The inspiring life of Juana Ines de la Cruz
Essay: The inspiring life of Juana Ines de la Cruz
Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz is not a typical women that lived during the 17th century in Mexico. There is much more beyond her beauty and authenticity. In her early years she was already considered to be a “child genius“1, taking into account her intelligence, and “polymath“ would also best describe her, since she wrote various poems, along with plays, also including her studies in music, philosophy and natural science2. But the most important feature about her, was that she thought of women far more than just “birth-giving objects“.
Juana Ines de la Cruz is an extraordinary woman that reached much in her life, but also impressed with her life style and attitude towards life. This contributes for her to be an icon, as well as a genius in her own kind off way, marking the 17th century.
One of the aspects leading for Juana Ines de la Cruz to be the way she was, has to do with her cultural background. Her family, as well as the city and the time period she grew up in, all affected her in a way, directly or indirectly.
She was born on November 12th, 16513, a period in time that was not easy for women. It was an epoch of clear male- domination and big injustices for women. They were not provided with education, because it did not fit into the concept of a woman’s role, and indeed, there were different purposes for them in mind. But also the fact that Juana was born in Miguel Neplantla, Mexico, got her in a bad situation. Mexico at that time had its own rules and beliefs that did not match with Juana Ines de la Cruz’s perception of the world. Instead of marriage, for example, that was exactly the main purpose for women in that time, she prefered knowledge, and hence continues to study in the Convent of the Discalced Carmelites of St.Joseph, even though though it is against the will of her family4. This brings as to another point, since her family also contributed
Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz is not a typical women that lived during the 17th century in Mexico. There is much more beyond her beauty and authenticity. In her early years she was already considered to be a “child genius“1, taking into account her intelligence, and “polymath“ would also best describe her, since she wrote various poems, along with plays, also including her studies in music, philosophy and natural science2. But the most important feature about her, was that she thought of women far more than just “birth-giving objects“.
Juana Ines de la Cruz is an extraordinary woman that reached much in her life, but also impressed with her life style and attitude towards life. This contributes for her to be an icon, as well as a genius in her own kind off way, marking the 17th century.
One of the aspects leading for Juana Ines de la Cruz to be the way she was, has to do with her cultural background. Her family, as well as the city and the time period she grew up in, all affected her in a way, directly or indirectly.
She was born on November 12th, 16513, a period in time that was not easy for women. It was an epoch of clear male- domination and big injustices for women. They were not provided with education, because it did not fit into the concept of a woman’s role, and indeed, there were different purposes for them in mind. But also the fact that Juana was born in Miguel Neplantla, Mexico, got her in a bad situation. Mexico at that time had its own rules and beliefs that did not match with Juana Ines de la Cruz’s perception of the world. Instead of marriage, for example, that was exactly the main purpose for women in that time, she prefered knowledge, and hence continues to study in the Convent of the Discalced Carmelites of St.Joseph, even though though it is against the will of her family4. This brings as to another point, since her family also contributed