The men of Fuenteovejuna are having a secret meeting in the town hall to determine the best course of action now that the town is, as Esteban claims, a “rotting corpse” (84). Juan Rojo suggests they go to Ferdinand and Isabella for help, while Leonelo believes they should simply evacuate the town. Alonso rejects both of these courses of action, and instead argues that they should take up arms against the Commander themselves. Barrildo is shocked, but Esteban argues that “In the eyes of God only the King is sovereign. / We owe no loyalty to men who behave like / Wild animals” (85).

Laurencia arrives and demands to be let in. She chastises those at the meeting, her father especially, for failing to protect her when she was abducted on her wedding day. She points out her own injuries, then calls the men of the town cowards, eunuchs, and traitors for allowing the Commander to terrorize their wives and daughters, then claims the job has now fallen to the women of the town:

Why do those swords hang at your sides?

Why don’t I lend you my knitting

Needles to stick into your belts!

Then you can watch us do the job.