Continental Drama Blood Wedding by Federico Lorca

Submitted By
Maryam Iftikhar 2025116078
Javeria Nasir 2025116058
Ayesha Haroon 2025116026
Khadija Rizwan 2025116061
Ayesha Mubashir 2025116027
Rida Fatima 2025116097
Ayesha Batool 2025116023
Fatima Qayyum 2025116037
Aleeha Malik 2025116006
Rida Gulzar 2025116098
Zobia Asghar 2025116134
Amna Idrees 2025116014
Flizba Irshad 2025116040
Sadia Ammanat 2025116108
Laiba Nisar 2025116068
Ghashima Zehra 2025116041

Submitted to Ma’am Nabia Fakhar

 Introduction of Writer
Federico García Lorca is one of the most important Spanish poets and dramatists of the
twentieth century. He was born June 5, 1898, in Fuente Vaqueros, a small town a few miles from
Granada. His father, Federico García Rodríguez, was a landowner, and his mother, Vicenta Lorca
Romero, was a teacher.
Lorca published his first book Impresiones y Viajes, in 1919. That same year, he traveled to
Madrid, where he remained for the next decade. His first full-length play, El Maleficio de la
mariposa, was produced there in 1920. The next year, he published Libro de poemas, a
compilation of poems based on Spanish folklore.
In 1922, Lorca and the composer Manuel de Falla organized the first cante jondo, or “deep
song,” festival in Granada; the deep song form permeated his poems of the early 1920s. During
this period, Lorca also became part of a group of artists known as Generación del 27, which
included Salvador Dalí and Luis Buñuel, who exposed the young poet to Surrealism. In 1928, his
poetry collection Romancero Gitano brought Lorca far-reaching fame; it was reprinted seven
times during his lifetime.
In 1929 and 1930, Lorca traveled to New York City and Cuba. He returned to Spain in 1930 and,
beginning in 1931, toured the country with the theater group La Barraca. He was arrested in
Granada on August 16, 1936, near the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. He is believed to have
been murdered by Fascist forces on August 18 or 19, 1936.
In 2022, a translation of Lorca’s erotic play, Don Perlimplín in Love, was published in the
collection Zóbel Reads Lorca, published by the University of Chicago Press with illustrations by
Fernando Zóbel, who also translated the play.

Historical Context
Blood wedding was completed in 1932 and premiered in 1933 . This time in Spanish history
was a time of revolution . In the beginning of 20th century, Spain had the regime of constitutional
monarchy. The Spanish populace however, had little faith in this regime . There was a clear need
of change political and economic order of things . In various parts of countries where
industrialization had taken place, new emerging worker class were eager to see a left- wing
socialist government take the reins of the country. These new groups were staunchly anti
monarchy. Lorca was also on the side of change . He was a revolutionist . So this was the state
of country at that time.
Now, if we talk about the so far career of Lorca , he was mostly known as a poet ,he wasn’t a
success as a dramatist . Blood wedding changed this, the play was a success . This play is a part
of rural trilogy ( blood wedding, yerma, the house of bernada) . These plays represent the
maturing of Lorca playwriting . Lorca political sympathies are also linked in his plays . Lorca’s
adaptation of the popular idioms and folklore, takes on a political significance . He announces
his belief that countryside culture is as rich as produced by educated elite .
 Title Significance
The meaning of “Blood Wedding” is that the traditional systems, like gender roles or class
divides, do more harm to the people than good. Certainly, in “Blood Wedding” by through which
the plays themes and conflict are explored.
The term Blood symbolizes deep ties of family and heritage. It suggests an inherent
connection between characters that goes beyond superficial relationships. This familial bond is
significant in the play as characters grapple with societal expectations, traditions and the weight
of their ancestry. On the other hand, WEDDING represents the union of individuals typically
associated with joy and celebration. However, in Lorca’s work, it takes on a darker tone.
The juxtaposition of “Blood” and “Wedding” foreshadows the impending tragedy, hinting
at the conflict between personal desires and social norms. “Blood Wedding” looks at the way
people in Spanish society are constrained through gender and class. The point of the play is to
examine society and see if it is really working for the people.
Thus, the title “Blood Wedding” encapsulates the essence of Lorca’s work, highlighting the
inescapable collision between deep-rooted familial connections and the tumultuous nature of
love and desire.

