Archetypes In Blood Wedding

Based on dictionary.com, an archetype is defined as the first example or model from which all things of the same kind are replicated or on which they are established; a model, or the first shape of something. Blood Wedding is a play written by Federico Garcia Lorca where he uses many archetypes to tell the story of a feud between two families and a marriage. All throughout the play, Federico Garcia Lorca would use names such as Bride, Bridegroom, Mother, Father, Maid et cetera to portray the function of the characters instead of using their names. Federico Garcia Lorca uses archetypal characters in Blood Wedding to portray the cultural difference between the old generation and the new, to bring about and enhance Leonardo’s character, and to

Leonardo is a very important character in this play, and this is seen right from the start merely for the fact that he is the only character with a name. Leonardo is a greatly symbolic name, suggesting the strength of a lion, a sense of fire and passion is created, and there is also the thought of the Spanish meaning of the name, which are lion and I burn. These meanings that one gets just from the name and the Spanish meanings have a strong significant link to the building of Leonardo as a character and the type of person he is. As mentioned previously the other characters are designated according to their societal position or role. This indication of individuality suggests how 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. He is driven by deep passion, as his furious travels by horse to and from the Bride’s house demonstrate. Leonardo’s fateful decision to deny the bonds of matrimony in favor of his abiding desire for the Bride occurs only when the Bride is certain to be married to another. This suggests the manner in which Leonardo’s actions are motivated by possessiveness, where as long as the Bride belongs to no other, Leonardo can tolerate their separation. While Leonardo’s motivations are in certain respects selfish or possessive, and while he brings pain and suffering upon a number of persons, the play nevertheless generates a great deal of sympathy for his and the Bride’s