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Welcome to the blog number one, here you can find outstanding poems and biography of Juana Inés de la Cruz

“One can perfectly well philosophize while cooking supper.”

—Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

+TEAM
Jesus Adrian Ek Xool
Karen Mejia
Roger Manzanero
Mariana Sosa

INTRODUCTION

Born circa November 12, 1651, in San Miguel Nepantla, Tepetlixpa, Mexico, Juana Inés de la Cruz's intelligence and scholarship became known throughout the country during her teen years. She began her life as a nun in 1667 so that she could study at will. After taking her vows, Sor Juana read tirelessly and wrote plays and poetry, often challenging societal values and becoming an early proponent of women's rights. Sor Juana is heralded for herRespuesta a Sor Filotea, which defends women's rights to educational access, and is credited as the first published feminist of the New World. She died in Mexico in 1695.

Death and Legacy

Today, Sor Juana continues to be studied and her prolific writings continue to inspire others as witnessed by the late Nobel Prize winner Octavio Paz' book on Sor Juana's life, 'Sor Juana Or, the Traps of Faith'. Each year in Mexico a festival is held in her honor that is sponsored by the National Museum of Mexican Art. There is also a corresponding achievement award which celebrates women of Mexican descent who have made noteworthy accomplishments in the arts and cultural disciplines

Writing Development

Juana began to write her own poetry. She proved to be no ordinary scribe, indeed her works proved to be both brilliant and highly controversial. Juana wrote several pieces that were revolutionary, especially for the time period in which she found herself in.

Juana didn't limit her writings to topics related to religious matters. On the contrary, many of her works were love poems and plays of passion. This was quite unusual for a woman altogether but for a nun, her choice of subject matter aroused the wrath of many who were in power. As well, Juana was known to comment on matters theological, which in turn, incited those in authority to condemn her audacity. Women in Colonial Mexico were not culturally supported to express their own opinions. It wasn't long before her words and her personage incited an angry response.

MAIN LITERARY PIECES

One of Juana's famous literary pieces entitled 'Hombres Necios' (Foolish Men) is a classic work. Within its scope it addresses the inherent rights of all women and the hypocrisy of those who judge others, namely in regards to prostitution. Juana sheds light on the matter by poising the question of who is more to blame, the one who commits the act for money or the one who pays for it.

Another hallmark work of Juana's is a letter she wrote in response to a critique. This famous letter, 'Respuesta a Sor Filotea' (Response to Sister Filotea) was prompted by an angry letter she received where a supposed colleague criticized her secular leanings, admonished her to abandon her writings and commit herself solely to religion. In truth, the author was the Bishop of Puebla who disguised his true identity. This bishop was a supposed friend of Juana's and thus the betrayal was double.

Defending Women's Rights

With Sor Juana's growing renown, however, came disapproval from the church: In November 1690, the bishop of Puebla published (under the pseudonym of a nun) without her consent Sor Juana's critique of a 40-year-old sermon by a Portuguese Jesuit preacher, and admonished Sor Juana to focus on religious studies instead of secular studies.

Sor Juana responded with stunning self-defense. She defended the right of all women to attain knowledge and famously wrote (echoing a poet and a Catholic saint), "One can perfectly well philosophize while cooking supper," justifying her study of secular topics as necessary to understanding theology.

Early Years

Juana Inés de la Cruz was born out of wedlock in San Miguel Nepantla, Tepetlixpa—now called Nepantla de Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz in her honor—near Mexico City, circa November 12, 1651, when Mexico was still a Spanish territory.

In 1667, owing to her desire "to have no fixed occupation which might curtail my freedom to study," Sor Juana began her life as a nun. She moved in 1669 to the Convent of San Geronimo (St. Jerome) in Mexico City, where she remained cloistered for the rest of her life.

Juana had plenty of time to study and write in the convent, and she amassed a large library. She also gained the patronage of the viceroy and vicereine of New Spain, and they supported her and had her works published in Spain.

Biography

Juana Ines de Asbaje and Ramirez de Santillana, known as Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (San Miguel Nepantla, November 12, 1651 - Mexico, April 17, 1695) was a religious of the Order of St. Jerome and novohispana writer, exponent Golden Age of Spanish literature. He cultivated the lyric, the sacramental and theater and prose. Because of the importance of his work, he received the nickname "the Phoenix of America", "The Tenth Muse" or "the Tenth Musa Mexican."

