Blood Wedding: Act 1, Scene 3
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Bodas de sangre
Federico Garcia Lorca |
Blood Wedding
translated by ZJC |
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Acto primero, cuadrp tercero
interior de la cueva donde vive la novia. al fondo, una cruz de grandes flores rosa. las puertas, redondas, con cortinajes de encaje y lazos rosa. por las paredes, de material blanco y duro, abanicos redondos, jarros azules y pequeños espejos. |
Act 1. Scene 3
interior of the cave where the Bride lives. upstage lies a cross made out of numerous pink flowers. the archway doors have lace curtains tied with pink bows. on the white stone walls hang round fans, blue earthenware mugs and small mirrors. the Bridegroom and his Mother enter and sit down. the Mother is dressed all in black satin and wears an embroidered mantilla. the Bridegroom wears black velveteen along with great gold chain. |
| Criada: Pasen… [muy afable, llena de hipocresía humilde. entran el novio y su madre. la madre viste de raso negro y lleva mantilla de encaje. el novio, de pana negra con gran cadena de oro] ¿Se quieren sentar? Ahora vienen. [sale. quedan madre e hijo sentados, inmóviles como estatuas. pausa larga] | Maid: Please, come in … [she is very good natured yet full of misleading mildness] Do you want to sit down? They will be here shortly. [she leaves. Mother and Bridegroom remain seated, rigid like statues. long pause] |
| Madre: ¿Traes el reloj? | Mother: Did you wear your watch? |
| Novio: Sí. [lo saca y lo mira] | Bridegroom: Yes. [he removes it and looks at it] |
| Madre: Tenemos que volver a tiempo. ¡Qué lejos vive esta gente! | Mother: We must return home in good time. These people live so far away! |
| Novio: Pero estas tierras son buenas. | Bridegroom: But the earth is good here. |
| Madre: Buenas; pero demasiado solas. Cuatro horas de camino y ni una casa ni un árbol. | Mother: Good; but much too lonely. Four hours to the nearest road and not a tree or a house on the way! |
| Novio: Estos son los secanos. | Bridegroom: It is a wasteland. |
| Madre: Tu padre los hubiera cubierto de árboles. | Mother: Your father would have covered all of this in trees. |
| Novio: ¿Sin agua? | Bridegroom: How? Without water? |
| Madre: Ya la hubiera buscado. Los tres años que estuvo casado conmigo, plantó diez cerezos. [haciendo memoria] Los tres nogales del molino, toda una viña y una planta que se llama Júpiter, que da flores encarnadas, y se secó. [pausa] | Mother: He would have found it. For the three whole years while we were married he planted ten cherry trees. [lost in memory], the three walnuts up by the mill, a whole vineyard and a fiery plant called a Jupiter that has blood red flowers … but it died [pause] |
| Novio: [por la novia] Debe estar vistiéndose. | Bridegroom: She must be getting dressed now. |
| [entra el padre de la novia. es anciano, con el cabello blanco, reluciente. lleva la cabeza inclinada. la madre y el novio se levantan y se dan las manos en silencio] | [enter the Father of the Bride. he is old, with brilliant white hair. his head is tipped. the Mother and the Bridegroom rise and shake his hand in silence] |
| Padre: ¿Mucho tiempo de viaje? | Father: Was it a long trip for you? |
| Madre: Cuatro horas. [se sientan] | Mother: Four hours. [they all sit] |
| Padre: Habéis venido por el camino más largo. | Father: You must have come by the longest route there is, then. |
| Madre: Yo estoy ya vieja para andar por las terreras del río. | Mother: I am too old to walk by the high cliff down by the river. |
| Novio: Se marea. [pausa] | Bridegroom: She gets dizzy. [pause] |
| Padre: Buena cosecha de esparto. | Father: It was a good alfalfa harvest. |
| Novio: Buena de verdad. | Bridegroom: Really? That is good. |
