The New Woman in Seis hermanas and 14 de abril

This chapter explores the new conceptualisation of womanhood at the beginning of the twentieth century. We discuss the serial Seis hermanas/Six Sisters (TVE 2015–2017) and the series 14 de abril. La República/The Republic (TVE, 2011–2019) as paradigmatic case studies of Spain’s ‘new women’ and explore the issues of feminist politics, female ability and legitimacy. The six sisters’ transgressive behaviour is not due to an inflected modern female consciousness but rather a largely accurate representation of a changing society. 14 de abril La República showcases a spectrum of strong, self-determined women in the Second Republic (1931–1939), when women gained full legal rights while also problematising the fact that legal change cannot force social change.