At an early age he learned to read and write. It belonged to the court of Antonio Sebastián de Toledo, Marquess of Mancera and 25th Viceroy of New Spain. In 1669, by desire for knowledge, he entered the monastic life. His most important patrons were the viceroys De Mancera, Viceroy Archbishop Payo Enríquez de Rivera and the Marquis of Laguna de Camero Viejo, also viceroys of New Spain, who published the first two volumes of his works in mainland Spain. He died of an epidemic on April 17, 1695.

Juana Inés de la Cruz held, along with Juan Ruiz de Alarcon and Carlos de Siguenza, a prominent place in the literature novohispana.1 In the field of opera, his work adheres to the guidelines of the Spanish baroque in its stage late. The lyrical production of Sor Juana, which represents half of his work, is a melting pot where converge the culture of New Spain in height, culteranismo Gongora and Quevedo conceptista work and Calderón.2

The drama of Sor Juana is from the religious to the profane. His most notable works in this genre are Love is more labyrinth, Pawns of a house and a series of religious plays designed to represent themselves in court.

Characteristics of her work

She wrote many plays. Her most famous comedy is The Trials of a house, which in some of its scenes reminiscent of the work of Lope de Vega. Another of her famous plays is Love is more labyrinth, which was estimated by his creation of characters like Theseus, the main hero. Her three mystery plays reveal the theological side of his work: The martyr, where mitifica San Hermenegildo- sacrament, Joseph's Sceptre and The Divine Narcissus, written to be represented in court Madrid.


It also highlights his poetry, which adds about half of its production; love poems in which deception is a very useful resource, lobby poems and occasional compositions in honor of personages of the time. Other outstanding works of Sor Juana are carols and tocotin, sort of derivation of this kind that intersperses passages in original languages. Sor Juana also wrote a treatise on music called The snail, which has not been found, however she considered a bad work and may be that because it would not have allowed his difusión

POESIA(Verde Embeleso)

VERDE EMBELESO

Verde embeleso de la vida humana,
loca esperanza, frenesí dorado,
sueño de los despiertos intrincado,
como de sueños, de tesoros vana;

alma del mundo, senectud lozana,
decrépito verdor imaginado;
el hoy de los dichosos esperado,
y de los desdichados el mañana:

sigan tu sombra en busca de tu día
los que, con verdes vidrios por anteojos,
todo lo ven pintado a su deseo;

que yo, más cuerda en la fortuna mía,
tengo en entrambas manos ambos ojos
y solamente lo que toco veo.

POESIA (Estos Versos Lector Mio)

ESTOS VERSOS LECTOR MÍO
Estos versos, lector mío,
que a tu deleite consagro,
y sólo tienen de buenos
conocer yo que son malos,
ni disputártelos quiero,
ni quiero recomendarlos,
porque eso fuera querer
hacer de ellos mucho caso.

No agradecido te busco:
pues no debes, bien mirado,
estimar lo que yo nunca
juzgué que fuera a tus manos.
En tu libertad te pongo,
si quisieres censurarlos;
pues de que, al cabo, te estás
en ella, estoy muy al cabo.

No hay cosa más libre que 
el entendimiento humano;
pues lo que Dios no violenta,
por qué yo he de violentarlo?

POESIA (Esta Tarde Mi Bien)

ESTA TARDE MI BIEN
Esta tarde, mi bien, cuando te hablaba,
como en tu rostro y tus acciones vía
que con palabras no te persuadía,
que el corazón me vieses deseaba;

y Amor, que mis intentos ayudaba,
venció lo que imposible parecía:
pues entre el llanto, que el dolor vertía,
el corazón deshecho destilaba.

Baste ya de rigores, mi bien, baste:
no te atormenten más celos tiranos,
ni el vil recelo tu inquietud contraste

con sombras necias, con indicios vanos,
pues ya en líquido humor viste y tocaste
mi corazón deshecho entre tus manos.

POESIA (Pues Estoy Condenada)

PUES ESTOY CONDENADA
Pues estoy condenada,
Fabio, a la muerte, por decreto tuyo,
y la sentencia airada
ni la apelo, resisto ni la huyo,
óyeme, que no hay reo tan culpado
a quien el confesar le sea negado.

Porque te han informado,
dices, de que mi pecho te ha ofendido,
me has, fiero, condenado.
¿Y pueden, en tu pecho endurecido
más la noticia incierta, que no es ciencia,
que de tantas verdades la experiencia?

Si a otros crédito has dado,
Fabio, ¿por qué a tus ojos se lo niegas,
y el sentido trocado
de la ley, al cordel mi cuello entregas,
pues liberal me amplías los rigores
y avaro me restringes los favores?

