La Casa De Bernarda Alba

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Based on the conversation between the Servant and Poncia, which of the following words describes how Bernarda is perceived?

A) With compassion

B) With contempt

C) With concern

D) With carefulness

2. What does the Servant’s aside in Act I reveal about her relationship with the late Antonio?

A) He was kind to her.

B) He was her uncle.

C) He taught her how to read and write.

D) He sexually assaulted her.

3. Which of the following describe the time period of the play?

A) A period of mourning

B) An evening after a wedding

C) A late summer night

D) A two-week long holiday

4. Which of the following words best describes how Adela feels about her living arrangements?

A) Reinvigorated

B) Reckless

C) Restless

D) Relished

5. Why does Poncia refer to Bernarda’s house as a “convent” in Act II?

A) Because the family is deeply pious

B) Because the two eldest daughters are nuns

C) Because all of the daughters are unmarried

D) Because they are living on the premises of a former abbey

6. Which of the following sentences best describes the contrast between the male and female characters in the play?

A) The men have lines, while the women only have stage direction.

B) The men are unmarried, while the women are all married.

C) The men are Catholic, while the women are Protestants.

D) The men are outdoors, while the women usually stay indoors.

7. Which of the following sentences is true about the weather during the play?

A) The air is continually breezy.

B) The heat is notably stifling.

C) The snow is perpetually entrapping.

D) The rain is ominously beating.

8. Which of the following phrases is Bernarda’s chief concern throughout the play?

A) Trusting Poncia’s character

B) Being the object of neighborhood gossip

C) Finding a husband for herself

D) Solidifying the marriage between Amelia and Pepe

9. Which of the following words best describes Bernarda’s character?

A) Benevolent

B) Long-suffering

C) Matriarchal

D) Lenient

10. What is the stallion and the mares a metaphor for in Act III?

A) The Catholic Church’s treatment of unmarried women

B) The pent-up frustration of Bernarda’s daughters

C) The consequence of arranged marriages

D) The imprisonment of sexual assault victims

11. Which of the following words describes how Prudencia feels in the company of the Bernarda women?

A) On edge

B) At ease

C) In love

D) Overjoyed

12. Based on her conversation with Angustias about Pepe, which of the following statements is true about Bernarda’s beliefs in marital affairs?

A) That communication is important

B) That secrecy is from one another is vital

C) That happiness should be the focus of the marriage

D) That the future of Spanish relationships is egalitarian

13. Which of the following words describe Poncia’s attitude in Act III?

A) Resigned

B) Curious

C) Nonchalant

D) Positive

14. Which of the following is true about the setting of the play?

A) It takes place in early-21st-century rural Spain.

B) All the scenes are in the living room of Bernarda’s house.

C) It is focused on Poncia’s property.

D) It does not leave the perimeters of Bernarda’s land.

15. Which of the following phrases describes Bernarda’s reaction to Pepe’s visits on horseback?

A) A desire to be with Pepe herself

B) It is an accepted social norm

C) A concern for Angustias’s chastity

D) An ennui about her daughter’s welfare

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating textual details to support your response.

1. Lorca incorporates similes throughout the dialogues of the characters. Identify three of these similes and briefly explain their meaning.