Blood wedding as a Rural Tragedy

The blood wedding is considered a rural tragedy due to its setting , themes and characters. The
play is set in rural village of Spain where characters are deeply rooted in traditions and culture of
the country side and bounded by family ties in a small community. The rural backdrop serves as
a powerful stage for the unfolding tragedy where the characters are bound by traditions and
familial ties.
The story revolves around a love triangle and the consequences of pursuing forbidden love
within the constraints of a traditional rural society and the conflicts between individual desire
and societal norms particularly in the context of marriage and love. The characters are caught in
a web of social obligations and family expectations.
Despite all the restrictions the bride who is in love with Leonardo but couldn’t marry him
because of the conflicts between both of the families. Leonardo married another woman and the
Bride is also set to marry another man , she doesn’t love but agrees for the sake of her family.
Both confess to be still in love with each other. Despite all the revelations she goes on her
marriage but on the night of her reception she runs away with Leonardo to the forest. Mother
commands everybody to search for them.
In the forest Moon and Death worked together to encourage the Bridegroom and Leonardo to kill
one another. They meet and kill each other in a knife fight. In the end the Bride faces the
consequences of her actions by going against the obligation and loses both of them.
The tragic conflict of the play is intensified by a rural setting emphasizing the inescapable nature
of fate within the confines of a traditional community and the impact of personal choices on
collective fate.
The landscape becomes metaphor for both beauty and harshness of life in the countryside.

Major Themes

1- Marriage and Family Control

In “Blood Wedding” by Federico García Lorca, the theme of marriage and family control is
prominent as well as the influence of societal and cultural forces on individuals. This theme
highlights the conflict between personal desires and societal expectations. It delves into the idea
of how societal norms and family traditions can limit personal freedom and lead to tragic
consequences. “Blood Wedding” delves into the practice of *arranged marriages*, where
individuals may not have the freedom to choose their life partners. The idea of marrying for
reasons other than love becomes a significant element in the narrative. Traditional expectations,
often manifested in arranged marriages, serve as a binding force that shapes the characters’
destinies.
The character of the Bride is a central figure who is trapped in a loveless marriage due to societal
expectations and family obligations. She is controlled by the societal norms that dictate her role
as a wife and mother. Her internal conflicts and the choices she makes highlight the challenges
women faced in a society that often prioritized duty over personal happiness. The bride’s journey
becomes a focal point for examining the complexities and constraints within the institution of
marriage. Lorca examines the consequences of individuals rebelling against these societal norms
and the impact it has on both themselves and those around them.
The theme of marriage is influence with tragedy . The play explores the fragility of marital bliss
and the potential for tragedy when personal desires clash with societal expectations. The
consequences of these conflicts are often destructive, leading to a sense of inevitability and fate
in the unfolding events. This theme serves as a powerful lens through which Lorca examines the
complexities of human relationships, societal constraints, and the tragic consequences that arise
when individuals confront the formidable forces that seek to govern their lives.
2- The Individual versus Society
The theme of the individual versus society is central to “Blood Wedding.” Leonardo and the
Bride find their respective social positions intolerable and rebel against their fates. They break
the bonds of marriage and destroy the equilibrium of the community. The way the characters are
named in Lorca’s play reveals a great deal about how the playwright conceives this problem.
