Kimberly Dallmann
ENG 315
David Aitchison
01/29/2014
Biographical Essay
Assignment 2
Final Draft
Introduction
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, or Sister Juana, is widely celebrated as the first woman to have had her feminist works published in the New World. Sor Juana was born a daughter of the church, and is well known for her eagerness to learn as much as she could in her lifetime. Her eagerness to learn was so extreme, in fact, that she took vows to become a nun in her late teenage years and renewed her vows just one year before her death. Two of her most famous works Primero Sueño (First Dream) and Hombres Necios (Silly Men) both strongly outline her bold feelings about the lack of education for women as well as the unfair judgements and many times the double standards that men held during her lifetime. Sor Juana was a very intelligent, devout woman of many talents and unfortunately died relatively young but single-handedly paved the way for the future of women in society.
Background
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was born on the 12th of November, 1651 as Juana Ramírez de Asbaje. She was born in San Miguel Napantla, Viceroyalty of New Spain (present day Mexico) to a Spanish man Pedro Manuel de Asbaje and a Creole woman Isabel Ramírez. Her parents were never married, hence she was born out of wedlock and deemed a daughter of the church. After begging her mother to let her cross-dress in order to go to college, Sor Juana’s mother finally sent her to Mexico City to live with family and there her dreams to study actually came true.
Early Career
At just three years of age Sor Juana taught herself how to read and from then on began a long journey of self-education. In 1664, as she grew into her mid-teens, Sor Juana became a child prodigy ...
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...on what becomes of the people of Aztec and Christian religions when combined.
Later life/career
After Sor Juana’s critique of a sermon given by Manuel Fernández de Santa Cruz, she was faced with a lot of pressure by the church community to discontinue her studies. From 1691 to 1692, Mexico City was hit with floods and famine and this kept her from publishing any works. In 1694, the year before her death, Sor Juana sold her entire personal collection of some 4,000 books as well as musical instruments and scientific equipment in order to appease the church community. The funds received from selling her personal collection and instruments were given as donations to the less fortunate, also known as alms. In 1695, the plague viciously took the convent Santa Paula and Sor Juana eventually died from the plague after taking care of her fellow sisters.
Critical reception
Many countries have the pleasure of celebrating Independence Days. These historic holidays are filled with nationalistic celebrations and delicious traditional food. In Chile, the natives celebrate their break from Spain with Fiestas Patrias. In Mexico, the president begins the celebration by ringing a bell and reciting the “Grito de Dolores” and he ends his speech by saying “Viva Mexico” three times.
Sor Juana de la Cruz is born into a wealthy family in 1648 that lived near Mexico City, Mexico. After being a part of the Viceregal court and a lady in waiting, Cruz begins her spiritual journey and joins the convent. Here, Cruz explores both secular and non-secular studies. She is an exceptionally talented writer with a passion for reading, learning, and writing. She is scolded for the information she writes and is told to focus exclusively on religious dogma. Soon after the Bishop of Pubela reads one of her letters, he publishes it (without her knowing), and she responds with a respectful yet sarcastic letter (Lawall and Chinua 155-156). Cruz’s “Reply to Sor Filotea de la Cruz” was written during the period of Enlightenment of Europe (1660- 1770). This era in Europe casted an opaque shadow over women’s rights to educate themselves and self-expression. Sor Juana’s piece however is both inspirational and empoweri...
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Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz’s upbringing greatly influenced her character. In 1648, Juana was born illegitimately in the town of San Miguel de Nepantla, located southeast of Mexico City (Trueblood 2-3). Juana’s mother, Isabel Ramirez, had an independent nature about herself. Like Juana would later do, Ramirez refused to marry (Trueblood 2-3). At the age of ten, Ramirez noticed that Juana had a large capacity for knowledge, so she sent Juana to study in Mexico City (Trueblood 3). After studying alone Juana desired to further seek a life of independence and freedom from authority.
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The figures of Sor Juana and Catalina de Erauso are larger than life. They did things no other women (and most men) during the 17th century could have ever dreamed of. Sor Juana was a nun who, through her confined cloister, produced works of literature and theology that are now part of both the Mexican and Catholic Cannon. De Erauso on the hand roamed free, she abandoned her religious life and instead took up the garb of a man and set out for the New World. Both of these women did not do what women were expected to do. Sor Juana’s life in the covenant should have been one of quiet contemplation and De Erauso should have never left the covenant she was a part of. In addition not only did De Erauso abandon her vows but she attempted, and succeeded, at passing herself off as a man which allowed her to do things that, if her true identity was known, every apparatus available in the Empire would have brought her to swift justice. These women went against the norms of what was expected ...
Rosario Castellanos was born during the takeoff of feminism. She was determined to go through life differently than her mother and grandmother did. Castellanos was greatly influenced by exploring past generations, but she was also influenced by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. Sor Juana’s work shows how self-education convinces women to feel accepted and important regardless of what society says. Rosario Castellanos was greatly influenced by Sor Juana de la Cruz, and thus Castellanos’ works reflect her support for women in education, but in a more humorous sense. One of Castellanos’ short stories, “Culinary Lesson”, illustrates Rosario Castellanos’ firm belief that women should be educated and do things outside of the home; her influences came from her early life and from her studies of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. Castellanos’, Culinary Lesson, is a continuation of Sor Juana’s, “The Self, the World”, except with an added twist of humor and sarcasm.
Juana, the wife to fisherman Kino, is one of the main characters in The Pearl. Coming from poverty, Juana and her husband live a minimalist life, as her simple clothes show (a battered blue head shawl and skirt, and a green ribbon knotted in her braids). Many themes in the story revolve around her. Although Juana understands her role to be a subservient and passive wife, she is smart, brave, and determined throughout the novella. Symbolizing the power and strength of women, Juana gradually becomes dominant over her husband. Juana’s second role in The Pearl is to be the protective mother of her son, Coyotito. Last, she is wise and logical in troubling times and acts as the voice of reason. Juana’s words and actions emphasize her various roles in The Pearl.