Maria de Zayas and her Tales of Desire, Death and Disillusion

María de Zayas y Sotomayor was a pioneering feminist writer of the early modern period, known for her collections of short stories that explored sexual desire, violence, humor, identity construction, gender, class, family, race, religion, magic, and the supernatural. This book provides an engaging introduction to her life and work, examining her use of these themes and her oral style. It also explores her status as a proto-feminist and her early modern reception in Spain and elsewhere.

Format: Hardback
Length: 242 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2022
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

Who doubts, my reader, that you will be amazed that a woman has the audacity not only to write a book, but to send it for printing, which is the crucible in which the purity of genius is tested?

A pioneer of early modern feminism, María de Zayas y Sotomayor wrote poetry, drama, and prose, but is best known for two page-turning collections of short stories: Exemplary Tales of Love (1637) and Tales of Disillusion (1647). This book provides an engaging introduction to Zayas and her work.

It begins by relating what we know of her life, placing her in her socio-political and economic context and addressing the issue of women's literacy. Following chapters examine her use of sexual desire, violence, and humor in her tales; her narrative structures; and her oral style.

The book then turns to identity construction in her tales and in society, analyzing questions of gender, class, family, and race, and to her treatment of religion, magic, and the supernatural.

The final chapters explore Zayas's status as a proto-feminist; her early modern reception in Spain and elsewhere; and various critical readings of her work.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781855663602