Alfredo Garcia Lorca Gender Roles

Gender roles are expectations set on an individual based on their gender and culture. In Spanish culture, men are expected to be the breadwinners for the family while women are tasked with the duty to stay at home and do household chores. “I am in a cage. I desire to be set free.” - Lailah Gifty Akita, Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind. Individuals have the desire to free themselves from a cage. The cage made by gender roles limit individuals from acting on what they desire to do. Federico Garcia Lorca writes about characters that feel that they are limited by their gender roles. Lorca himself experienced the feeling of being entrapped in his role that comes with his gender due to his orientation. Lorca demonstrates that in Spanish culture, gender …show more content…
Horses in Spanish culture represent; power, nobility, strength and freedom. A steed is an animal that is reliable and trustworthy. “ Hush baby hush/ sing of the great horse/ that wouldn’t drink the water./ the water ran black/ under the boughs.” This quote is showing how Leonardo is expected to be a “proper” man and that he is supposed to be following the expectations of society that comes with his gender. The horse not drinking the water is imagery of Leonardo not acting on the role that he is expected to have. In Spanish society, males are somewhat like horses. They are to carry their families onto their backs and that they are the support that the family would have to keep them connected and upright. Horses are used to travel and deliver messages or supplies. Sons and husbands are supposed to be the ones who are delivering messages to their other families so that the whole family could stay connected. They are also the ones who are expected to bring home food and supplies to help his family’s survival. Although this is the case, Leonardo is turning away from these expectations by simply not paying attention to his current family and is looking to start another one