Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz presents very different
sentiments in "Respuesta a Sor Filotea," (a defense to a letter of criticism sent from a
bishop who had been thought of as a friend) as opposed to her sonnets, some of which
deal with love. The letter of response includes her history, her desire to learn, and
her dedication not to offend the Holy Church. She is collected, poised and businesslike,
employing intellectual arguments and humble statements.
In
"Respuesta a Sor Filotea," Sor Juana reports on why learning is so important to
her:
I do not
study in order to write, nor far less in order to teach (which would be boundless
arrogance in me), but simply to see; whether by studying I may become less ignorant.
This is my answer, and these are my
feelings.
Sor Juana has no
desire to teach—she sees this as arrogance on her part, to assume that she knew enough
to imagine she could teach others. On the contrary, her feeling, constantly, of never
having learned enough makes her feel ignorant...uneducated. She studies to become less
ignorant.
However, her love sonnets are much more
emotional, speaking not always of love, but sometimes of hate. Her tone is more
aggressive, much less conciliatory: very emotionally
honest.
In her sonnet entitled, "Reason Prevails Over
Pleasure," she speaks of two men: one who mistreats her that she
adores, and the other who pursues her, and she
ignores. The one who wants her does not appeal, but the more
"diamond-hard" the other is toward her, the more "he gets all my attention." By the end
of the poem, Sor Juana's blatant honesty is surprisingly
timeless:
The
one I don't want I'll use well, / And drop the unloving
scoundrel.
This sentiment
sounds like something out of a soap opera or novel, and not very
nun-like.
Another powerful sonnet Sor Juana titles,
"Abhorrence," and I include the entire poem, for its power comes from the poem's
entirety.
Abhorrence
Sylvio,
I hate you and still attack,
Abhorring your sting in this
fashion:
As the sharp sword goads the
scorpion;
Stepping in mud leaves a muddy
track.
Like venom stored in a deadly
sack
That wounds if employed without
caution;
Virtue was never your
intention,
You gloat in its obvious
lack.
Your vile face persists in my
memory,
With frightening visions of
passion,
Provoking the pain of my
destiny.
Thus I must face this
contradiction:
Abhorring not only you but
me,
For all the times I wanted you
back.
Sor Juana directs her
comments to Sylvio. The first thing she tells him is that she hates him, and she goes on
to speak of attacking—it would seem one of them attacking and the other answering in
kind.
The imagery is wonderful: the sharp sword vs. the
scorpion, and, "venom stored in a deadly sack." Sor Juana's claws are
showing.
She throws in his face: "Virtue was never your
intention." In essence, she calls him a schemer and a liar, and he
gloats about it. Memories of his "vile" face and "frightening
visions of passion" bring her pain, but...and this is the poem's pivotal point...she
must face the contradiction life has presented: if she hates him, then she must also
hate herself for all the times that, knowing what he was, she still wanted him
back.
What amazing poetry from a Mexican nun in the late
1600s. Sor Juana's letter of response is like a business letter, reporting essential
details. Her sonnets include condemnation of self and others, and painful honesty about
her humanity. And we see how people, even nuns, can be many-sided
creatures.
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