With the exception of Leonardo, who instigates the disequilibrium, none of the characters are
given proper names. Rather, they are designated according to their societal position or role. The
Bride, therefore, is on her way to become a Wife or a Mother. The Bridegroom, besides being a
son, is on his way to become a Husband or a Father. What this suggests is the manner in which,
in some deep sense, there are no real individuals in societies, insofar as individualism entails
total self-determination. In other words, to live in harmony with other humans, human beings in
fact conform to a limited number of roles and possibilities that accord with the rules and
agreements of social living and life. Hence, it is only Leonardo, who contests these rules, who
can be individualised by being given a proper name. The play’s development of this problem
gives credence to those critics who see the play as a criticism of sectors of Spanish society
unwilling to countenance change. These views will ring true as long as there is a need for
persons to assert themselves against their society when its institutions or laws do not allow for
the reasonable happiness and creativity of its members. Since the play generates sympathy for
the passion of the lovers, it can be seen to generate sympathy for the forces of change.
3- Gender Roles
“Blood Wedding,” a powerful play by Spanish playwright Federico García Lorca, delves into the
complex theme of gender roles within a society deeply rooted in tradition. Set against the
backdrop of rural Spain, the play explores the constraints placed on individuals, particularly
women, by societal expectations.
Lorca’s portrayal of female characters, such as the Bride, serves as a poignant commentary on
the limited agency allotted to women in a patriarchal society. The Bride is caught in the web of
traditional gender expectations, symbolizing the societal pressure to conform to prescribed roles.
Her impending marriage becomes a metaphor for the predetermined path set for women, and her
struggle reflects the silent rebellion against these confinements.
The male characters, in contrast, embody the rigid expectations of masculinity imposed by
societal norms. The character of Leonardo, the Bridegroom’s rival, epitomizes the traditional
male role but also exposes the destructive consequences of blindly adhering to these
expectations. The play subtly critiques the toxic masculinity that permeates the society, leading
to tragic outcomes.
Overall, “Blood Wedding” serves as a compelling exploration of the gender roles that permeate
traditional societies, inviting reflection on the consequences of adhering to or rebelling against
these prescribed roles. Lorca’s masterful storytelling and rich symbolism make the play a
timeless exploration of human struggles against societal expectations, particularly those related
to gender.
4- Honor and religion
The theme of honor in “Blood Wedding” is an important theme in the play by Federico Garcia
Lorca. The concept of honor is explored through the characters’ actions and decisions. Honor is
seen as a social obligation that often conflicts with personal desires and emotions. The characters
in the play are bound by societal expectations and traditions,
Which they feel compelled to uphold even at the cost of their own happiness. The theme of
honor also delves into the consequences of betraying or disregarding societal norms. It’s a
thought-provoking theme that adds depth to the play.
The theme of religion in “Blood Wedding” is quite intriguing. In the play, religion is portrayed as
a powerful force that influences the characters’ lives and actions. The play is set in a rural
Spanish community where Catholicism plays a significant role. Religious symbols and rituals are
woven throughout the story, highlighting the characters’ beliefs and the impact of religion on
their decisions. The theme of religion explores the conflict between faith and desire, as
characters struggle to reconcile their religious obligations with their personal desires. It also
delves into the idea of fate and the role of religion in shaping one’s destiny. Overall, the theme of
religion adds depth and complexity to the play, making it a fascinating exploration of faith and
its influence on human behavior.

