La Casa De Bernarda Alba

Does the ending of the play suggest that the Cycles of Oppression and Cycles of Violence will end or continue? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: The Discussion/Analysis Prompt encourages students to apply the Personal Connection Prompt question to the context of the play. For Lorca, the characters are stuck within the Cycles of Oppression and Cycles of Violence, as their actions and mindset are firmly rooted in cyclical tragedy. For Adela, the only way out is death; in fact, she is the only one who truly “escapes,” the clutches of her mother. The final scene of the play implies that the cycle of oppression will continue, because the mother is more concerned about the neighbors’ gossip than her deceased daughter. Martirio foreshadows the repetition of violence, as she notes that history repeats itself.