The Role of Women in Latin American History - Essay Example

How do Bemberg and Gorriti depict the role of women and of different races in Latin American history? Introduction: The development and progress ofa particular society or a civilization is largely dependent on its inhabitants and their mutual interaction as it contributes directly or indirectly to such development. In this context, if a proper understanding of such progression needs to be appreciated, proper following up of the socio-historical development of the civilization becomes highly important. In this context, historical documents are considered to be extremely effective as those provide a chronology of progress but this effectiveness remains limited within the domain of knowing certain factual aspects that contributed to a great extent in transformation of the civilization from one phase to the other. Thus, when it comes to perceiving essential features of a civilization and contribution of people in the inculcation of such features from socio-cultural perspectives, importance of literature and films has been highly acknowledged by scholars. Mainstream literature and films, both focus on lives of individuals under different circumstances within a particular domain of socio-cultural existence. Consequently, such representation helps to a considerable extent in understanding how lives of people were affected by due to changing trends of their social existence and how they have responded to such changes. The changing face of Latin American culture from socio-cultural perspective encompasses within its broad scope several issues that have claimed a great deal of attention from social scholars and historians. Historically considered as a major platform for certain most prosperous ancient civilizations in the world history, the Latin American civilization later on become a center of imperialist aggression. Foundations of its socio-cultural traits were also affected considerably due to internal political conflict, civil war, dictatorship and Cold War. Historical documents provided impression of all these aspects in a mere factual way but the magnitude of individual suffering was properly elevated through mainstream literature and films as these two mediums of Art actually emphasized over the fact that to which extent lives of common Latin American people were affected by socio-cultural metamorphosis. Artistic creations of Maria Luisa Bemberg and fictions of Manuela Gorriti are subjects of extreme importance in this context as both these artists have documented the role of women and different races within the transforming domain of Latin American culture. Social History: an impression of Latin American Transformation While it comes to evaluation of Latin American social history, it becomes important to evaluate changing approach of the developed European nations towards rest of the world. Despite the fact that for a long time, most of the European nation were undergoing internal political turmoil and struggle to attain supremacy over one another, but in the context of exaggerating their respective imperial power they were unanimous. The European nations clearly realized that unless there would be supply of money and other types of natural resources from weaker nations, it will not be possible for them to retain their respective supremacy in the global context. American invasion of the Latin America provided these nations with address of a vast landscape, which is replete with natural resources and also capable of supplying them with all sorts of necessities that would help them to enhance their financial and political prosperity. Spain was one of the most conspicuous figures among the European nations that through its imperialist power casted a great deal of influence over Latin American nations. Impact of such influence reached such magnitude that Latin American nations started following the socio-cultural and economic traits of Spain (Shubert, 1990). Just the ways, cities like Paris and Vienna acted as centers of artistic and cultural revolution of Europe, in the same manner Spain also emerged as center for artistic expressionism for Latin American nations. Historical documents and numerous literatures have provided clear evidence in support of the observation that in the initial level most of the Latin American races adopted extremely conservative attitude in case of restricting interaction of women with invaders, “…often the Indians of the Antillers tried to hide their women from the white strangers” (Hanke, and Rausch, 1993; 115). However, the Indian women have always expressed special interest towards “white strangers” and their acceptance of these new people also involved certain degree of respect, “On other occasions the Indian women showed themselves and were even importune in their admiration for the newcomers. Naturally enough, the discoverers thought that the first attitude was due to the jealousy of the Indian husbands, whereas the women … were only expressing their love” (Hanke and Rausch, 1993; 115-116). Irrespective of all the advancement that has happened within the socio-cultural domain of both Latin America and Spain, such discrimination against women liberty and freedom, however, has not been abolished; rather these aspects have plagued women at different points of time. Adrian Shubert’s demographic analysis of Spain shows the kind of situation women of the nation had to encounter even at the time when Spain was almost on the verge of 20th Century enlightenment. Despite the fact that question of man and women equality was raised on several occasions but women remained deprived from enjoying benefits of social equality to a considerable extent, “… her position was not one of equality since she was barred from a number of roles, among them belonging to a Chamber of Commerce, voting, holding elected office and being a civil servant at any level” (Shubert, 1990; 32). Situation of married women was even worse compared to their single counterparts. Starting from internal domestic affairs, support from their spouses to social, legal and professional affairs, women received huge antagonism from their male counterparts and such plight of women was almost the same irrespective of cultural as well as racial difference among Latin American history (Shubert, 1990; 33). Impression of such hostility and how the entire situation affected Latin American culture have received marvelous treatment through creative works of both Bemberg and Gorriti. Women and races in Bemberg’s film Maria Luisa Bemberg’s films are famous for providing an accurate and humane depiction of the “tensions within an aristocratic Argentine family” and condition of women, trapped amidst such existence (King, Whitaker, and Bosch, 2000; 1). Bemberg’s birth in one of the most influential families of Argentina has helped her to understand the situation of women and impression of such perception