Major Symbols

1- Blood
Life and Death
Blood swings between the cradle and the grave, suggesting the life-death cycle. Consider the
upcoming wedding: it’s not simply a happy occasion, but it also binds together families with a
history of struggle, all characterized by blood ties. Blood is the fuel for passionate passion, not
just biology. The love triangle between the Bride, Bridegroom, and Leonardo is a hotbed of
passions, with blood symbolizing the overwhelming emotions that drive the characters to
catastrophe.
2- Knives
Conflict and Violence
Knives are more than just kitchen equipment; they represent conflict and violence. Leonardo,
with his rebellious spirit, carries a knife, which becomes a symbol of the characters’ inner battles
as well as the external fights that grow as the story progresses.
Sharp Edges of Relationship
Knives cut deep, much like the intricacies of relationships addressed in the play. “Blood
Wedding” delves on the complexities of marriage, society expectations, and the consequences of
rejecting norms, using the knife as a metaphor for the cutting nature of cultural pressures.
3- Moon
Examining Federico Garcia Lorca’s fictional works reveals a profound connection to nature,
evident in Blood Wedding, where characters like The Moon and The Beggar Woman embody
elements of the natural world, steering the play toward a poignant and tragic conclusion. In this
narrative realm, The Moon symbolizes a cold, masculine, and bloodthirsty existence. Spanish
literature often associates the moon with a realm of madness and unconsciousness.
Lonely moon, evil moon, sorrowful moon – all these words have different meanings, just like the
many faces of the moon. Each word represents an event in the play in chronological order. Those
are;
ACT-1 Leonardo and the Bride are lonely – Lonely moon.
ACT-2 Evil events happen in the forest – Evil moon.
ACT-3 Death of two lovers brings sorrow – Sorrowful moon.
The moon is the supernatural element which represents the death and the nature. The moon is
always used by people to refer the beauty, tenderness, pleasant mood and etc. Based on this idea
the moon is always portrayed as a beautiful woman by the people before Lorca. But in the play
“Blood Wedding” Lorca uses a the moon with a male figure . The blood thirsty moon is
portrayed by a man in “Blood Wedding” and this gave a new experience to his audience and this
gives a kind of juxtaposition of bizarre which is obviously one of the element of surrealism.
The world of the moon also represents a world of intense cold. With the absence of the sun to
warm the Earth, the moon must learn to rely on its own minimal light only to create a world that
is dark and cold. To warm itself, the moon calls for the sacrifice of blood. The blood thirsty
moon acts as if it is taking life away. This symbolizes the life that is being taken away from the
Bride. Society does not allow her to have the unmarried life that she wants.
The moon is too bloodthirsty and its desire for blood to warm its world is too strong to be denied.
The moon is the symbol of society ,ruling over the Bride and Leonardo. The moon would
normally protect lovers, but society does not. This is because love in the 1930’s was overlooked
by arranged marriage.
Surrealism twists the moon into a blood thirsty figure. It symbolizes society’s impact. Society
would never allow previously wed individuals to love. Due to this reason the Mother of
Bridegroom and the Father of the Bride are single in the play.
It cannot be avoided, it ‘comes in’ our lives.
‘..my cheeks this night
Will be stained with red blood’ (Act III,59)
4-The Beggar Woman
-The incarnation of death. The beggar woman in the play stands for death. The Beggar woman is
the only spiritual character in the play and she could foresee the death of Leonardo and the
Bridegroom which takes place in the final act of the play.
She is thirst for blood just the moon. She asks for the death of Leonardo to the moon. It is she
who helps by showing or guiding the hunting men towards the love couple. She also stands for
the nature and the cycle of life. Her appearance after the death of the bridegroom and Leonardo
shows that the cycle of life has to stop at one inevitable point and that is death. She is wearing
dark clothes and she does her job during the night so she became very much fond of the moon
and darkness. A woman in dark clothes and barefoot represents the death is yet another important
symbol in the play.
She is closely affiliated with the moon in the capture and death of the Bridegroom and Leonard
because she desires for the same outcome as the moon.
4- Orange Blossom
In “Blood Wedding,” the orange blossom isn’t just a pretty flower—it’s like a special symbol.
Imagine it as a small, innocent thing that tells a big story.
It symbolizes purity and innocence.
As, it is often associated with the bride and serve as a traditional floral element in weddings, it
symbolizes new beginnings and happiness.
Secondly, in this play, it also takes on a complex meaning representing “the clash between what
society expects and what people really want”. The characters live in a place where traditions and
rules are a big deal, and the orange blossom becomes a way to show how heavy these
expectations can be.
In addition to representing the clash between societal expectations and personal desires, the
orange blossom also symbolizes the transient nature of happiness . It’s like a reminder that even
in moments of joy, there’s an underlying fragility. Picture the orange blossom as a delicate thread
woven through the story. It’s usually a symbol of happiness and new beginnings, but here, it is
also a reminder of how easily joy can be shaken. The characters are dealing with love and honor,
and the orange blossom adds a kind of sadness to the happy moments. It’s like saying, “Hey,
happiness is nice, but it can be fragile.” So, in simple words, the orange blossom is a symbol that
tells a deeper story about love, rules, and how life can be a bit tricky.

Motifs

1- Dramatic Irony -Fate-

There is a degree of irony in action because fate plays a very important role considering the
chances that a woman would try to choose both men yet loose both by the end Instead of winning
one.
2- Situational Irony
Situation irony is demonstrated in blood wedding from the fact that people evade responsibility
for their own mistakes by searching for evil in those around them. The mother for example,
vehemently declares hatred of violence when she exclaims, “Damn the knife, damn all knives”.
3- Foreshadowing: -Color-
Colour is used as a technique to foreshadow upcoming themes, mood of a scene, add effect on its
audience. The symbolism of colour is evident through the play from the colour of bridegroom’s
house in act 1 scene 1 to the white room in act 3 scene 2.
Lorca uses the colours of the rooms, the blue light of the Moon, the red of blood and many other
tend to foreshadow overarching themes of morbidity, death and violence as the play progresses.
4- Conflicts
The conflict between individual and Society is Central to blood wedding as to when Leonardo
and the bride find their respective social positions in tolerable and rebel against their fates. The
break the bonds of marriage and destroy the equilibrium of the community.
A conflict also concerns the relationship of the bride who is not allowed to marry the man she is
in love with that is Leonardo as their families do not get along. Subsequently Leonardo marries
another women and the bride is also arranged to be married to another man who her family
approve of but whom she doesn’t love.

