University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 8-2016 Nepantla as her Place in the Middle: Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in the Writings of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Nicole Lynn Gomez University of Tennessee, Knoxville, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Latin American Literature Commons Recommended Citation Gomez, Nicole Lynn, "Nepantla as her Place in the Middle: Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in the Writings of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2016. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/3917 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Nicole Lynn Gomez entitled "Nepantla as her Place in the Middle: Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in the Writings of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Modern Foreign Languages. Millie Gimmel, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Kristen Block, Gregory Kaplan, Dolly Young Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) Nepantla as her Place in the Middle: Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in the Writings of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Nicole Lynn Gomez August 2016 ii Copyright © 2015 by Nicole Gomez All rights reserved. iii DEDICATION Para Natalia iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I want to thank my mom, who has enabled me to finish this dissertation on several levels. She instilled in me a love of learning since I was a child and selflessly dedicated herself to ensuring that I would succeed. From believing in me throughout my academic journey and encouraging me to follow my dreams, to helping me talk through my academic quandaries, to completely taking over my domestic responsibilities in my last months of writing, I owe this dissertation and my success to her. I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the extraordinary guidance of my director, Dr. Millie Gimmel. I could not have asked for a better director on either an academic or a personal level. She challenged me to think critically and sacrificed time and effort from her own responsibilities, making my project a priority. She went above and beyond her role as a dissertation director and reached out to me in countless ways, helping me to grow as an educator and a professional. I am eternally grateful for her kindness, wisdom, and dedication and I aspire to live up to her example. I would also like to thank the rest of my committee: Dr. Kristen Block, Dr. Dolly Young, and Dr. Greg Kaplan for their invaluable insight, knowledge, and encouragement. I have also been lucky enough to have a number of exceptional professors such as Dr. Dawn Duke, Dr. Luis Cano, Dr. Euridice Silva, Dr. Oscar Rivera-Rodas, and Dr. Michael Handelsman that have helped shape my research and analysis skills and further inspired my love for literature and culture. v I am also thankful for the endless support of my friends and family. I thank my husband for his love and patience and for never questioning my decision to follow this path. I am grateful for the encouragement of my parents, my brothers, my aunt Geri, and my friends Jason, Estefania, Flavia, and Jeannette. This achievement would not have been possible without all of the wonderful people in my life. vi ABSTRACT In this dissertation, I analyze a selection of Sor Juana’s works in the context of bilingual and bicultural studies. I infer that the author’s language acquisition and cultural sensitivity were interrelated, both affecting the other and influencing her writing. I argue that her bilingualism correlated with her cultural sensitivity and sympathy towards marginalized groups. In her works, the author employs a variety of strategies to denounce discrimination and repression as well as rhetoric that promotes tolerance of other cultures and resistance to oppression. I explore these strategies in her texts and apply relevant theory in order to fully analyze their implications. I study the circumstances of each individual language and culture referenced as well as the phenomenon of multiculturalism itself. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 - Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 Life History ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Historical Context ........................................................................................................................... 11 The Baroque Style .......................................................................................................................... 16 Sor Juana Criticism ......................................................................................................................... 18 Chapter Outlines ............................................................................................................................. 19 Chapter 2 - In xochitl in cuicatl: Sor Juana as a Nahua Poet ................................... 23 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 23 Romances ........................................................................................................................................... 30 Villancicos .......................................................................................................................................... 30 Villancico 224 .................................................................................................................................................. 32 Villancico 241 .................................................................................................................................................. 41 Villancico 299 .................................................................................................................................................. 50 Theater ............................................................................................................................................... 53 The Divine Narcissus ..................................................................................................................................... 54 The Scepter of Joseph .................................................................................................................................... 63 Loa satírica ....................................................................................................................................................... 68 Aplaúdese la fineza ........................................................................................................................................ 74 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 77 Chapter 3 – “Aunque neglo, gente somo”: Sor Juana’s defense of the Afro- Mexican ................................................................................................................................... 80 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 80 Villancico 224 .................................................................................................................................. 97 Villancico 232 ............................................................................................................................... 104 Villancico 258 ............................................................................................................................... 111 Villancico 274 ............................................................................................................................... 114 Villancico 281 ............................................................................................................................... 118 Villancico 299 ............................................................................................................................... 120 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 122 Chapter 4 - Et unde hoc mihi?: Self-Vindication in a Male-Dominated Intellectual Sphere ............................................................................................................. 125 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 125 Villancico 249 ...............................................................................................................................