I feel its necessary for you to understand what marianismo is so that you have a clear view of how infulential the Cathloic Church has been on the lives of Hispanic women more specifically, their family life and marriages.Throughout the colonial period and through the twentieth century Hispanic women have been viewed as a symbol of virtue. They were the models for all that was clean, pure and holy in the family and marriage. Marriages were usually arranged, many times a business transaction. A dowry presented by the brides family was expected. A young women's virtue was seen as a valuable dowry. Her virtue was a symbol of honor for her family. An unmarried young woman who lost her virtue was a disgrace to her family. There were three reasons for a young woman to become a nun: she wanted to serve Christ; to get an education, such as Juana Ines de la Cruz; or because she lost her virtue.(Lecture notes by Professor Salomon, 7 April 2010).
Marianismo, is the modern term for an ideology of women in Latin America that suggested they had to be like the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. "The phenomenon encompasses sacred duty to family, subordination to men, subservience, selflessness, self-renouncement and self-sacrifice, chastity before marriage, sexual passivity after marriage and erotic repression." Although women were viewed as more spiritual than men, that perspection came with a price. (http://couselingoutfitters.com/vistas/vista08/Jezzini.htm) According to this model, women who stayed true to it would go to heaven. The public sphere belonged to the men the private belonged to the women. Men were of the world, they were allowed to get dirty, commit sin, therefore they would go to pugartory. Their wives, mothers and sisters were to cry and pray for them to get to heaven. (Lectures Notes).
This is the standard by which the Californio were expected to live. Marianismo has its roots in the Catholic teaching of Mary, the long-suffering mother, expected by the men and yet, it was perpetuated by the women themselves.
Milly,
ReplyDeleteI think you are doing a good job with your blog. I enjoyed reading it and it has giving me a perspective on women during the Californio era. Your video is a nice touch because it incorporates women that were involved in California. Did you make that video? If you did, you did a great job.
On one of your past blogs, you incorporated things a California woman would do in her daily life, I thought that was really good. You also discussed the philosophy of Marianismo. This explains why so many women were regarded as second class citizens in the past. Your ideas about Marianismo were interesting to read about. The double standard must have been difficult to deal with at that time. But women persevered and the love stories you discussed in one of your blogs is proof of that. Can't wait for your last one.
Mary Ann F.