Character Analysis

1- The Bride
The character of the Bride initially embodies societal ideals of purity and tradition.
She is a young woman who lives with her father on an isolated stretch of dry, largely infertile
land. Even though she is about to marry the Bridegroom, the Bride is sullen and sad. Unlike
everybody around her, she’s unimpressed by all that the Bridegroom will be able to give her,
feeling unexcited by the prospect of gaining his prosperous vineyard. In keeping with this, she’s
also unmoved by the ornate gifts that his mother gives her. This is because she is in love with
Leonardo, the last free member of the Felix family. She and Leonardo used to be in a romantic
relationship, but she refused to marry him because she knew he wouldn’t be able to financially
provide for her. The Bride’s internal conflict is the heartbeat of the narrative. Her struggle
between duty to the Groom and the unrestrained passion she feels for Leonardo adds emotional
depth to her character. This conflict reflects universal themes of love, desire, and societal
pressure.
The Bride's choice to run away with Leonardo can be seen as an act of rebellion against societal
constraints. She becomes a symbol of the quest for personal freedom, challenging the prescribed
roles imposed by tradition. As a representation of femininity, the Bride encapsulates the
complexities of being a woman in a conservative society. Her character becomes a lens through
which Lorca explores the societal challenges and expectations imposed on women.
In the end we can say that, Lorca masterfully weaves her character into the fabric of the play,
leaving an indelible mark on the reader’s understanding of love, passion, and the relentless
march of fate.
2- Leonardo
Leonardo a central character of a play is a complex figure. He embodies passion, impulsiveness,
and a rebellious spirit. His intense desire for the ride and his defiance against societal norms
contribute to the tragic conflict in the play. Leonardo’s character serves as a symbol of the
destructive power of unchecked emotions and societal expectations, ultimately leading to the
devastating events in the narrative. His character highlights themes of love, fate, and the
consequences of societal constraints.
3- Bridegroom
The bridegroom represents the societal pressures and expectations associated with marriage. He
is determined to fulfill his role as a husband and provider, adhering to societal norms. However,
beneath this façade, there is a sense of vulnerability and suppressed passion. The bridegroom’s
internal struggle becomes more apparent when confronted with the complexities of love and
desire. His journey explores themes of fate, passion, and the consequences of adhering to societal
expectations. The tragedy unfolds as the bridegroom grapples with his own desires and confronts
the inevitability of fate.
4- Mother
The Bridegroom’s Mother is an elderly woman who gossips and shares information about her
son’s upcoming marriage to the Bride. She is vocal about traditional gender roles. Members of
the Felix family murdered her husband and her other son, the Bridegroom’s mother is perpetually
anxious about the possibility of her only remaining son (the Bridegroom)succumbing to the same
fate. As a result, she frequently curses knives and the person who invented them, in addition to
all other weapons. These thoughts are never far from the old woman’s mind, She sometimes
think that she will never forgot the past but at the same time ,she appears willing to look forward
the future .When the Bridegroom’s mother meets the Bride’s father, both parents are delighted by
the transactional nature of the wedding, seeing it first and foremost as a union that will bring
children and riches. And although the mother is supposedly so averse to violence, she’s quick to
encourage violent revenge when Leonardo elopes with the Bride.
5- Father
The bride Father ,A widower whose wife never loved him. The Father is a conservative, wealthy
man who grows alfalfa. He prefers the rural region because it isolates his daughter from society.
When the Bridegroom’s mother meets him for the first time, he speaks lovingly about his farm
and praises her prosperous vineyard, which he wishes he could put right next to his own land so
that both properties could be one. In alignment with this, he also hopes that the Bride and
Bridegroom have many boys so that he can benefit from the children’s unpaid labor in the fields.
Focused solely on the financial and material benefits of his daughter’s marriage, he fails to
recognize her unhappiness.

Important quotes and their Significance

In a play ‘Blood Wedding’ there are many important quotes that are spoken by
characters. These quotes are significant and have many hidden meanings. The play is particularly
a stereotype, typical story of a society and we find characters having many difficulties.
Characters are ‘Mother, Bridegroom, Bride, Father, Leonardo, Wife, Mother-in-law, and
Woodcutter.’
Here are some quotes and their significant from the play.

