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Leonardo was seen as unfit to marry due to his lack of land and valuables. It suggests that men were seen as the providers, and their value was determined by the fruit of their hard work. They had lots of pressure and responsibility, and had to uphold them, despite (as in Leonardo's case) having to give up marrying his lover.

Another interpretation is that their society was heavily revolved around material gains and roles, rather than individual wants.

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"My mother came from a place where there were so many trees. Fertile country. Full of water.

But it burnt up here."

The setting may represent the lives of young girls, which are at first abundant with innocence, rejuvenation, and the viridity of youth. Yet, these qualities are "burned" once these girls are inevitably subjected to their controlled and subservient roles in society, and imposed to marry- which is commonly viewed as a huge step from girlhood to womanhood in a new life. However, we know that the Bride-to-be was first going to be married to Leonardo at 15 years old (page 11), implying how childhood is quickly stripped away from young girls in the society of Blood Wedding.

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"Such a lucky girl to be able to put your arms around a man, to kiss him, to feel his weight" a womans primary role within the play is to provide emotional and physical support for the husband through physical intimacy it could be considered that she is fulfilling her role as a wife regardless of whether it is what she wants or not.

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the courtyard symbolizes the constraints that are placed on the bride the walls around her trap her in not allow her to experience true freedom in nature. The courtyard is also simultaneously used as a battleground for emotions with the entrance of Leonardo making the bridge grapple between her love for Leonardo and the bridegroom.

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Men are seen as the ones who are responsible to match the bride's financial state. If a man wanted to marry a rich woman it was his responsibity to become rich first. "Two oxen and a tiny house are worth almost nothing. But that's all I had." (page 35) This suggests the reason why he didn't get married is becasue his financial state did not allow him to.

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“She’s right. I shouldn’t even look at you.” This quote implies that a woman’s interaction with the opposite gender was tightly controlled. In the society of blood wedding marriage is higly valued, with women being treated like their husband’s slave. But until marriage it was seen as taboo for a women to be conversing with a non related man, especially that of an ex fiance.

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"So she knows you are the man, you are the master, you are the one in command"

"These arms must belong to masters, who punish and who dominate, and who make the seeds grow. you need a lot of sons"

"Men belong to the wind! men are forced to wield weapons. Girls don't ever go out on the street."

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"You're so lucky. You're going to kiss a man. You're going to embrace him. You're going to feel his weight on you." Women are expected to surround their whole lives with their husbands. They are supposed to take care of their emotional and physical needs. To be married is to be lucky to have a man with you.

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‘I will lock myself away with my husband who i have to love more than everything” this may suggest how womans’ first priority, focus and interest is her husbands. “Lock myself away” suggests that after marriage woman only stay home.

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When the servant says that marriage is a “step” that “has to be taken,” she addresses society’s expectation that a young woman like the Bride marry a wealthy man like the Bridegroom. The Bride herself is already quite aware of this expectation—earlier, she referred to the marriage as her “duty”—which is why she reminds the servant that she has “already agreed to take” this step, acting as if her fate is sealed and that she has no choice but to go through with the marriage.

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The phrase "little bride, little bride", is mentioned throughout the rhyme referring to the bride to be. The word "little" could emphasise the bride's youth and innocence and suggest she is still in the early stages of life and development. It may highlight her vulnerability or naivety and portray her as someone who is not yet fully mature or ready for the responsibilities of marriage.

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Gender roles

“Because I want to be your wife and be alone with you and hear no other voice but yours”

This quote suggests that the role of women was to love their husbands and no one else and were expected to be excited to get married even if they did not agree to it. It is also shown that the main focus of women once they were married was to make their husbands happy and not allow anyone, even family, to shift their attention. This is shown when the bride-to-be says “not even if my mother was to call me”.

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Women’s traditional gender roles were illustrated when the maid stated “ But listen! What do you think a wedding is? That is canapés? You think it’s the flowers ? No. It’s a bed that glows with a man and woman inside it.” ( pg. 31). The consistent use of rhetorical questions and hypophora ridicule and criticize the maid’s speech when she alludes to what a wedding’s purpose and really are. The phrase “ It’s a bed that glows with a man and woman inside it” reveals a woman’s true domestic purpose which is to simply giving birth to a child and being a caretaker, rather than appealing to a more romantic modern mindset involving the reasons for marriage.

