In the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which occupied regions of North and Central America, women were not allowed to study.
The story of Sor Juana Inés de La Cruz is a legacy in the opposite sense. She built an autonomous path, becoming an outstanding baroque poet, philosopher and playwright at a time when such a feat was absolutely surprising.
Juana lived the first years of her life on her grandfather's property and it is said that she hid in the chapel to read the books she secretly took from her grandfather's library.
He learned to read at the age of 3. At 5 she already knew the principles of mathematics. At 8 she wrote her first poem. And at 13 she was already teaching other children.
When she went to live in Mexico City, at the age of 16, she asked her mother to let her disguise herself as a man so she could enter University. Without permission, she continued studying independently.
Her drive and determination led her to become lady-in-waiting to the vicequeen, Leonor Carreto. Her knowledge was tested by the Viceroy in front of jurists, theologians and philosophers who were surprised by her intelligence and eloquence.
This event earned her a great reputation at court. Due to her fame, she received several marriage proposals. All denied.
She chose to become a nun to continue her studies freely. She joined the Order of Jerónimas and at the convent of Santa Paula she studied, wrote and created a large library.
Her writings and publications were made possible by fundings from the viceroys. Having even been published in Spain.
She wrote feminist thoughts far ahead of her time. In the poem “Stupid Men” she defends the right of women to be respected as human beings, making fun of men who criticize prostitution but benefit from it.
Her intellectual ability bothered some people. Her Jesuit confessor reproached her for writing, but with the vicequeen's protection she managed to reject him as confessor.
She also wrote “Inundación Castálida”, a volume of poetry that makes reference to Castálida Fountain, from Greek mythology, where whoever drank its waters was blessed with poetic inspiration.
In the last years of her life, she faced censure from the Church when she defended women's right to education and to write freely. She was forced by the Church to get rid of her library and scientific instruments.
Some of her writings survived thanks to the vicequeen, María Luisa, who had poems by Sor Juana written for her. To this day, it is debated whether the relationship between them was more than a friendship.