Blood Wedding Glossary

Glossary of Terms

"know"

The characters often refer to "knowing" someone as a euphemism for having sexual intercourse with them.

blood vendetta

A feud between families that continues for generations after it has started

camellia

A type of flower, often used to make tea

caper

In Blood Wedding, the pickled buds of the caper plant, used as an ingredient to add flavor to food

carnation

A common flower that grows around the world. Although different colors have different meanings in different cultures, the carnation is associated with death and misfortune in some Mediterranean countries, especially France.

dahlia

A brightly colored flower

first pin

In a custom similar to the throwing of the bridal bouquet in the United States, the characters in the play believe that the woman who receives the first hairpin the Bride takes off after the wedding will be the next to get married.

flint

A kind of stone that breaks easily and is thus often used as a makeshift knife. It can also be used to set fires.

green branch

The "green branch" could refer to a laurel branch, given on a variety of important occasions, from weddings to funerals to important victories.

jasper

A hard type of stone, usually red or brown

Jupiter plant

Also known as Jupiter's beard, this red flower grows in Mediterranean climates. The plant used to grow at the Bridegroom's farm, but it died after his father was murdered. There may be a symbolic connection, then, between the name of the plant, which refers to the Roman king of the gods, and the Bridegroom's father.

laceration

A wound

mantilla

A special lacy veil worn in Spain, especially at weddings and funerals

mattock

A sharp tool used in the fields, similar to a pickaxe

nightingale

A songbird known for its pleasant chirping. Its song is often associated with death and / or poetry.

oleander

A poisonous flower that grows in Mediterranean climates

Señora

Spanish for "Mrs.," also used as a generic term of respect for an older woman

sickle

A sharp farming tool with a curved blade

torrent

A rapid downpour of water, either from a river or from the rain

wedding sheets

Refers to the special embroidered sheets the Bride receives for her wedding