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Rex

The organ blossom shows a culture for marriage. So when the bride to be want to take it off, it could represent that she does not wanted to get married and shows resistance to her wedding. It is shown in "She takes off the garland". P31

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Although Leonardo's wife sensed that Leonardo wasn't being completely faithful due to the rejection she felt by him, she still said that regardless of how secure their marriage seems to be she is still a mother and will not 'give way'. This seems to be a reoccurring theme women in this era had to adhere to as her mother also went through the same. This highlights the norm of the past in which regardless of how your husband treated you or your marriage, you must still be proud as you after all are still a wife and mother. This is seen when she repeats and praises herself while crying in the quote ' Remember you're rising like a star', almost like she is consoling herself after realising she fell into the same trap her mother did. This sort of juxtaposition adds to how I felt while reading this line as rising like a star typically connotates growth and happiness while the context of the scene is quite depressing and sad. This can link back to how many couples and households seemed to look "perfect" from the outside as if they were living in harmony and peace, while in reality their home was quite broken due to infidelity. In addition, Leonardo also looks at marriage to be a check box he had to tick as if it is a transaction with no emotional strings attached. This is because he clearly doesn't respect his wife or the sacred aspect that came within his marriage, highlighting how women had to adhere and stay silent against their husbands' actions and unfaithfulness in the past due to society viewing them to be more of a possession of their husband than a human as their ultimate purpose in life was to serve their husband and produce children.

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“Remember your rising in the sky like a star” the inclusion of the second pronoun “your” indicates this is a direct address. It implies a sense of urgency, an importance behind holding this statement. The narrator mentions they are “rising”, of which the verb possesses positive connotations. Rising is associated with a better position, with hope and this is further emphasized with the mention of the sky. The sky brings themes of hope and excitement. Alltogether this is an allusion to the joyful anticipations of marriage. The bride is exicted to get married, believing she is “fulfilling her purpose”. However, the simile used “like a star” juxtapositions the previous phrase, highlighting the reality of marriage. Stars only shine at night, are so far away they can only be seen and are ultimately: lonely. Perhaps this is foreshadowing to how the bride may find marriage to the bridegroom, distant, commanding and isolating.

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the use of narration to effectively display the actions and emotions of the characters play a significant role in communicating with the reader. Phrases such as “smiling” or “trembling” set the current status and emotional tone of the characters as if it was a real play. Furthermore, the detail in which the narration describes the BRIDE-TO-BE: “she wears an 1890’s black dress, with hip pads and a long train covered in pleated gauze and intricate lace work. Her hair falls across her forehead and she wears the orange-blossom garland. The guitars play.” This extract showcases a descriptive imagery of the BRIDE-TO-BE and what she wears.

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Rex

Women at the time are married to wealth not love. The line said by Leonardo "Two oxen and a tiny house are worth almost nothing." This shows Leonardo does not have the ability to get married. Bride to be loved Leonardo, but she still choose to marry to the Bridegroom due to the reason that Bridegroom haves more wealth now than Leonardo back than.

This shows that women are married to money rather than love.

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the line "she knows you are the man, you are the master" emphasizes the patriarchal dynamics within the play. It demonstrates the expectations placed upon men to assume dominance and control and for women to remain subservient. The phrase you are the master reinforces the notion of male authority and control within relationships. it suggests that men hold power not only in societal structures but personal relationships as well dictating the terms of engagement as well as personal expression. the line could also be interpreted as a commentary on the internal beliefs of women. while the wife yearns for freedom and passion she is simultaneously bound by societal structures and the autocratic control of men within the play.

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Act 2 scene 2

In Act Two, Scene Two the setting reflects the characters' inner turmoil. This scene is set in the countryside, where the stark contrast between the lush, vibrant natural world and the tense, oppressive atmosphere of the characters' interactions highlights the conflict between societal expectations and personal desires. For instance, when the characters gather around the well, it serves as a metaphor of the play’s themes. The well, a traditional symbol of life and sustenance, becomes a site of discord and unresolved tension, illustrating how the characters’ desires and actions disrupt the natural order and foreshadow the impending tragedy. This setting underlines the play's exploration of fate, passion, and the destructive forces that arise when individual desires clash with societal norms.

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“ Men belong to the wind! Men are forced to wield weapons. Girls don’t ever go out on the street” ( pg. 47). This statement illustrates the domestic stereotypical traditional gender roles forced upon women and men at the time. It depicts the societal constraints placed on women, revealing their inability to go out as their role is to be a home caretaker. It furthermore illustrates the pressure set on men to wield weapons and be prepared for any physical attack.

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“And since you don’t have him, I’m the one that has to teach you to be strong” this quote demonstrates the fact that some women were also involved in upholding the values of the patriarchal society. If no man was available for such role, then a women would have to “substitute” until the patriarchal norm is restored through a man.

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The bridegroom's actions are motivated by societal expectations that a man should defend his family's honor. When the bridegroom discovers that his wife has eloped with Leonardo, he feels pressured to go after them, not just for personal reasons but because his honor is at stake. In this society, a man's honor is essentially linked to their relationship with a woman - specifically with women in their household. His pursuit reflects his duty to defend his honor even though it may lead to violence.