Sor Juana (born 1648, died 1695) was a Mexcian scholar, nun, and writer.
She came from a poor family in a small village. Christened Juana Inés Ramirez, she was a great lover of literature and learned Latin before she was ten. She was exceptional not only for her intelligence but also because girls in 17th century Latin America rarely received schooling. By the age of fifteen, Juana was considered a child prodigy and became a lady-in-waiting to the viceroy's wife in 1664.
After four years in the viceroy's court, Juana decided to become a nun. She entered the Convent of San Jerónimo, where she remained until her death in 1695. By all accounts, life in the convent gave her freedoms that she would have never had if she had married, as was expected of respectable women. For instance, she often held discussions about natural science with intellectuals in her private suite, and devoted much of her time to writing poems and plays.
Given her background as an educated, outspoken woman, it is not surprising that Sor Juana wrote literature that criticised the sexism of Mexican society. In the poem "Hombres necios" for example, she pokes fun at men who condemn prostitution, because men are those who benefit the most from its existence. Sor Juana also wrote a play entitled Los empeños de una casa about a woman who is almost forced into an arranged marriage.
Unfortunately for Sor Juana, her outspoken stance incurred the displeasure of the Catholic Church. This was especially dangerous for her when one considers the historical context—it was the time of the Counter Reformation and anyone who challenged society's values could easily get into trouble with the all-powerful Church. Things came to a climax in 1690, when a letter was published that attacked Sor Juana's focus on the sciences, and suggested that she should devote her time to theology.
In response, Sor Juana wrote a letter entitled "Respuesta a Sor Filotea" in which she defended women's right to any education they desired. But she soon found that the Catholic Church was not at all sympathetic to her views. The Archbishop of Mexico joined other high-ranking officials in condemning Sor Juana's "waywardness". Finally around 1693 Sor Juana decided to give up her library, and to stop writing, rather than risk any further censure.
Despite this unhappy ending, Sor Juana's experiences showed that women (upper-class women, at least) did not always have to follow society’s expectations. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz broke barriers by simply following her dreams and resisting outside pressure—a remarkable feat given her position as a woman and a representative of the Catholic Church.
