Sor Juana Ines De LA Cruz: Religion, Art, and Feminism

by Pamela Kirk

Recognized by Octavio Paz as one of the five greatest Spanish poets, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz was born in 1648 in San Miguel Neplantla, a village south of Mexico City. In 1669 she entered the Convent of the Order of St Jerome where she stayed until her death in 1695. She wrote plays, poetry and prose. This text introduces Sor Juana as a major theological figure, who excelled in "sacramental drama" and liturgical poetry. Pamela Kirk argues that she stands out not only as a great thinker, buit as a complex person, at once brooding and melancholy, as well as witty and joyful. Equally noteworthy is Sor Juana's clear awareness of her role as a woman artist in a social and ecclesiastical milieu that was militantly patriarchal. Kirk explores Sor Juana's life and work as a contribution to Latin American women's theology.

Genres: Religion, Feminism, Poetry, Philosophy, Art, Biography

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1999

Reviews

[Joanna]

Outspoken nun. They should all be.