Prudencia is a neighbor who visits Bernarda Alba’s house for dinner at the beginning of Act 3. She is 50 years old, a decade younger than Bernarda, but she is similarly conservative, religious, and reputation-obsessed. Her family is falling apart and she is miserable due to a fight over inheritance—which makes her a foil for Bernarda—but Bernarda thinks Prudencia is right to put her honor above her happiness.
Prudencia Quotes in The House of Bernarda Alba
The The House of Bernarda Alba quotes below are all either spoken by Prudencia or refer to Prudencia. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 3
Quotes
PRUDENCIA: It’s lovely. Three pearls! In my day, pearls meant tears.
ANGUSTIAS: But things have changed now.
ADELA: I don’t think so. Things always mean the same. Engagement rings are supposed to be diamonds.
PRUDENCIA: It’s more appropriate.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Prudencia Quotes in The House of Bernarda Alba
The The House of Bernarda Alba quotes below are all either spoken by Prudencia or refer to Prudencia. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 3
Quotes
PRUDENCIA: It’s lovely. Three pearls! In my day, pearls meant tears.
ANGUSTIAS: But things have changed now.
ADELA: I don’t think so. Things always mean the same. Engagement rings are supposed to be diamonds.
PRUDENCIA: It’s more appropriate.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis: