Analysis of The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder - Essay Example

Marquesa is a very religious and superstitious woman who engages in many superstitious practices. She is also the mother of Dona Clara, a daughter whom she loves and adores but who does not reciprocate her love. Her daughter’s attitude is a cause for immense distress to her because, despite all the efforts that she makes, she cannot seem to get her daughter to show her any affection. Her daughter is married to a Spanish Lord. Marquesa was a colorful personality but who lacked love from when she was a child owing to the fact that she was considered an ugly child.

She ends up getting married to a ‘ruined’ Lord who does not show her any love or affection. When she gets a daughter, Dona Clara, she showers her with love but unfortunately, the daughter resents her for her excessive possessiveness and displays of affection. She (Marquesa) therefore spends all her time chasing elusive love and fulfillment in her life. When she writes letters to her daughter, she does not get any replies and when she gets a reply, it is full of criticism. Tired of attempting and failing to get love from her daughter, she decides to find a companion to fill her loneliness.

She, therefore, gets a girl from the orphanage (Pepita) to keep her company. She begins to spend time with Pepita and this helps to ease her loneliness. Having a companion helps her, and the change in her can be seen in her changes attitude where for example, when they visit the theatre and Camila ridicules her in public for being emotional. When Camila is forced to approach Marquesa and apologize, she is surprised at how kindly Marquesa treats her. The final change in Marquesa comes to her after the realization that someone (Pepita) cared about her.

This realization comes to her after she reads the letter that Pepita was in the process of constructing her letter the Abbess. In the letter, Pepita says of how Marquesa had failed to return her love. This is because Marquesa is obsessed with getting the love and attention of ‘her distant child’ (16).