| Padre: En mi tiempo, ni esparto daba esta tierra. Ha sido necesario castigarla y hasta llorarla, para que nos dé algo provechoso. | Father: In my time, not even alfalfa would grow on this earth. You had to punish it. Cry over it. Suffer before it would provide us with anything. |
| Madre: Pero ahora da. No te quejes. Yo no vengo a pedirte nada. | Mother: But now it gives plenty, I see. Still, you should not complain. I did not come here to ask you for anything. |
| Padre: [sonriendo] Tú eres más rica que yo. Las viñas valen un capital. Cada pámpano una moneda de plata. Lo que siento es que las tierras…. ¿entiendes?… estén separadas. A mí me gusta todo junto. Una espina tengo en el corazón, y es la huertecilla esa metida entre mis tierras, que no me quieren vender por todo el oro del mundo. | Father: [smiling] You are richer than I. Your vineyards are worth a fortune. Each sprig is a silver dollar. I am only sorry that our lands … you understand? … are so far apart. To me, I like everything together. There is only one thorn I have deep in my heart … and it is for the little garden lost in the middle of my property … they do not want to sell it to me for all the gold in the world. |
| Novio: Eso pasa siempre. | Bridegroom: That always happens. |
| Padre: Si pudiéramos con veinte pares de bueyes traer tus viñas aquí y ponerlas en la ladera. ¡Qué alegría!… | Father: If we could yoke twenty pairs of oxen to bring your vineyards here and put them all together on a hill — what joy! … |
| Madre: ¿Para qué? | Mother: Why? |
| Padre: Lo mío es de ella y lo tuyo de él. Por eso. Para verlo todo junto, ¡que junto es una hermosura! | Father: For this very reason — what is mine is hers and what is yours is his — in order to see it together all, of course, because together is beautiful! |
| Novio: Y sería menos trabajo. | Bridegroom: And it would be less work. |
| Madre: Cuando yo me muera, vendéis aquello y compráis aquí al lado. | Mother: When I die, you can sell our land and buy something here alongside yours. |
| Padre: Vender, ¡vender! ¡Bah!; comprar hija, comprarlo todo. Si yo hubiera tenido hijos hubiera comprado todo este monte hasta la parte del arroyo. Porque no es buena tierra; pero con brazos se la hace buena, y como no pasa gente no te roban los frutos y puedes dormir tranquilo. [pausa] | Father: Sell? Sell! Bah! Buy, woman, buy everything. If I had had sons I would have bought this whole mountain, as far as the river. It is not good earth; but of with arms and muscle one can make it good and since strangers do not pass this way nobody steals my fruit and I can sleep peacefully at night. [pause] |
| Madre: Tú sabes a lo que vengo. | Mother: Do you know why I am here? |
| Padre: Sí. | Father: Yes. |
| Madre: ¿Y qué? | Mother: So? |
| Padre: Me parece bien. Ellos lo han hablado. | Father: It seems fine to me. And they have talked it over. |
| Madre: Mi hijo tiene y puede. | Mother: My son is generous and productive. |
| Padre: Mi hija también. | Father: My daughter is as well. |
| Madre: Mi hijo es hermoso. No ha conocido mujer. La honra más limpia que una sábana puesta al sol. | Mother: My son is beautiful. He has never been with a woman. His honor is as pure as a sheet put out under the sun. |
| Padre: Qué te digo de la mía. Hace las migas a las tres, cuando el lucero. No habla nunca; suave como la lana, borda toda clase de bordados y puede cortar una maroma con los dientes. | Father: What can I say to you about my daughter? She makes bread at three o'clock in the morning while the morning star is still awake. She never gossips; her temper is as smooth as wool. She embroiders all sorts of decorations and can cut a rope with her teeth. |
| Madre: Dios bendiga su casa. | Mother: May God bless your house. |
