The devotion of Juana Inés de la Cruz
Feminist icon, Mexican legend, and one of the greatest poets in recent history
No other female poet has made an impact like Juana Inés de la Cruz. She has become a feminist icon, a Mexican legend, and one of the most loved poets in recent history.
Juana Inés was a rebel and a prodigy. To understand her work, you first have to understand her life and her world.
Don’t want to read? Listen to this story and hear a reading of “My Divine Lysis” on the tiff loves words podcast.
Daughter of the church
Juana Inés de la Cruz was born Juana Ramirez de Asbaje, most likely on December 2, 1648. There is no official record of her birth remaining but there is a baptismal certificate of “a daughter of the church” that lists her aunt and uncle as godparents. What’s a daughter of the church, you ask? Well that’s a lovely 17th century way of saying she was a bastard.
Juana Inés was born in San Miguel Nepantla in New Spain, which is now Tepetlixpa in the State of Mexico.