“Knives, knives…curse them all, and the wretch who invented them.”___ Mother.
This lines is on first page of the drama when bridegroom asks her mother for a knife and she
outbursts at his innocence. It is significant that she blames all the weapons for the murders of her
husband and son rather than any person in this sentence. This attitude is common in older
characters of blood wedding, and suggest that they do not recognize the casual relationship
between their family conflict and the death of their sons.

“We are all curious about what might hurt us”____ Mother.
Mother uses this rationale to explain her curiosity about the Bride’s relationship with the Felix
family. However, the maxim could also be applied to much of the action in Blood Wedding—
knowing about the Bride’s past only makes her more appealing to the Bridegroom, and rather
than avoiding conflict and allowing Leonardo’s childhood crush to live her own life, the Felix
family continues to watch what she does. Knowledge, then, is a kind of possession, a notion that
helps explain the motivations of Felix and the Bridegroom to pursue the rivalry even when they
have opportunities to make peace.

“Haven’t I done a man’s work? If only I were one”____ Bride.

Bride says this when her maid tells her that she is stronger than men. Here it is suggest that bride
wishes she were a man so that she could protect herself better, get the freedom. While on the
other hand mother’s wish that bridegroom were a girl so he could stay at home and stay safe.
“After my marriage I thought day and night, about who was to blame, and every time I
thought about it the guilty one altered; for there’s always a guilty party”____ Leonardo.
Leonardo’s relationship with blame is oddly similar to that of the Bridegroom’s Mother. Neither
character can accept that bad things sometimes happen for no reason. Mother blames knives for
the death of her son and her husband, while he blames a fruitless party for his unhappy love life.
A “message,” it is that blame is not a useful way to explain or cope with tragedy, and indeed, it
often makes circumstances even worse.

“A man on horseback can go anywhere, and knows how to put pressure on a woman lost in
a wasteland. But I have my pride. This is my wedding. And I’ll lock myself away with my
husband, whom I must love above all other things”____ Bride.
In these lines she is saying that man can do whatever they want because they have freedom and
dominant on woman in patriarchal society. She has little freedom or power to choose her destiny.
In this situation the only way to maintain her pride is by embracing her marriage instead doing it
reluctantly.

“He’s looking for trouble. Only bad blood there.”____ Father.

Multiple meanings are associated with blood in the whole play. In Lorca’s country side heritage
and violence are linked together. Father comments on Leonardo’s short temper nature and
family’s reputation that he will eventually pay for it. The question of how much the play’s tragic
ending is predestined and how much it is a result of the character’s choices is one of the main
tensions of Blood Wedding.
“Go, go! No. wait. That family are so swift to kill, so certain…and yet…hurry, and I must
follow!”____ Mother.
This passage reveals Mother’s central conflict. She clearly cares deeply for her son and wants
him to have a safe and happy life, but she is also unable to let go of her grudge against the Felix
family. It is never made explicit whether the Felix’s are actually responsible for the deaths of the
Bridegroom’s father and brother, and this undercuts Mother’s credibility when she claims that
they are “so ready to kill and so hardened to it”. So clearly she chooses revenge over her son’s
safety at the end of the act.

“They tried to deceive themselves, but in the end blood proved stronger”._____ First
Woodcutter.
This ambiguous comment on the Bride’s situation can be interpreted in multiple ways. Firstly,
“the blood” could refer to the passionate love and attraction shared by the Bride and Leonardo;
they were deceiving themselves by believing they could be happy with other spouses. However,
“the blood” could also mean the reputation Leonardo’s family has for violence, and particularly
for feuding with the Bridegroom’s family. In this interpretation, the Bridegroom’s Mother and
the Bride’s Father are also implicated in the deception, for they declined to warn the Bridegroom
about the Bride’s relationship with Leonardo ahead of time.

“This knife / Left two men stiffening / with yellow lips. / It barely fits the hand / But slides
in cold / through startled flesh / Till it stops, there, / in the quivering / Dark / Roots / of the
scream.”____ Bride.
Stylistically, this lyric is very different from others that have appeared in the play, with short,
staccato lines that emphasize the suspense and shock of Bride’s experiences in the previous
night. The emphasis on color imagery (“yellow” and “Dark”) in this excerpt as well as the lyric
as a whole ties the passage to the rest of the scene, which also emphasizes stark, primary colors,
from the white walls of the room to the girls’ red wool.