how others view her outward appearance. The family’s fall from grace, however, cannot be avoided, as foreshadowed by the glasses with spots that Poncia and la Criada are attempt to wash before the arrival of the mourners. Poncia tells la Criada, “Este cristal tiene unas motas” to which she responds, “Ni con el jabón ni con bayeta se le quitan” (Lorca 8). Imperfections are ingrained in the ‘cristal’ just as they are with the family—they cannot be removed. No matter what Bernarda does, she will never be able to erase Adela’s suicide nor convince the gossipy town that she died a virgin. Bernarda’s concern for a ‘buena fachada’ leads to disastrous results. Although she goes to great lengths in an attempt to preserve her family honour, she only leads to the creation of the opposite extreme. As Sarah Wright explains in Federico Bonaddio’s A Companion to Federico García Lorca: “Bernarda […] is the arch manifestation of repression carried to extremes. Where else is there for Adela to go, but be driven to extremes of rebellion against an unfair power system?” (Wright 60) . Forcing Adela to seek her own freedom by any means necessary, leads to her death and the ultimate shame on her family. Not only did she engage in premarital relations, crime punishable by death in the case of the daughter of la librada, but she also kills herself. Even if there is no proof for the former claim, an allegation in a gossipy town like theirs will be enough to condemn them. Earlier, in act 2, when Bernarda is reminding Poncia that she has a duty to protect the reputation of the household if anything were to hypothetically happen, Poncia states, “¡Eso no lo sé yo! En el pueblo hay gentes que leen también de lejos los pensamientos escondidos” (Lorca 76). The whispers of the townspeople do not need factual backing and they always seem to know what one seeks to hide. Essentially, this illustrates that Bernarda cannot truly protect her private life from others, no matter how hard she tries. This does not stop her, however, and her obsession with ‘buena fachada’ only leads to her disgrace. La casa de Bernarda Alba is the story of a woman so desperately focused with escaping the gossip of the town, that she indirectly causes the downfall of her family. Her brutal methods to save the family reputation only cause depression in her children and a deep-seeded desire to be free. This bit of hope is most prominently displayed in the youngest daughter Adela who kills herself when she feels she has lost her only chance of escape through Pepe el Romano. Lorca best conveys the breakdown of ‘buena fachada’ through his characterisation of Bernarda, staging and prop usage, and the tragic end that the family meets.
Men and women were held under drastically different expectations in Spain and the Spanish colonies in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. These set gender roles are effectively demonstrated through the life of Catalina de Erauso, who experienced the entire spectrum through her adventures as a transvestite in this time period. Opportunities and freedom in culture, politics and economy, and religion varied greatly between men and women. Men were capable of living out their lives independently and ambitiously. Women, on the other hand, were taught to be reliant and mild-mannered characters in the background. De Erauso shatters this idea of a woman’s role by fulfilling a life of adventure and power. In doing so, she briefly dispels the obligations of gender roles, if only for herself. Catalina de Erauso was a nun, a lieutenant, and a history-maker.
Women in society were always put as not being equal to men. During the Renaissance, women were inferior to men; women in different classes had different roles. Low class women were expected to be housewives and take care of everything to do with the house. Working class women were expected to work for their husbands and help them run their business. They would work along side with their husbands and then go home and take care of the household. Upper class women may have had servants and workers working for them but the women were still expected to take care of the house hold.
Throughout the novel “The House of the Spirits” by Isabel Allende the reader sees many instances that exemplify the antagonistic nature of man verses woman. Through Esteban Trueba’s raping of many of the women at Tres Marias, his marriage with Clara, his relationship with his daughter Blanca and her with her lover Pedro Tercero Garcia and with Alba Trueba’s relationship with her lover Miguel and her Grandfather Esteban, much of what Allende wants the reader to know about the nature of man verses woman is exposed. Nature pits man against woman, in marriage, love, sex, work, and war. Women can choose their battles and fight them subtly, without really seeming to, because all women know that the men like to think they are in charge when they really aren’t, and that men will fight every battle just to prove that they are men. Triumph over a weaker opponent does not make men stronger. It only makes them feel powerful. Allende writes about women who are able to quietly persevere, always managing to get their own way, without seeming too, because they know the only way to keep men happy is to let them feel powerful and in charge.
