Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz – A Child Prodigy With Extraordinary Intellectual Capacity

“YOU are only CONFINED by the WALLS you build YOURSELF.” – Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

Juana Ramírez de Asbaje, who was later known as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, braved all odds to achieve her desired goals. She became great by finding her way against all hurdles and obstacles, which paved her life journey.

Early Life

Sor Juana was born an illegitimate daughter of the Spanish Caption and Criolla woman. She was later considered as a daughter of the church’. Her father was nowhere in the life journey.

“THE TEST OF A FIRST-RATE INTELLIGENCE IS THE ABILITY TO HOLD TWO OPPOSED IDEAS IN MIND AT THE SAME TIME AND STILL RETAIN THE ABILITY TO FUNCTION.”~ SCOTT FITZGERALD 

Juana was an exceptional girl with super exceptional talents. She knew how to balance and live between effort and surrender.

1. Juana had learned how to read and write Latin by the age of three.
2. When she reached her 5th year, she was good at accounts too.
3. Another round of achievements came at the age of 8 when she composed a poem on Eucharist, and by the age of 13, she was teaching Latin to young students.

Sometimes against all odds, against all logic, We still hope. She wanted to enter University, and for this, she also approached her mother to seek permission to disguise herself as a male student. However, she continued her studies privately.

She was then invited by Marquis de Mancera (viceroy) for a meeting where several theologians, jurists, philosophers, and poets were to test her intelligence on various scientific and literary subjects.

• She was successful in leaving everyone in awe. Her reputation was improved and upgraded
• She was admired by all members of the court.
• Also, she received many proposals for marriage, which eventually declined.

SHE WAS STRONGER THAN HER PROBLEMS.

She entered as a postulant in the Monastery of St. Joseph, a community of Discalced Carmelite nuns. She stayed there for a few months. Owing to relaxed rules, she then entered the monastery of the Hieronymite nuns in 1669.

If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you. 

She strongly believed that there is no fixed occupation that might curtail her freedom to study. She preferred to become a nun so that she could continue her studies.

Sor Juana’s determined and radical position was making her a controversial figure. She was gaining criticism for her belief that her writings could achieve the same amount of philanthropic goals as community works.

• One can perfectly well philosophize while cooking supper.

She justifies her study of ‘ human arts and sciences’ as necessary to understand sacred theology.

• She penned down some exquisite carols to St. Catherine of Alexandria that talked and lauded this upstanding woman.

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz – A Woman With Golden Heart

Sor Juana donated the money to the poor she earned from selling her own established library. She ceased all her literary pursuits. Her library and collections were sold for alms. 

Sor Juana died while taking care of her disorder nuns during an epidemic.

Her determination and dreams have helped her a lot in framing her personality. People now know her as a national icon of Mexico and also adds value to Mexican currency.

She was the most outstanding writer of the SPANISH AMERICAN colonial period.

Also Read : Clara Schumann|A Child Prodigy Who Didn’t Speak Till The Age Of Four