Blinding Obsession

Subject:
After reading “Yerma,” my first impression was that this was a play about blind obsession – about how we desire one thing and do not see what is around us. As a result, we lose or destroy all that is important to us and still finish empty handed. But aside from this, there seemed to be other threads of thought in the fabric of the play.

For instance, the old pagan woman – why does she have to be pagan? Perhaps her lack of faith is the catalyst that takes Yerma on this sojourn of dependence. Yerma depends on her religion, then she depends on man, where she depends on ritual and finally depends on herself; unfortunately all of these dependencies fail her.

We can also say that by killing Juan (and thus killing any hope of having a child), Yerma has robbed herself of her only desire – at the same time, she has robbed herself of life as she has spent her years in despair for children.

Another interpretation is that this is a play of coming to grips with reality – often we refuse to accept the circumstances in which we live and prefer to sit in a state of despair while everyone else encourages us to move on with our lives. But, it’s often easier to sit, whine, and complain rather than step forward.

I feel there are several other interpretations to this play, as well as several points that I have missed completely and so I am anxious to hear what others have discovered in reading this script. I’m also looking forward to seeing this play performed next Thursday – I’m sure it will be an energized and emotional experience.