
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Menrva Books earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more
In his four last plays (Blood Wedding, Yerma, The House of Bernarda Alba, Dona Rosita the Spinster) Federico García Lorca offered his disturbed and disturbing personal vision to Spanish audiences of the 1930s---unready, as he thought them, for the sexual frankness and surreal expression of his more experimental work. The authentic sense of danger of Lorca's theatre is finely conveyed here in John Edmunds's fluent and rhythmic new translations that lend themselves admirably to performance.About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
The central conflict arises from the collision between individual desire and the rigid, oppressive social codes of rural Spain. Lorca’s protagonists—women trapped by tradition, infertility, and familial honor—struggle against the suffocating expectations of their communities. These plays utilize a blend of poetic realism and surreal imagery to externalize the internal psychological torment of the characters. The narrative framework relies on heightened dialogue and symbolic staging to expose the fragility of domestic life under the weight of societal judgment.
Readers and critics frequently highlight the visceral intensity of Lorca’s dramatic vision and his ability to transform local Spanish customs into universal themes of human suffering. Discussion often centers on the balance between his lyrical, poetic language and the stark, brutal reality of the situations his characters endure. Scholars emphasize the effectiveness of his world-building, noting how the atmosphere of claustrophobia is meticulously constructed through both dialogue and stage directions. Many readers appreciate the clarity of these translations, which maintain the rhythmic cadence of the original Spanish while ensuring the plays remain accessible for contemporary performance.
Page Count:
288
Publication Date:
2009-01-15
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0199537518
ISBN-13:
9780199537518
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!