[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/la_casa_de_bernarda_alba.png]]
''La casa de Bernarda Alba'' (or, in English, ''The House of Bernarda Alba'') is a dramatic Spanish play written by Creator/FedericoGarciaLorca shortly before his death in 1936. The play was first staged in 1945. The entire play takes place within the eponymous house after the death of Bernarda's second husband, the father of four of Bernarda's five daughters. To adhere to the local custom, the Albas must mourn for several years and stay within the eponymous house. Tensions within the house grow as Angustias, the eldest daughter, born from Bernarda's first marriage, is courted by [[HeWhoMustNotBeSeen Pepe El Romano]], and it is soon revealed that Angustias is not the only daughter who interests Pepe. As the play is an [[UsefulNotes/SpanishCivilWar allegory for totalitarianism]], it's not hard to see why the play's content got Lorca murdered by Franco's Nationals.

It was adapted into [[TheFilmOfThePlay a movie]] in 1987 and into an English-language {{made for TV movie}} in 1991.

The characters are:
* [[EvilMatriarch Bernarda Alba]] - rules her household with an iron fist and a wooden cane but turns a blind eye to the "storm" in every room within the house.
* [[MealTicket Angustias]] - the eldest daughter, who inherited a substantial amount of money from her father, Bernarda's first husband.
* [[ThoseTwoGuys Magdelena and Amelia]] - the two middle daughters
* [[MeaningfulName Martirio]] - the second youngest daughter, who is afraid of men and considers herself very ugly. She is secretly in love with Pepe El Romano.
* [[AllWomenAreLustful Adela]] - the youngest daughter, who carries on a secret affair with Pepe El Romano and longs to be free from Bernarda's control
* [[WaifProphet Maria Josefa]] - Bernarda's senile mother, who is usually locked upstairs in the house.
* [[OldRetainer La Poncia]] - the knowledgeable maid of the Albas, who has worked for Bernarda for 30 years. She advises Bernarda and the daughters but her good advice is not always heeded.
* [[GoldDigger Pepe El Romano]] - the never-seen suitor of Angustias. He has an affair with Adela.
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!!This play provides examples of:
* AbusiveParents: Bernarda herself isn't a pleasant parent. She does have the excuse of Maria Josefa being quite similar when she grew up, but if anything has been worse.
* TheCassandra: Poncia constantly tells Bernarda that something bad will eventually happen with her daugthers, but she just ignores her. [[spoiler:Come to the end of the play, both her and Martirio's actions cause Adela to kill herself.]]
* CallingTheOldManOut: Calling the old woman out, rather, in the climax of the play by Adela.
* ChromosomeCasting: A female example.
* DrivenByEnvy: Martirio's antagonistic actions against Angustias and Adela are because she has a crush on Pepe as well, and the former is getting married with him and the latter is having an affair with him.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Adela, when she thinks that Pepe is dead.]]
* EvilIsPetty: Bernada's following of tradition at everybody's expense drives her into this.
* EvilMatriarch: Bernarda fits this to a tee.
* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry - Mainly between Martirio and Adela. Martirio also has one with Angustias due to her being engaged to Pepe.
* HateSink: Bernarda has no positive traits and fuels the suffering of the other characters.
* {{Jerkass}}: Bernarda and Martirio later on.
* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Bernada gets literally no punishment for her crimes, beyond having a cane snapped.]] It's infuriating to say the least.
* KickTheDog: Bernarda has many. Notably forcibly wiping the makeup off of Angustias, cruelly locking up Maria Josefa and cheering when the town attacks a local girl for [[spoiler:killing the baby she had out of wedlock.]] The film version even has her join the mob and participate in the violence directly.
* MeaningfulName: Pretty much everyone:
** Ethimologicallly, "Bernarda" means with the strenght of a bear. Her last name, "Alba", is related to her obsession of making her family seem as "normal" as possible.
** "Adela" can be translated as "with a noble spirit"
** "Martirio" is a litteral translated to "martyrdom", which is fitting because of [[{{Jerkass}} how hateful and unsensitive she is.]]
** "Angustias" is translated to "anguish". She is ugly, old, negative and [[MealTicket Pepe is only going to marry her for her money.]]
** "Magdalena" is someone who tends to cry, which is a direct reference to Mary Magdalene, a bible character who brusts out in tears in sad situations.
** "Amelia", fitting for her name, is energetic.
** "Poncia" is a reference to the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea Pontius Pilate, which is fitting considering she is the one who actually cares about what the girls go through instead of Bernarda.
* ParentalSubstitute: Poncia is more of a mother to the girls than Bernarda herself.
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