La Casa De Bernarda Alba (Act I)

Characters Mother: Bernarda (60) Grandmother: Maria Josefa (80) Daughters: Angustias(39) Magdalena(30) Amelia(27) Martirio(24) Adela(20) Servant: La Poncia(60), servant(50) Prudencia, beggar, and random women 2/1/26, 4:16 PM La Casa De Bernarda Alba (Act I) Summary - The story begins in the white interior of Bernarda's house, filled with unrealistic paintings of nymphs and kings during a hot summer. Magdalena fainted at the service because it was long and hot while she was very hungry. La Poncia and the servant are complaining that strict, domineering Bernarda isn't letting any of them eat because she isn't, so they sneak some sausage and chickpeas. - Mother is locked up and shouts for Bernarda. La Poncia and Servant clean, which is ironic because Bernarda is not a "clean" person. They further bash bernarda and explain how his relatives didn't even come because they hate her. La Poncia complains that she's washed and taken care of her for 30 years, and yet she curses her. - La Poncia goes on to say that she's a good dog and does what she's told, but cannot quit because her sons work Bernarda's fields and depend on her for income. When La Poncia has enough, she says that she will lock herself in a room with Bernarda and spit on her for a year until she looks like a lizard. Besides Angustias, none others have inheritance. - They go to final service, where beggar comes for the leftovers. The servant (Who just complained about being poor) tells the beggar to find food on the streets like a dog. The Servant also says that the dead man (Antonio Maria Benavides) used to life up her skirt. - Bernarda now says that "The poor are like animals" and says that they'll forget about their sorrows if "they're faced with a plate of chickpeas" She then tells Magdalena to get under her bed if she wants to cry. - Angustias and a young girl talk about Pepe el Romano, so Bernarda and La poncia scold her for looking at boys in church. They continue on blessing him at 2/8 / 2/1/26, 4:16 PM La Casa De Bernarda Alba (Act I) the service and women make wishes (May you never need food or shelter, may you enjoy the true harvest of your marriage) - Bernarda is disparaging the villagers and the poor village, which has no river. She criticizes them for messing her floor, and then asks for a fan but scolds Amelia for not giving her a black one. Bernarda then says that not a breeze will enter the house and they cannot leave, but they can embroider their ajuar. Magdalena complains about the sitting and embroidering lifestyle and curses women. - The grandmother has gone insane, but they unlock her and now she puts on earrings and says she wants to get married. They take her out but keep her so strangers cannot see. - Bernarda hits Angustias for looking at Pepe el Romano through the gate on the day of the funeral while overhearing the mens' conversation. La Poncia reports that the men were discussing Paca La Roseta who was carried off on horseback to the olive grove with a foreigner man. - Bernarda still doesn't let Angustias have a suitor although she's 39, as she thinks that no men in the village are of their class even though they'd be poor anywhere else. - They begin to talk about Adelaida (who wasn't at the funeral because her novio won't let her go into the streets). Adelaida's dad killed a man in Cuba, married his wife, ditched her to marry another women with a daughter, and had Adelaida with that daughter. He isn't in jail and got land because men cover (tapar) for each other. Maritrio hates men even though Humanes liked her. - Rumors exist that pepe el Romano is going to marry Angustias, but Magdalena thinks that Angustia is ugly and he only wants her money. Adela is sad because she wants to go out in the next 8 years. Bernarda lets Angustias go out after she's 3/8 / 2/1/26, 4:16 PM La Casa De Bernarda Alba (Act I) / 4/8 cleaned the powder off of her face as girls fight about inheritance. - Maria Josepha (Grandmother) is insane and says she wants to marry someone by the seashore. En la acotaction inicial se describe el escenario Los parades de la casa son blancos (Para representar pureza), y cuadros colgados en las parades representan la fantasia de un otro vida. Quien ha muerto? Antonio Maria Benavides, el esposo de bernarda, ha muerto.