Defiant Muse: Hispanic Feminist Poems from the Middle Ages to the Present, a Bilingual Anthology

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ea. vol: Feminist Pr. (Defiant Muse). 1986. poetry The Feminist Press has made a substantial contribution to literary history in this first-of-a-kind bilingual series of feminist poetry from the medieval period to the present. Numerous poems in the French anthology were written before the 19th century, and they reflect the classical and discursive nature of French poetry of that era. In this tradition are Constance-Marie de Salm-Dyck (1767-1845), who in her "Letter to Women" writes "unjust man, craving to conquer all,/ Claims to subject us to the law of might"; and Marie de Romieu (1540s-1590), whose poem "Brief Discourse: That Woman's Excellence Surpasses Man's" praises female virtues. A more lyrical feminism is found in the Hispanic poetry, grounded in the female voice of early Spanish folk poetry as well as the oppressiveness of Hispanic Catholic culture. This background helps us understand an intensely passionate poem by Sor Juana (Mexico, 1640s-1695) "What Interest Have You, World, in Persecuting Me?" ("Wherein do I offend you, when all I want/ Is to give beauty to my mind/ And not my mind to beautiful things?"); and the lament of an anonymous nun from Alcala whose parents, "as if enemies," have "buried" her in a convent. Volumes on German and Italian poems see below complete the series. Joyce Nower, Academic Skills Ctr., San Diego State Univ.Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes
Text: English, Spanish


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ea. vol: Feminist Pr. (Defiant Muse). 1986. poetry The Feminist Press has made a substantial contribution to literary history in this first-of-a-kind bilingual series of feminist poetry from the medieval period to the present. Numerous poems in the French anthology were written before the 19th century, and they reflect the classical and discursive nature of French poetry of that era. In this tradition are Constance-Marie de Salm-Dyck (1767-1845), who in her ``Letter to Women'' writes ``unjust man, craving to conquer all,/ Claims to subject us to the law of might''; and Marie de Romieu (1540s-1590), whose poem ``Brief Discourse: That Woman's Excellence Surpasses Man's'' praises female virtues. A more lyrical feminism is found in the Hispanic poetry, grounded in the female voice of early Spanish folk poetry as well as the oppressiveness of Hispanic Catholic culture. This background helps us understand an intensely passionate poem by Sor Juana (Mexico, 1640s-1695) ``What Interest Have You, World, in Persecuting Me?'' (``Wherein do I offend you, when all I want/ Is to give beauty to my mind/ And not my mind to beautiful things?''); and the lament of an anonymous nun from Alcala whose parents, ``as if enemies,'' have ``buried'' her in a convent. Volumes on German and Italian poems see below complete the series. Joyce Nower, Academic Skills Ctr., San Diego State Univ.


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