 |
LITR 4231 Early American
Literature Research Posts 2014 (research post assignment) Research Post 1 |
 |
Marion Johnson
Sor Juana and Early Feminism
When examining early American literature, oftentimes
the works produced by authors of white lineage are the ones that gain the most
prominence. For my research, I chose to examine the life and writings of Sor
Juana Ines de la Cruz. As a woman writer with a Spanish background, she is
capable of representing two minority groups. I gained interest in her work
because of my curiosity towards feminism, of which Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz is
considered a founding figure. My level of familiarity with her works was limited
solely to what I had previously been exposed to during class time. In
particular, I wanted to examine the environment in which Sor Juana lived, and
the works she produced during her time.
I began my research by
focusing on her background, and I initiated my search with a few internet
sources. After examining my first source, which provided her biography, I
learned that Sor Juana spent most of her life residing in Spanish-controlled
Mexico City. At the age of eighteen, Sor Juana joined a nunnery and earned the
privacy and privileges to study within. When Sor Juana became accustomed and
comfortable with her surroundings, she began writing. Writing consumed much of
her life, and Sor Juana had little time for romance or other distractions that
largely controlled the women of her time.
In addition to the
information that I learned about Sor Juana’s background, I wanted to learn about
the writings that she produced. In particular I wanted to see which writers most
heavily influenced her. As I learned from an internet source that highlighted
her works, Sor Juana was influenced largely by the writings of Luis
de Góngora y Argote. I also discovered that
Sor Juana excelled at sonnets, and was very successful in writing dramatically.
As I read more about Sor Juana, one quote that stood out to me in particular was
in regards to her personal and religious life. Sor Juana was noted as saying
that she became a nun “to have no fixed occupation which might curtail my
freedom to study”. For me, this statement really highlighted Sor Juana’s
commitment to her studies, which she placed above all else. Sor Juana and modern
feminists are large proponents of education as a means of equality, and her
belief in this ideal is apparent in the way that she conducted herself. As I
concluded my initial research about her, I discovered that Sor Juana lived a
life largely free of distractions, and was able to produce dramatic poetry that
reflected her strong feelings about feminism. In the future I hope to further
examine the works of early American feminists and the impact they had on shaping
America.
Sources:
http://www.biography.com/people/sor-juana-in%C3%A9s-de-la-cruz-38178
|
|
|
|
