Sor Juana's Poetry

One common theme in Sor Juana's poetry is the helplessness of women against man's senseless insecurities and general contradictory nature. For example, she writes in Poem 164 of a lover who has called into question her fidelity. He has no proof, only "foolish shadows" and "empty evidence," yet he is convinced that she has been unfaithful. Her words are an ineffective defense, so she wishes he "might look straight into [her] heart." It doesn't matter to him that his accusations have destroyed her, undoing her heart and passing it through his hands; his only concern is his honor and the damage she *may* have done to it.

This theme is seen again in the longer, satirical poem titled Poem 92. She charges that nothing a woman can do can shield her from the cruelty of man. She provides numerous examples of how no response can truly please man, as he is an impossible creature. My favorite stanza asks who is really at fault with the extreme example of prostitution:

"But who has carried greater blame
in a passion gone astray:
she who sins for need of payment,
or he who pays for his enjoyment?"

She charges that, though certainly still not innocent, a prostitute will sell her services out of need, while her customer buys them for mere pleasure. Man takes pleasure in the fall of woman and actively forces it, then blames her for falling.

In Poem 174 she continues to attack the fickle nature of man by complaining of how he stops loving a woman after her beauty has faded, then blames her for her beauty having faded. Woman, however, continues to love man as a person, not as a body.

I think Sor Juana is afforded a lot more breathing room in her poetry than in her literature. To begin with, her poetry is not addressed to anyone in particular, so she has greater freedom to write as she will. Her letters, on the other hand, are directly addressed to a (semi)actual person, so she can not be too bold in her accusations. In her poetry, she does not have to work under the constant restrictions or putting on the guise that she is writing to another nun who is backhandedly praising her, so she can say clearly what she intends. However, I find her letter writing to be more captivating, as it is interesting to watch her make such powerful arguments while remaining disguised.