House of Bernarda Alba: theatrical conventions of the period

Characteristics of Spanish Drama in Lorca’s Period

Spanish drama of the 1930s, when Federico García Lorca wrote The House of Bernarda Alba, was profoundly influenced by the cultural, political, and social climate, marked by the impending Spanish Civil War.
Plays often depicted stark social realities, like the oppression of women and the restrictive societal norms as seen in The House of Bernarda Alba.
Lorca’s plays, including The House of Bernarda Alba, are known for their symbolic language and poetic realism, both significant traits of the theatrical conventions of his period.

Surrealism and symbolism significantly influenced the theatrical conventions of Lorca’s period, and these are evident in The House of Bernarda Alba.
Visual imagery and symbolic elements such as the cane, the colour green, and the presiding heat, are key to the play’s distinct dramatic style.
The play also bears Lorca’s signature tragicomic style, presenting tragic reality in a comically exaggerated fashion to underscore the absurdities of oppressive societal norms.

The theatrical conventions of the period included the representation of women’s lives within the restrictive socio-political norms of Spain.
In this context, The House of Bernarda Alba is distinctly a ‘women’s play’, as all the characters are women. The absence of any male characters on stage heightens the sense of patriarchal oppression and control.
The principal characters, Bernarda and her daughters, are depicted as victims of societal norms and expectations, which is a common theme in plays of Lorca’s time.

Lorca’s period was characterised by the fusion of traditional and innovative dramatic techniques. This blend is evident in The House of Bernarda Alba.
Common aesthetic conventions of the period included a minimalistic set design, but with expensive and meaningful props symbolic of the characters or the plot.
Lorca makes use of both monologues and dialogues, another common convention of the period. This helps to enhance character development and plot progression.

The theatrical conventions of Lorca’s era greatly influenced the construction and reception of The House of Bernarda Alba.
An understanding of these dramatic trends and norms of Lorca’s time provides valuable context for interpreting the play and strengthens our appreciation for Lorca’s genius in using the conventions to depict a deeply tragic storyline.
While Lorca’s work adheres to many conventions of his period, his innovative and symbolic approach make The House of Bernarda Alba a unique work in the realm of 20th-century Spanish drama.