| Padre: Que Dios la bendiga. | Father: Yes, may God bless it. |
| [aparece la criada con dos bandejas — una con copas y la otra con dulces] | [the Maid appears with two trays — one with wine glasses and other with sugar candy] |
| Madre: [al hijo] ¿Cuándo queréis la boda? | Mother: [to the Bridegroom] When do you want the wedding? |
| Novio: El jueves próximo. | Bridegroom: Next Thursday. |
| Padre: Día en que ella cumple veintidós años justos. | Father: The very day she turns twenty-two. |
| Madre: ¡Veintidós años! Esa edad tendría mi hijo mayor si viviera. Que viviría caliente y macho como era, si los hombres no hubieran inventado las navajas. | Mother: Twenty-two years! That would be the age of my older son … if he had lived. And how he would have lived — warm and so very male as he was — if men had not invented the knives. |
| Padre: En eso no hay que pensar. | Father: We should not think about that. |
| Madre: Cada minuto. Métete la mano en el pecho. | Mother: My hand on my heart, every minute of the day. |
| Padre: Entonces el jueves. ¿No es así? | Father: Thursday then? Is that correct? |
| Novio: Así es. | Bridegroom: Yes, it is. |
| Padre: Los novios y nosotros iremos en coche hasta la iglesia, que está muy lejos, y el acompañamiento en los carros y en las caballerías que traigan. | Father: Since the church is so far away you and me and the bride and groom will go in a carriage together. And the wedding guests will travel in their own and on their horses. |
| Madre: Conformes. | Mother: Yes. Good. |
| [pasa la criada] | [the Maid enters] |
| Padre: Dile que ya puede entrar. [a la madre] Celebraré mucho que te guste. [aparece la novia. trae las manos caídas en actitud modesta y la cabeza baja] | Father: Tell my daughter that she can now come in. [to the Mother] I will rejoice if you like her. [the Bride enters with her hands held modestly and her head bowed] |
| Madre: Acércate. ¿Estás contenta? | Mother: Come closer. Are you willing to do this? |
| Novia: Sí, señora. | Bride: Yes, señora. |
| Padre: No debes estar seria. Al fin y al cabo ella va a ser tu madre. | Father: You do not have to be so solemn. After it is over she is going to be your mother. |
| Novia: Estoy contenta. Cuando he dado el si es porque quiero darlo. | Bride: But I am willing. When I said it, it was because I meant it. |
| Madre: Naturalmente. [le coge la barbilla] Mírame. | Mother: Naturally. [she takes the Bride by the chin] Look at me now. |
| Padre: Se parece en todo a mi mujer. | Father: She is the very image of my wife — in every way. |
| Madre: ¿Sí? ¡Qué hermoso mirar! ¿Tú sabes lo que es casarse, criatura? | Mother: Is she? What a beautiful expression she has! Do you know what being married means, child? |
| Novia: [seria] Lo sé. | Bride: [serious] I know what being married is. |
| Madre: Un hombre, unos hijos y una pared de dos varas de ancho para todo lo demás. | Mother: One man, then some children and a thick wall to block out the entire world. |
| Novio: ¿Es que hace falta otra cosa? | Bridegroom: What else is there? |
| Madre: No. Que vivan todos, ¡eso! ¡Que vivan! | Mother: I just ask that you both live. Just that, live! |
| Novia: Yo sabré cumplir. | Bride: I will know know my duty. |
| Madre: Aquí tienes unos regalos. | Mother: Here are some small gifts for you. |
| Novia: Gracias. | Bride: Thank you. |
| Padre: ¿No tomamos algo? | Father: Shall we all have a little something? |
| Madre: Yo no quiero. [al novio] ¿Y tú? | Mother: No, nothing for me. [to the Bridegroom] Will you have something? |
| Novio: Tomaré. [toma un dulce. la novia toma otro] | Bridegroom: Yes, I will. [takes a sugar candy. the Bride takes one as well] |
| Padre: [al novio] ¿Vino? | Father: [to the Bridegroom] Wine? |
| Madre: No lo prueba. | Mother: No, he never touches it. |
