Wise and Valiant: Women and Writing in the Golden Age of Spain

For many years wonder | wonder | world has enjoyed the valuable education and entertainment of reading The Smithsonian Magazine. This week we were delighted by their newly published article on 17th Century female writers of Spain.

We join them in celebration of their defiance, in solidarity for their plight and fight, in awe of their courage and accomplishment.

In a world of men hell bent on subjugating women, indigenous cultures, and foreign nations these wise and valiant nuns, warriors, poets, activists dared to defy the world and write openly of their subversion. 

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz & Catalina de Erauso

The ongoing exhibition at Madrid’s Instituto Cervantes explores the lives and work of around 30 female authors, playwrights and printers whose stories were nearly lost to history.

Bringing their wisdom into light today is a well overdue acknowledgement of their ambitious work and perseverance against all odds.

Titled “Wise and Valiant: Women and Writing in the Golden Age of Spain,” the show centers on individuals active shortly after the institute’s namesake, Miguel de Cervantes, wrote his seminal 1605 work, Don Quixote.

Though this so-called “Golden Age” is widely associated with men like Cervantes, Lope de Vega and Francisco de Quevedo, hundreds of women not only wrote, but published their work, during the period.

“Wise and Valiant: Women and Writing in the Spanish Golden Age” is on view at the Instituto Cervantes in Madrid through September 5, 2020. A digital version of the show is available via the institute’s website.