What do we learn of the characters we

meet in Blood Wedding Act 1

Scenes 2 and 3?

Reflecting on character portrayal in

Act 1, Scene 1• Examine this 2010 version of Act 1, Scene 1 put on at The

Genesian Theatre, Sydney Australia. • What do you notice about the staging of this scene? How

effective do you find it?• Are the characters portrayed the way you would have expected

them to be(The Mother; The Bridegroom/ The Neighbour)?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfVPWIa2piY • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XSJ54jZPiw&feature=endscreen

• In two groups of four, rehearse the performance of either Scene 2 or 3.

Character analysis Act One: Scenes 2 and 3

• From what we learn about each of the following characters in Act One, Scenes 2 and 3 address your responses to the questions around the room

Mother-in-Law• What do we learn of the Mother-in-Law in Act

One, Scene Two?• Can you consider a possibility as to what Lorca

intended the role of the Mother-in-Law to represent in the play?

Wife• What are your initial feelings towards the Wife

from Act One, Scene 2?• How typical do you think she is of a Spanish

woman of the early 1930s?• Consider 3 adjectives you would use to describe

her. What is your reasoning for these choices?

Leonardo• Examine the list of characters from the play: The Bridegroom The Mother The Neighbour The Wife The Mother-in-Law Leonardo The Servant The Father The Bride The Moon Death as Beggar Woman Woodcutters (First, Second, Third) Girls (First, Second, Third)

• How does Leonardo stand out as being different?• What might have been Lorca’s intentions in making Leonardo stand

out from all other characters?

Leonardo• The other characters are designated

according to their societal position and role. This indication of individuality might suggest that he is the protagonist who disturbs the smooth social workings of his community. He asserts his own will against the rules of the community and brings tragedy upon all of the families to which he belongs or to which he is dramatically connected.

Girl• In Act One, Scene 2, a Girl seems to have a “walk

on” role. How much do you think she knows?• Does she have a necessary role in the scene?

Justify your thinking?• Can you suggest a possibility as to why Lorca

might have included her in the scene?

Mother• The strongest presence in Lorca’s play.

• Reflecting on what we learn of the Mother throughout Act One, (including the knowledge that she has been a wife, mother and widow) how much social power do you think she has? Justify your thinking with references from the play.

Son/ Bridegroom• How happy does he appear to be in Act One,

Scene 3? Justify your thinking with reference to the text.

• How compelling a character do you find him compared to the other major characters in the play (Leonardo; the Bride; the Mother)? Explain your reasoning.

• Consider 3 adjectives you would use to describe him. What is your thinking behind these choices?

Father• Consider the characters of the Bridegroom and

the Mother. • Which character might the Father be aligned to

and which might he be completely contrasted with? Justify your thinking with reference to the play.

• In creating the Father as aligned and contrasted so strongly to these two characters, what message might Lorca be trying to convey to an audience?

•

Bride• The Bride is the last of the major protagonists to be

introduced in the play’s first act. The other major characters were introduced in the following order: Bridegroom, Mother, Leonardo and finally the Bride.

• Might Lorca be subtly putting across a social message by holding the Bride back for so long?

• Could her being the last protagonist to be introduced indicate her degree of social power in relation to the others?

• How much freedom does the Bride have to instigate action?

• What do we learn about her during the betrothal meeting and the conversations with the servant?

Bride• How much freedom does the Bride have to

instigate action?

• None! The Bride must wait home for things to happen to her. The first thing that happens to her is that she is asked for her hand in marriage.

Servant• How aware is the Servant of what is

going on in the Bride’s house? • How do you predict the Servant’s role

will develop as play unfolds?

Reflection• Which character do you think will be the most interesting

to analyse after exploring them in throughout Act One, Scenes 2 and 3? Why?

• “I totally agree/ I totally disagree…”

• 3-21:3 – Rank order the 3 most interesting characters, justify your thinking2 – consider 2 things you’ve learned about characters in Act 1, Scenes 2 & 3.1 – Direct one question related to character influenced from exploring Act 1, Scenes 2 & 3.