Gender and Women's Position in Early Mexican Society: An Analysis of Rosalie Evans and Frances Calderón de la Barca
Overview
This paper analyzes two historical letters to examine gender roles and women's oppression in early Mexican society during the revolutionary era. Through Rosalie Evans' account of property seizure and Frances Calderón de la Barca's observations on women's education and social position, the author argues that systemic oppression prevented women from accessing property rights, education, and decision-making power.
What this essay covers
- Introduction and overview of both primary source letters
- Analysis of Rosalie Evans' agrarian encounter and property rights struggle
- Analysis of Frances Calderón de la Barca's commentary on women's education and social standing
- Comparative analysis of gender oppression and systemic barriers in Mexican society
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Yihe Shen
Prof. Sal
History 3968
Oct 8th 2020
Analysis and Summary of An Agrarian Encounter by Rosalie Evans and Women and War in Mexico by Frances Calderón de la Barca
“An Agrarian Encounter” by Rosalie Evans, “Women, and War in Mexico” by Frances Calderón de la Barca explore gender and women's position in the early Mexican society. “An Agrarian Encounter” is a letter that Rosalie Evans wrote to her sister explaining how the minister wanted to snatch her property. It discusses her encounter with an oppressive government bureaucracy during the revolution era in Mexico. The government seized property from people, but Rosalie was stubborn enough not to give in to the system's demand. She knows her rights in the constitution. Still, Minister Villarreal's messengers tell her that they have an oral order than commands her to surrender her property.[1] She held on to her right, and in the end, she emerged victorious because her resistance was strong enough to rebel against the soldiers the minister sent. On the other hand, Frances Calderón de la Barca wrote “Women and War in Mexico," a letter highlighting women's position in Mexico up to the time of independence. The letter is an account of a foreign woman who lived in Mexico. Frances came from Scotland and was the wife of the Spanish minister to Mexico. She begins the letter by saying that it is tough to say that Mexican women are educated.