Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
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México
(New Spain), 1651-1695
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Catholic
nun
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Self-taught scholar and Baroque poet
La respuesta a Sor Filotea (1691)
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Division of Sor Juana’s Response in four parts
(according to professor) – introduction; narration or statement of facts; the proof;
and the conclusion
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Introduction
o
General purpose is to attract the reader’s
attention and put him in a good listening mood
o
Use of flattery, addresses bishop as
“illustrious lady”
o
Many techniques of affected modesty;
presentation of herself as humble and respectful by praising Sor Filotea and
diminishing her own worth
o
Idea of obedience to Sor Filotea’s wishes as
justification for her response
o
Defense that has slightly ironic tone – doesn’t
study sacred letters because she’s not allowed to do so as a young female;
studies and writes because inspired by God and commissioned by others
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Narration
o
Clear limits to her narration, starting and
ending points are clearly indicated
o
Explains why she has studied and presents the
suffering she has encountered – appeal to pathos
o
Tells about her youth – some education when
young, wanted to go to university disguised as a boy, became a nun because she
wished to continue studying and didn’t want to marry
o
Says it’s hard to study in the convent – has to
attend to her duties and other nuns interrupt her (suffering).
o
She has been persecuted due to her desire to
study
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The proof
o
Indirect arguments, argues with subtlety and
humble tone
o
Insistence on her addressee’s feminine identity
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Insists on her own innocence
o
Proclaims her natural aversion to writing and
that her wish is to remain silent
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Conclusion
o
Slightly more informal tone
o
Apologizes in advance for any lack of respect in
her letter
“Tretas del débil” or “Tricks of the Weak” – Josefina Ludmer
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Idea that “commonplaces” or central, common
texts can be manipulated to say what the reader wants them to say (86)
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Key elements of language of Sor Juana’s text –
“saber,” “decir,” and “no” (87)
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Juana starts off by saying “she doesn’t know
how/what to say” (88)
o
Not knowing leads to silence
o
Juana does not know how to speak from a position
of subordination
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Juana’s letter contains at least three different
texts within it – (88)
o
the text written directly to the bishop
§
expression of subordination, intention to remain
silent, doubt of how to express herself
o
her intellectual autobiography
o
the polemic regarding St. Paul’s maxim that
women remain silent in church
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Relation of maternal and superior religious
authority in the text (89)
o
Maternal authority when she was young
o
Religious authority now
o
Three cases of superiority – the mother, the
bishop, and the Holy Office
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Use of silence as resistance (89)
o
Claims fear of punishment and of heresy
o
“Ignorance” or “doubt” of what to say
HER POETRY
“Éste que ves, engaño
colorido”, “¿En perseguirme, mundo, qué interesas?”, “Rosa divina que en gentil
cultura”, “Detente, sombra de mi bien esquivo”, “Esta tarde, mi bien, cuando te
hablaba”, “Feliciano me adora, y le aborrezco”, “Este amoroso tormento”,
“Hombres necios que acusáis”, “¿Cuándo, númenes divinos?”
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Basic idea: She wrote so much poetry. It’s all
very clever, and often has to do with either her [undesired] fame or thoughts
about men/women.
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Literary move: Baroque (negative tone,
paradoxical comparisons, )
o
Influenced by culteranismo?: Culteranismo is
characterized by ostentatious vocabulary, complex syntactical order, multiple,
complicated metaphors, but highly conventional content
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Literary techniques: rhetoric, play with
opposites (ex: antithesis in “Este amoroso tormento”)
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New world vision: doesn’t address it at all
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Interesting themes: carpe diem (brevity of
life), gender roles / semi-feminism
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“Este que
ves, engaño colorido” – one of her most famous sonnets. Wrote it while
looking at a portrait, similar to a poem that Góngora wrote. Presents idea of
carpe diem in the sense of the brevity of life.
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“¿En
perseguirme, mundo, qué interesas?” – Talks about persecution against Sor
Juana for pursuing intelligence rather than physical beauty. Says that
intellectual pursuits are better. (Semi-feminist thoughts, addresses some
gender stereotypes).
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“Rosa
divina que en gentil cultura” – one of her most famous poems. Compares
rose’s beauty to beauty of a person during life. Carpe diem in sense that life
is not eternal, but again, focus on brevity of life. Baroque because of idea of
engaño in rose’s beauty despite its inevitable death.
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“Deténte, sombra de mi bien esquivo” – talks about imperfect and painful love.
Baroque because it has a negative tone, compares life and death, and
describes movement.
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“Esta tarde, mi bien, cuando te hablaba” – unrequited love.
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“Feliciano me adora, y yo le aborrezco” – unrequited love. Baroque
duality/opposites.
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“Este
amoroso tormento” – talks about her torturous and all-consuming love for
God. Use of antithesis (paradoxes and contradictions) and word play with
negatives vs. positives.
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“Hombres necios que acusáis” – attacks men and their ridiculous double
standards. About prostitutes: “Who is worse – la que peca por la paga o el que
paga por pecar?”
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“Cuándo,
númenes divinos?” – I am not what you think I am. How can an uneducated
woman receive such praise from the most distinguished wits? Why do you think
I’m just an exception of my sex?
IMPORTANT TRENDS/THEMES
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Proto-feminism
o
Defends female ability to learn
o
Dislikes being separated from her gender based
on intelligence
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Religious dedication
o
Doesn’t come across a ton in her writing, except
in some rhetoric
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Importance of education/studies
o
Self-taught; focuses on struggles to teach
herself and study despite difficult circumstances
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Baroque influence in poetry
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