María de Zayas and Her Tales of Desire, Death and Disillusion

Erscheinungsjahr 2022
ISBN: 978-1-85566-360-2
Verlag: Boydell & Brewer

Buch, Englisch, Band 3, 242 Seiten, Print PDF, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 517 g

Reihe: Icons of the Luso-Hispanic World

Who doubts, my reader, that you will be amazed that a woman has the audacity not only to write a book, but to send it for printing, which is the crucible in which the purity of genius is tested'?

A pioneer of early modern feminism, María de Zayas y Sotomayor wrote poetry, drama and prose but is best known for two page-turning collections of short stories: Exemplary Tales of Love (1637) and Tales of Disillusion (1647). This book provides an engaging introduction to Zayas and her work. It begins by relating what we know of her life, placing her in her socio-political and economic context and addressing the issue of women's literacy. Following chapters examine her use of sexual desire, violence and humour in her tales; her narrative structures; and her oral style. The book then turns to identity construction in her tales and in society, analysing questions of gender, class, family and 'race', and to her treatment of religion, magic and the supernatural. The final chapters explore Zayas's status as a proto-feminist; her early modern reception in Spain and elsewhere; and various critical readings of her work.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Greer, Margaret R

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Romanische Literaturen Portugiesische Literatur
• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Literarische Strömungen & Epochen
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziale Gruppen/Soziale Themen Gender Studies, Geschlechtersoziologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Literaturgeschichte und Literaturkritik
• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Romanische Literaturen Spanische Literatur

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface

Chapter I: Zayas: Her Life and Times

Chapter 2: Exemplary Tales of Love: A Contradiction?

Chapter 3: Settings, Styles and Models: Zayas's Literary Context

Chapter 4: Turning the Tables on Men in Exemplary Tales of Love

Chapter 5: Bodies in Pain: Tales of Disillusion

Chapter 6: Identifying the Subject

Chapter 7: I Believe: Religion, Magic, the Supernatural

Chapter 8: Zayas on Women

Conclusion: Zayas's Afterlives

Appendix: Plot Summaries

Über Autor(innen)

Greer, Margaret R
MARGARET R. GREER is Emeritus Professor of Romance Studies at Duke University.