Exploring the Use of Time as a Manipulative Variable

The use of time as a manipulative variable in Federico Garcia Lorca\'s The House of Bernarda Alba and August Strindberg\'s Miss Julie plays a significant role in the shaping of both plays. In The House of Bernarda Alba, Adela is in a constant struggle to obtain freedom from the oppressive rule of her mother. As the wedding of her sister, Angustias approaches, an unruly and suspicious   tone of voice from Adela is observed as well as a mysterious attitude. Lorca divides The House of Bernarda Alba into scenes of day and night effectively to reveal the friction between family members as well as the affair between Adela and Pepe el Romano.   Miss Julie , the protagonist is forced to act decisively before the rise of the sun – for that is when \"the Count\" was to return. The time constraint present in Miss Julie is based on the length of a day- twenty four hours, as opposed to The House of Bernarda Alba where the duration of this constraint is extended upon a greater amount of time. Miss Julie\'s attitude changes from prevailing and superior to subordinate and weak – in relation to Jean, her servant. The climax is portrayed when Miss Julie changes her tone of voice towards Jean and scolds him like a dog. The struggles of the protagonists\' in these plays are driven by outside forces such as the oppression by authoritative rule. In The House of Bernarda Alba and Miss Julie the use of time is used to enhance the dramatic effect of the play by shifting the sentiment of Miss Julie and Adela tranquil and good-hearted   to cruel and bitter.



As Miss Julie commences, the diction and the dialogue is calm and tranquil as the play is set on Midsummer\'s eve – a day of rejoice and entertainment. Miss Julie\'s parents are absent this enchanting night and are to return at the rise of sun – which ultimately acts as a time constraint for Miss Julie is to part from the oppressive and tyrannical rule of her parents. At the start of Act I, the dialogue between Miss Julie...