Sor Juana 2

The first passage that interests me is, “If studies, my Lady, be merits (for indeed I see them extolled as such in men), in me they are no such thing: I study because I must. If they be a failing, I believe for the same reason that the fault is none of mine” (p 77). I chose this quote because I believe Sor Juana is trying to express the fact that she knows of her intelligence, and so, she is never at fault. Merits refer to being of excellence and success, and demonstrating achievement. Since she is well-educated, she upholds these qualities because she is smart, especially more smart than others. Sor Juana doesn’t just study because she “must” or she is forced to, she does it because she takes pride in it. Being studious is something she is passionate about and enjoys, so by her phrasing it like this, she is just trying to hide these facts for other reasons. She is partly sustaining from the truth and not being honest with both herself, and others.

            The second passage that caught my eye was, “To such men, I repeat, study does harm, because it is like putting a sword in the hands of a madman: though the sword be the noblest of instruments for defense, in hands it becomes his own death and that of many others” (p 81-83). I chose this because it reminded me of the first quote since both argue about men. They each compare men to studies in their own unique ways, but they downgrade men at the same time, showing comparison between the two. Sor Juana is talking down upon both men and intelligence, but again for the wrong reasons. Her passages are not honest and she is more or less making things up to hide her true feelings. In a way she is sharing some truth in the statement because study does do harm, since it caused her harm. Others disliked her for her intelligence and so this caused her to believe being studious made her harmful. So, to take the pressure off of her, she instead focuses on men and how them being smart is more harmful than she is.