Sor Juana was born in San Miguel Nepantla. Sor Juana began life as the illegitimate daughter of a Spanish nobleman, at a time when bloodlines strictly dictated class and status. Her mother was bornin Yecapixtla. Her grandfather owned property in Amecameca and Sor Juana spent her early years living with her mother on his the hacienda “Panoaya”.
Sor Juana was a gifted child who hid in thehacienda chapel to read her grandfather’s books from the adjoining library, something forbidden to girls. She learned how to read and write at the age of three. By age five, she could do accounts, and atage eight she composed a poem on the holy sacrament.[1] By adolescence, she had mastered Greek logic, and at age thirteen she was teaching Latin to young children. She also learned nahuatl, and shewrote some short poems in that language.
In 1664, at age sixteen, Juana was sent to live in Mexico City. She asked her parents’ permission to disguise herself as a male student so that she could enterthe university. Not being allowed to do this, she continued her studies privately.[1] She came under the tutelage of the Vicerreine Leonor Carreto, wife of Viceroy Antonio Sebastián de Toledo. Theviceroy (who Appletons’ names as the Marquis de Mancera), wishing to test her learning and intelligence (she being then seventeen years old), invited several theologians, jurists, philosophers, andpoets to a meeting, during which she had to answer, unprepared, many questions, and explain several difficult points on various scientific and literary subjects. The manner in which she acquitted herselfastonished all present, and greatly increased her reputation. Her literary accomplishments soon made her famous throughout Mexico.[1]
She was much admired in the vice-royal court for her beauty,and refused several proposals of marriage.[1] In 1667, she entered the Convent of the Discalced Carmelites of St. Joseph, but only remained there briefly. In 1669, she entered the Convent of the Order…