Si a otros ojos he visto,
mátenme, Fabio, tus airados ojos;
si a otro cariño asisto,
asístanme implacables tus enojos;
y si otro amor del tuyo me divierte,
tú, que has sido mi vida, me des muerte.

Si a otro, alegre, he mirado,
nunca alegre me mires ni te vea;
si le hablé con agrado,
eterno desagrado en ti posea;
y si otro amor inquieta mi sentido,
sáqueseme el alma tú, que mi alma has sido.

Mas, supuesto que muero,
sin resistir a mi infeliz suerte,
que me des sólo quiero
licencia de que escoja yo mi muerte;
deja la muerte a mi elección medida,
pues en la tuya pongo yo la vida.

POESIA(Finjamos Que Soy Feliz)

FINJAMOS QUE SOY FELIZ

Finjamos que soy feliz,

triste pensamiento, un rato;

quizá prodréis persuadirme,

aunque yo sé lo contrario,

que pues sólo en la aprehensión

dicen que estriban los daños,

si os imagináis dichoso

no seréis tan desdichado.

Sírvame el entendimiento

alguna vez de descanso, 

y no siempre esté el ingenio

con el provecho encontrado.

Todo el mundo es opiniones

de pareceres tan varios,

que lo que el uno que es negro

el otro prueba que es blanco.

A unos sirve de atractivo

lo que otro concibe enfado;

y lo que éste por alivio,

aquél tiene por trabajo.

El que está triste, censura

al alegre de liviano;

y el que esta alegre se burla

de ver al triste penando.

Los dos filósofos griegos

bien esta verdad probaron:

pues lo que en el uno risa,

causaba en el otro llanto.

Célebre su oposición

ha sido por siglos tantos,

sin que cuál acertó, esté 

hasta agora averiguado.

Antes, en sus dos banderas

el mundo todo alistado,

conforme el humor le dicta,

sigue cada cual el bando.

Uno dice que de risa

sólo es digno el mundo vario;

y otro, que sus infortunios

son sólo para llorados.

Para todo se halla prueba

y razón en qué fundarlo;

y no hay razón para nada,

de haber razón para tanto.

Todos son iguales jueces;

y siendo iguales y varios,

no hay quien pueda decidir

cuál es lo más acertado.

Pues, si no hay quien lo sentencie,

¿por qué pensáis, vos, errado,

que os cometió Dios a vos

la decisión de los casos?

O ¿por qué, contra vos mismo,

severamente inhumano,

entre lo amargo y lo dulce,

queréis elegir lo amargo?

Si es mío mi entendimiento,

¿por qué siempre he de encontrarlo

tan torpe para el alivio,

tan agudo para el daño?

El discurso es un acero

que sirve para ambos cabos:

de dar muerte, por la punta,

por el pomo, de resguardo.

Si vos, sabiendo el peligro

queréis por la punta usarlo,

¿qué culpa tiene el acero

del mal uso de la mano?

No es saber, saber hacer

discursos sutiles, vanos;

que el saber consiste sólo

en elegir lo más sano.

Especular las desdichas

y examinar los presagios,

sólo sirve de que el mal

crezca con anticiparlo.

En los trabajos futuros,

la atención, sutilizando,

más formidable que el riesgo

suele fingir el amago.

Qué feliz es la ignorancia

del que, indoctamente sabio,

halla de lo que padece,

en lo que ignora, sagrado!

No siempre suben seguros

vuelos del ingenio osados,

que buscan trono en el fuego

y hallan sepulcro en el llanto.

POESIA (Redondillas)

REDONDILLAS
Hombres necios que acusáis
a la mujer, sin razón,
sin ver que sois la ocasión
de lo mismo que culpáis;

si con ansia sin igual
solicitáis su desdén,
por qué queréis que obren bien
si las incitáis al mal?

Combatís su resistencia
y luego, con gravedad,
decís que fue liviandad
lo que hizo la diligencia.

Parecer quiere el denuedo
de vuestro parecer loco,
al niño que pone el coco
y luego le tiene miedo.

POESIA (Detente Sombra)

DETENTE SOMBRA
Detente, sombra de mi bien esquivo,
imagen del hechizo que más quiero,
bella ilusión por quien alegre muero,
dulce ficción por quien penosa vivo.

Si al imán de tus gracias, atractivo,
sirve mi pecho de obediente acero,
¿para qué me enamoras lisonjero
si has de burlarme luego fugitivo?

Mas blasonar no puedes, satisfecho,
de que triunfa de mí tu tiranía:
que aunque dejas burlado el lazo estrecho

que tu forma fantástica ceñía,
poco importa burlar brazos y pecho
si te labra prisión mi fantasía.