Sor Juana

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A Woman Ahead of Her Time

Throughout a period in history when Mexican society was profoundly male dominated, women were forced to reject their own will and desires in compliance of this social construct; however, Sor Juana persistently challenges this notion through her renunciation of domestic life and open-minded philosophies. So, Sor Juana rejects the conventional path of life and – after being denied by the university – becomes a nun in hope of being able to fulfill her life’s purpose: setting a precedent for feminism in Latin America through her poetry, often which criticized societal values and advocated for reform. Consequently, from the start of her journey, Sor Juana is continuously rejected, but “unlike a woman living the stereotypical …show more content…

The Vicereine sees the parallels between her and Sor Juana’s lives when she states that they “[were] both locked in by either a rule (of the covenant) or a protocol (of the diplomat’s wife),” which ultimately linked a feeling of constraint between the two (Ramirez 57). The fact of the matter is that they lived in completely different worlds and still faced the same issues, showing that no matter what social class you were in, a female was still just a female. It is imperative to analyze this relationship because it shows how Sor Juana was like with other women who were facing the same problems as her. Since she is able to understand – and not shun the other victims – it shows that she was not only passionate about confronting the inequality through her poetry, but also in her day-to-day life. In other words, Sor Juana did not only fight for herself, but for others as well. Therefore, the two provide support for each other and want to see each other succeed, which is what most women wanted at the time. An example of this is when Sor Juana visits the Vicereine when she gives birth, which causes her to rejoice since the Vicereine is finally able to overcome her barrenness; the nun’s sincere presence is unmatched and only further strengthened their relationship. Ultimately, experiences such as these provided support among women in ways that men could not provide …show more content…

The famous letter begins by Sor Juana self-reflecting on her life’s actions and proceeds to explain them, stating that “she [had been] attacked above all for being a woman, and thus her defense was immediately transformed into a defense of the female sex” (Paz 415). The nun points out that she sacrificed herself into a fate full of agony and frustration in hope of inspiring others – just as Christ did in the crucifixion. In many ways, this parallel illustrates the confidence that she had in humanity to fix these issues over time, or else why would she sacrifice herself? Just as Christ’s suffering is the center of Christian life, Sor Juana’s suffering is the center for feminism in Latin America. Both were the inception of an idea and notion that would be followed for generations to come. Nevertheless, her life full of controversy reaches its peak when the most heretical message she created, La Respuesta, which took an unrestrained aim against a man of power, finally gets completed. The result is an account of the truth that lies behind the issues of a patriarchal society, which is put into perspective. Of the topics discussed, one of the most prevalent are the “limits imposed on a woman’s learning, [which she] wants broadened” and ideally removed altogether (Paz 413). Overall, it is unquestionable that Sor Juana should be

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