Nepantla as her Place in the Middle: Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in the Writings of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

In this dissertation, I analyze a selection of Sor Juana’s works in the context of bilingual and bicultural studies. I infer that the author’s language acquisition and cultural sensitivity were interrelated, both affecting the other and influencing her writing. I argue that her bilingualism correlated with her cultural sensitivity and sympathy towards marginalized groups. In her works, the author employs a variety of strategies to denounce discrimination and repression as well as rhetoric that promotes tolerance of other cultures and resistance to oppression. I explore these strategies in her texts and apply relevant theory in order to fully analyze their implications. I study the circumstances of each individual language and culture referenced as well as the phenomenon of multiculturalism itself.