Our lady of Guadalupe is the most venerated and respected by the Catholics. The appearance of the Virgin caused a great commotion in the Catholic Church. Ever since the Virgin's first appearance, Catholics have respected and acquired so much faith to the Virgin. The lady of Guadalupe has so many faithful followers that believe in her without any hesitation because of the miracles that she has made for the people that were once suffering and were miraculously helped by her. Because of the help that she has provided for those who were suffering people never forget her and they celebrate the day of her appearance every year by doing parties in her honor. The Lady of Guadalupe’s appearance certainly changed the belief of Catholics and, I believe
Women’s Escape into Misery Women’s need for male support and their husband’s constant degradation of them was a recurring theme in the book House on Mango Street. Many of Esperanza’s stories were about women’s dreams of marrying, the perfect husband and having the perfect family and home. Sally, Rafaela, and Minerva are women who gave me the impression of [damsel’s in distress].CLICHÉ, it’s ok though. It’s relevant They wished for a man to sweep them of their feet and rescue them from their present misery. These characters are inspiring and strong but they are unable to escape the repression of the surrounding environment. *Cisneros presents a rigid world in which they lived in, and left them no other hope but to get married. Esperanza, however, is a very tough girl who knows what she wants. She will keep dreaming and striving until she gets it. She says, "I am too strong for her [Mango Street] to keep me here" (110). Esperanza learned from all of these women that she was not going to be tied down. She said, "I have decided not to grow up tame like the others who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain" (88). **Especially after seeing that Sally was suffering so much. Sally’s father is making her want to leave home by beating her. Sally "said her mother rubs lard on the places were it hurts" (93). There is not enough lard in the world to be able to cure the pain within Sally’s heart. Sally, "met a marshmallow salesman at a school bazaar" (101). Pretty soon " sally got married, she has her house now, her pillowcases and her plates" (101). Her marriage seems to free her from her father, but in reality she has now stepped into a world of misery. This was supposed to help her heal; " she says she is in love, but I think she did it to escape." (101). Unlike the other women Sally has no escape, no poetry, not even papaya coconut juice, not to mention, " he does not let her look out the window" (102). That is why "she sits at home because she is afraid to go outside without his permission."(102). Rafaela’s situation also involves imprisonment in her own home. Cisneros introduced us to Rafaela, a young beautiful girl whose expectations from marriage were to obtain a sweet home to live in. Instead...
Lope de Vega’s play touches upon several key components and ideas that were brought up in many of the other stories read throughout the semester. This included the role of gender and how men and women are viewed differently in the Spaniard town of Fuenteovejuna. Another topic included the importance of family, love, and relationships and their connection on loyalty, trust, and personal beliefs. The last major influence found in other literature and in Fuenteovejuna, were the political and religious references made throughout the play. Even though Lope de Vega didn’t make these views obvious, the reader could still pick up on their connotation and the references made towards these specific ideas. With all of this in mind, each of these components played an important role in each civilization read, and even over 1,000 years later it continues to be a social topic as well as a large part of the culture. The only difference a reader or scholar could make for this particular piece of literature is its authenticity and how it was based on a true event. Regardless, new views on power and how one obtain it become apparent through the dialogue between characters like Laurencia and the Commander.
force can lead to one’s end, and through the way he uses the motif of
Esperanza, a strong- willed girl who dreams big despite her surroundings and restrictions, is the main character in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. Esperanza represents the females of her poor and impoverished neighborhood who wish to change and better themselves. She desires both sexuality and autonomy of marriage, hoping to break the typical life cycle of woman in her family and neighborhood. Throughout the novel, she goes through many different changes in search of identity and maturity, seeking self-reliance and interdependence, through insecure ideas such as owning her own house, instead of seeking comfort and in one’s self. Esperanza matures as she begins to see the difference. She evolves from an insecure girl to a mature young lady through her difficult life experiences and the people she comes across. It is through personal encounters and experiences that Esperanza begins to become sexually aware and acceptance her place and self-definition in her community.
to decrease as female subordination was called into question. The legal authority in the household
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.
We all experience losses as we grow older in life. These losses are usually about our physical or inner self. However, sometimes these losses could be about how our relationships with others have been lost or changed due to growing up. For example, in the story How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez, four sisters suffer or experience losses as a result of growing up into older young women. All this started when the four sisters moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic at a young age. This affects the four sisters because they encounter problems or obstacles as they age into young adults. For instance, Julia Alvarez shows that growing up is a process of losing respect, sanity, and a loving friend.
Women in Latin America were expected to adhere to extreme cultural and social traditions and there were few women who managed to escape the burden of upholding these ridiculous duties, as clearly shown in “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”. First, Latin American women were expected to uphold their honor, as well as their family's honor, through maintaining virtue and purity; secondly, women were expected to be submissive to their parents and especially their husbands; and lastly, women were expected to remain excellent homemakers.
Women in The Count of Monte Cristo possess unique personalities, but intensely similar restrictions. Currently, women in the United States, as well as other countries, are able to have jobs, travel, and participate in many other activities that the ladies Dumas portrays are not allowed to. Feminist analysis of this book reveals the ways of the time and the delicate balance of society’s typical structure. In The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas realistically conveys that when women violate their traditional roles, the balance of life is disrupted. This is evident through descriptions of instances in which females are in the home as well as when they are not.
In Latin America, women are treated differently from men and children. They do lots of work for unexplainable reasons. Others for religious reasons and family orders and others because of the men involved. Women are like objects to men and have to obey their orders to either be rich or to live. Some have sex to get the men’s approval, others marry a rich man that they don’t even know very well, and become slaves. An important book called Chronicles of a Death Foretold is an example of how these women are treated. Purisima del Carmen, Angela Vicario's mother, has raised Angela and her sisters to be good wives. The girls do not marry until late in life, rarely socializing beyond the outsides of their own home. They spend their time sewing, weaving, washing and ironing. Other occupations include arranging flowers, cleaning up the house, and writing engagement letters to other men. They also keep the old traditions alive, such as helping the sick, comforting the dying, and covering the dead. While their mother believes they are perfect, men view them as too tied to their women's traditions. The men are afraid that the women would pay more attention to their job more than the men. Throughout the book, the women receive the respect they deserve from the men and others around them.
...r’s household most women in this period had no self-respect and were controlled by their husbands.