Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz on Resistance

I demonstrate[aut]Scott, Sarah ways of teachingTeaching Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648/51–1695), who[aut]De la Cruz, Sor Juana Inés was famous for her sophisticated Baroque writing and being the most learned woman of her era in New Spain (Mexico). After giving an overview of her life, I present “Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz” (1691), a letter she wrote in response to being told to cease writing. This letter is believed to be the first published defense written in the western hemisphere of the rights of womenRights of Women to obtain an education, conduct study, and write philosophyPhilosophy. Next I present her philosophic poem, “Primero Sueño” (1685). Some of the main themes I explore are syncretismSyncretism, the limitations of reasonReason, intellectual virtuesVirtues and the use of silenceSilence, and the relationship between rhetoricRhetoric and philosophyPhilosophy. Besides presenting Sor Juana’s own ideas, I give suggestions for how she may be paired with Socrates[aut]Socrates’ Apology, Foucault on parrhesiaParrhesia, and Fricker on epistemicEpistemic injusticeInjustice.