Colour is very important in The House of Bernarda Alba. The walls of the house are all painted white. This is characteristic of homes in Spain, since white reflects the scorching sun. There is, however, a deeper meaning than the simple practicality of white in the play. White is symbolic of purity and cleanliness along with lifelessness, pallor and emptiness. All of these features are descriptive of the life the daughters of Bernarda are forced to lead. In fact, the family name Alba means white. This colour is shown to be in sharp contrast to the black dress of the women in mourning as they enter the stage. The white of the walls serves to exaggerate the black of their dresses. Black is indeed the colour of death and may not only indicate the death that has occurred but also allu

The most important symbol in the play is that of the tolling of the bells. Before any player appears on the stage the bells sounding after the funeral welcome the audience. This sets the somber tone of the entire drama. They also foreshadow the death that is to come. At the end of the play Bernarda's comment that the bells will ring twice for Adela who died a virgin illustrates how important the bells really are in the town.

The colour in the play makes a dramatic twist when Adela removes her black clothes of mourning and opts to wear her green birthday dress into the yard to feed the chickens. Green is often regarded as being a symbol of Earth, youth and fertility. The green of the dress really is a symbol for Adela herself. Adela wants nothing more than to be free from her mother's rule and to live the rest of her young life as she wishes. She is full of the vigor of youth and is of the perfect age to marry and begin her own family. These features pour from the young woman as she wears this dress while exclaiming to the chickens "look at me!" The vibrant green colour is a very sharp contrast to black signifying how she cares not for the restrictions imposed on her by her mother.

The House of Bernarda Alba is full of nonverbal imagery that really does set the stage for the play. Without the creative genius of Lorca, who entered these pivotal elements, the play would not have been as effective. It really is important to read a little deeper or

Some common words found in the essay are:
Adela Adela, Bernarda Alba, , Garcia Lorca, bernarda alba, House Bernarda, sharp contrast black, house bernarda alba, contrast black, house bernarda, sharp contrast, tassels ruffles, daughters bernarda, elements play,
Approximate Word count = 989
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)