has repeatedly been reflected through her films. Miss Mary is one such film that shows condition of women in Argentinean aristocratic families. At the same time, with the intention of providing a more realist picture of the plight of womanhood under such patriarchal set up, she also has also made brilliant use of symbolism from her personal life and the kind of scholarly feminist acquaintances that she enjoyed. However, the mastery and reflection of empathy for women properly occurred in the Camila (1984). In this film, Bemberg not only described the condition of women within hands of an extremely orthodox patriarchal situation but at the same time she also has indicated to which extent political anarchy can create havoc within a nation. In this context, the traits of Neorealist movement in films became conspicuous in Bemberg’s artistry. James Monaco has observed, “The Neorealists were working for a cinema intimately connected with the experience of living: nonprofessional actors, rough technique, political point, ideas rather than entertainment …. While Neorealism as a movement lasted for only a few years, the effects of its esthetics are still being felt” (Monaco, 2000; 303). The film, Camila elaborates story of Camila O’ Gorman, who, during the early days of her life maintained a socially accepted approach of feminine virtuosity but later she rejected the path and fell in love with a priest Ladislao Gutierrez. Flow of incidents in the film gradually reveals how both of them reached northern frontier, Camila’s pregnancy, their capture and finally their execution in Buenos Aires as a victim of orthodox social structure (Camila, 1984). Through her depiction of Camila’s life in contemporary Argentine society, Bemberg has actually pointed out futility of the society in protecting its inhabitants and snobbery or frugality of a social structure that is always scared of deviating from its conventional moral values. Rosas’ policy of “Restoration of the Law”, which has also been criticized and detested by contemporary as well as political scientists of later era, clearly regarded women to be agents of violating social norms and Camila’s execution within purview of this policy, actually becomes a stark example of oppression that women encounter within a patriarchal construction. The plight and suffering that Camila encounters, is not confined within the contemporary socio-political domain of Argentina but here the protagonist has emerged as an embodiment of womanhood and also representative of the indomitable human spirit that cannot be smothered by any human or social institution, “…Camila is a Beauty in both body and soul, and her beauty derives in equal measures from her commitment to what she feels in her natural right to sexual fulfillment and the exemplary deliberateness with which she pursues Ladislao and handles his masculine limitations …. Camila stands alone … the destiny she has charted for herself requires … a strategy that enhances the unambiguous … overdetermined, meanings with which the woman is invested” (Foster, 1992; 24). Juana Manuela Gorriti: Society, race and women Juana Manuela Gorriti has used her literary devices as an effective medium to covey the impact of transcultuation on women. Unlike Bemberg, she has refused to focus only on crisis of women in aristocratic set up; rather emotions and defiance of women from all parts of the society have received equal treatment from the author. Compared to Bemberg, the way she has attempted to portray tensions within aristocratic Argentine families, Gorriti, on the other hand, has concentrated over tensions generated out of transculturation and its impact on women’s liberty and freedom of expression. The ancient Latin American culture has a tradition of its own but colonial period has resulted in drastic cultural intercourse leading to loss of values and existential confusion. Women, being the humble and submissive part of the society, have always become victims of such socio-racial conflict. One her early fictions, The Quena, bears a very humane depiction of such suffering and condition of Latin American women, represented through Rosa, confined within such existence. Though Rosa has been promised to get married with Ramirez, a creole residing in America, representative of cultural intercourse, she is actually in love with Hernan, an Inca descendant. Finally, Rosa and Hernan both are slain by Ramirez and her bones are used for making of traditional Inca flute. No matter how lucrative and sparkling the traits of modern civilization have become, Rosa, in her heart always wished to belong to her own culture and to her traditional values. As Rosa apprehended the moment of separation is approaching, she assured Hernan, “If God’s will allows us to meet again, and for me to be yours … then you will find infinite treasures of love in my heart to compensate for your past isolation! I shall be your friend, your sister, your mother, your lover, your slave” (Gorriti, Waisman and Masiello, 2003; 20). After her death, Rosa’s spirit becomes a carrier of musical incarnation and symbolically spreads the charm of womanhood and love among the mankind. In the material life there can be numerous factors that can smother free spirit of womanhood but defiance of women against such oppression will surely be reflected either spiritually or metaphysically as it has happened through Rosa’s transformation. Reflection of same indomitable womanhood has also been projected effectively in fictions like The Deadman’s Fiancée and The Mazorquero’s Daughter. In this context, Francine Masiello has rightly observed about Gorriti’s protagonists that, “Against the option for the convent for women, which Gorriti openly detested, alliance with the Indian promises women a chance of historical redemption. In death, Gorriti’s heroine comes to speak in another voice” (Masiello, 1992; 50). References Bosch, Rosa. Whitaker, Sheila and King, John. An Argentine passion: María Luisa Bemberg and her films. (London: Verso, 2000). Foster, David William. Contemporary Argentine cinema. (Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 1992). Gorriti, Juana Manuela. Waisman, Sergio Gabriel and Masiello, Francine. Dreams and realities: selected fiction of Juana Manuela Gorriti. (Oxford: Oxford University Press US, 2003). Hanke, Lewis and Rausch, Jane M. People and issues in Latin American history: The Colonial experience--sources and interpretations. Ed: 2. (New Jersey: Markus Wiener Publishers, 1993) Masiello, Francine. Between civilization & barbarism: women, nation, and literary culture in modern Argentina. (Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1992). Monaco, James. How to read a film: the world of movies, media, and multimedia : language, history, theory. Ed: 3. (New York: Oxford University Press US, 2000). Shubert, Adrian. A social history of modern Spain. (London: Routledge, 1990). Read More