| Padre: ¡Mejor! [pausa. todos están de pie] | Father: Ah, all the better! [pause, all are standing up] |
| Novio: [a la novia] Mañana vendré. | Bridegroom: [to the Bride] Tomorrow I will return. |
| Novia: ¿A qué hora? | Bride: At what time? |
| Novio: A las cinco. | Bridegroom: At five o'clock. |
| Novia: Yo te espero. | Bride: I will be waiting for you. |
| Novio: Cuando me voy de tu lado siento un despego grande y así como un nudo en la garganta. | Bridegroom: When I leave from your side … I feel a great loneliness and get a knot in my throat as well. |
| Novia: Cuando seas mi marido ya no lo tendrás. | Bride: When you are my husband you will no longer feel that way. |
| Novio: Eso digo yo. | Bridegroom: Yes, I think so too. |
| Madre: Vamos. El sol no espera. [al padre] ¿Conformes en todo? | Mother: We must go. The sun does not wait. [to the Father] Is everything favorable to you? |
| Padre: Conformes. | Father: Very favorable. |
| Madre: [a la criada] Adiós, mujer. | Mother: [to the Maid] Good bye. |
| Criada: Vayan ustedes con Dios. [la madre besa a la novia y van saliendo en silencio] | Maid: May God walk with you. [the Mother kisses the Bride and begins to leave in silence] |
| Madre: [en la puerta] Adiós, hija. [la novia contesta con la mano] | Mother: [at the door, turning] Good bye, my daughter. [the Bride answers with a wave of the hand] |
| Padre: Yo salgo con vosotros. [salen] | Father: I will see you out. [they all leave] |
| Criada: Que reviento por ver los regalos. | Maid: I am bursting to see these gifts! |
| Novia: [agria] Quita. | Bride: [bitterly] Stop it! |
| Criada: ¡Ay, niña, enséñamelos! | Maid: Ai!, girl, show them to me! |
| Novia: No quiero. | Bride: I do not want to. |
| Criada: Siquiera las medias. Dicen que todas son caladas. ¡Mujer! | Maid: At least the stockings. They say they are all lace. Please! |
| Novia: ¡Ea. que no! | Bride: I said no! |
| Criada: Por Dios. Está bien. Parece como si no tuvieras ganas de casarte. | Maid: By God's heaven! All right. It seems as if you do not have any desire to marry. |
| Novia: [mordiéndose la mano con rabia] ¡Ay! ¡Ay! ¡Ay! | Bride: [biting her own hand with rage] Ai! Ai! Ai! |
| Criada: Niña, hija, ¿qué te pasa? ¿Sientes dejar tu vida de reina? No pienses en cosas agrias. ¿Tienes motivo? Ninguno. Vamos a ver los regalos. [coge la caja] | Maid: Child! Girl! what has happened to you? Are you sorry to leave your life of playing the queen? Do not think about hateful things. What is your reasoning? None. Let's look at the gifts. [she takes them from box] |
| Novia: [cogiéndola de las muñecas] Suelta. | Bride: [grabbing her by the wrists] Let go! |
| Criada: ¡Ay, mujer! | Maid: Ai!, girl! |
| Novia: Suelta he dicho. | Bride: I said, let go! |
| Criada: Tienes más fuerza que un hombre. | Maid: You have more strength than a man. |
| Novia: ¿No he hecho yo trabajos de hombre? ¡Ojalá fuera! | Bride: What can't I be a man? I have done a man's work! How I wish I was a man! |
| Criada: ¡No hables así! | Maid: Do not speak so! |
| Novia: Calla he dicho. Hablemos de otro asunto. [la luz va desapareciendo de la escena. pausa larga] | Bride: I said shut up! Forget it. Let's talk about another subject. [the light begins to fade. a long pause] |
| Criada: ¿Sentiste anoche un caballo? | Maid: Did you hear a horse last night? |
| Novia: ¿A qué hora? | Bride: At what time? |
| Criada: A las tres. | Maid: Around three in the morning. |
| Novia: Sería un caballo suelto de la manada. | Bride: It must be a lost horse from the herd. |
| Criada: No. Llevaba jinete. | Maid: No, it had a rider. |
| Novia: ¿Por qué lo sabes? | Bride: How do you know that? |
| Criada: Porque lo vi. Estuvo parado en tu ventana. Me chocó mucho. | Maid: Because I saw him. He stood under your window. It gave me a fright, I tell you. |
