Gender Roles in “La Casa de Bernarda Alba”- Lorca
The Role of Women (“El Papel de las Mujeres”)
● A double standard (“un doble moral”) is evident throughout the play,
particularly in regards to how men are allowed a level of sexual freedom
which is denied to women. Women are left to suffer the consequences
of these affairs (eg. La Librada’s daughter and Adela are both punished
whilst the men with whom they had affairs go free).
● Society demands that women be virgins or wives.
○ La sociedad exige que las mujeres sean vírgenes o esposas.
○ This is seen in the rigid binary of black and white which is clear
throughout the play.
Bernarda
● Bernarda assumes the role of a man, repressing her daughters. This
represents how misogyny is not only a conflict between the sexes, but
the way in which women hurt each other.
● Bernarda is described as “bregando como un hombre” (fighting like a
man).
● Bernarda has some power of men (eg. Enrique Humanes cannot marry
Martirio)
○ However, she has no power to prevent the destruction caused by
Pepe el Romano.
● Bernarda enforces gender roles in her home: she is the oppressor. She
insists on strict gender roles: Needle and thread for women. Whip and a
mule for the man.
○ Bernarda impone papeles de género en su casa. Insiste en los
estrictos roles de género: Hilo y aguja para las hembras. Látigo y
mula para el varón.
The Role of Women (“El Papel de las Mujeres”)
● A double standard (“un doble moral”) is evident throughout the play,
particularly in regards to how men are allowed a level of sexual freedom
which is denied to women. Women are left to suffer the consequences
of these affairs (eg. La Librada’s daughter and Adela are both punished
whilst the men with whom they had affairs go free).
● Society demands that women be virgins or wives.
○ La sociedad exige que las mujeres sean vírgenes o esposas.
○ This is seen in the rigid binary of black and white which is clear
throughout the play.
Bernarda
● Bernarda assumes the role of a man, repressing her daughters. This
represents how misogyny is not only a conflict between the sexes, but
the way in which women hurt each other.
● Bernarda is described as “bregando como un hombre” (fighting like a
man).
● Bernarda has some power of men (eg. Enrique Humanes cannot marry
Martirio)
○ However, she has no power to prevent the destruction caused by
Pepe el Romano.
● Bernarda enforces gender roles in her home: she is the oppressor. She
insists on strict gender roles: Needle and thread for women. Whip and a
mule for the man.
○ Bernarda impone papeles de género en su casa. Insiste en los
estrictos roles de género: Hilo y aguja para las hembras. Látigo y
mula para el varón.