| Novia: ¿No sería mi novio? Algunas veces ha pasado a esas horas. | Bride: It must have been that man I am about to marry. Sometimes he comes by at those hours. |
| Criada: No. | Maid: No, it was not him. |
| Novia: ¿Tú le viste? | Bride: So … did you see him? |
| Criada: Sí. | Maid: Yes. |
| Novia: ¿Quién era? | Bride: Who was it? |
| Criada: Era Leonardo. | Maid: Leonardo. |
| Novia: [fuerte] ¡Mentira! ¡Mentira! ¿A qué viene aquí? | Bride: [loudly] A lie! You lie! Why would he come here? |
| Criada: Vino. | Maid: He was here. |
| Novia: ¡Cállate! ¡Maldita sea tu lengua! [se siente el ruido de un caballo] | Bride: Shut up! Damn your words! [the noise of a horse galloping away is heard] |
| Criada: [en la ventana] Mira, asómate. ¿Era? | Maid: [rushing to the window] Look! Look — was it him? |
| Novia: ¡Era! | Bride: [pause] Yes, it was. |
| Telón rápido | Fast curtains |
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Notes
interior of the cave where the Bride lives … The idea here is a little vague. Johnston calls it a "house, carved out of the rock itself" (47) but Dewell and Zapata simply refer to it as "the cave where the Bride lives" (19). However, later the house is described as having more contemporary house features (a veranda and such). Is the cave attached to the house? Johnston points out that the gypsy families of "the Sacromonte in Granada" (109) actually lived in caves. Johnston continues, "[the cave] carries suggestions of both personal pride … and comparative poverty (hence the Father's veiled insistence that he cannot give a dowry)" (ibid.) Still, I get the idea that this had, perhaps, special importance for the locals of Andalusia, though it doesn't translate that well.
a fiery plant called a Jupiter … In Roman mythology, Jupiter (Zeus in Greek mythology) was the alpha male of the gods. The Mother's constant reminiscences of her dead son and husband are always coached in the most masculine ways possible.
She makes bread at three o'clock in the morning … In the original the Bride is described as rising to make a traditional Granadan breakfast. The closest I can come up with is baking bread.
and a thick wall to block out the entire world … Throughout the play (and indeed, throughout much of Garcia Lorca's work) lies the idea that traditional Spanish marriage is more or less a prison sentence for all women. The wall represents, then, both a social barrier and an emotional one as well.
It must be a lost horse from the herd … The mention of a lost horse strayed from the herd brings Leonardo back into the story. But it is also clear from the Maid and Bride that it is Leonardo's bestial personality (read: passionate) that has brought him to seek out the Bride.
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Bibliography
Dewell, Michael and Carmen Zapata. Three plays: Blood wedding, Yerma, The house of Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca. Introduction by Christopher Maurer. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux. (1993)
Edwards, Gwynne and Peter Luke. Three plays/ Lorca. London; New York, NY: Methuen. (1987)
Gassner, John (ed.) "Blood Wedding: by Federico García Lorca; translated by Richard L. O'Connell and James Graham-Luján." from A treasury of the theatre: volume two. modern European drama from Henrik Ibsen to Jean-Paul Sartre. New York: Simon and Schuster. (1967)
Hughes, Ted. Federico Garcá Lorca's Blood wedding (Bodas de Sangre) in a new version. London; Boston: Faber and Faber. (1996)
Johnston, David. Blood wedding/ Federico García Lorca. London: Hodder and Stoughton Educational. (1989)
Kennelly, Brendan. Blood wedding (Bodas de sangre) by Federico García Lorca. Newcastle upon Tyne: Bloodaxe. (1996)