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The autobiography of Catalina de Erauso presents significant encounters that describe experiences of conquistadors learned in class. Lieutenant Nun is an excerpt that depicts a changing society in terms of gender. As will be noted, the stereotype image of a Spanish conquistador gets contradicted by the nun who ends up in a military conflict during the 17th century (De Erauso). Nevertheless, this discussion highlights significant occurrences that faced Catalina since she disappeared from a convent back in Spain. Her ambitions of becoming famous and wealthy were typical to ordinary individuals serving as Spanish conquistadors in America. This discussion strategically identifies female soldiers contribution to the rise and growth of the Spanish empire across America. Military officials experiences are accurately described in Lieutenant Nun depicted by high mortality deaths and social grievances among the locals. Most fundamentally, the spectacular and ordinary encounters of Catalina de Erauso are both similar and different from a male Spanish conquistador as presented in Lieutenant Nun.
The colonial era was described by social responsibilities differentiating the roles and responsibilities of both genders. Spanish America was conquered in the 16th and 17th century involving men and women in different roles. Societys expectations of a woman were unique and mainly included domestic duties. Male teenagers and young adults were committed to field battles, which involved military fights and physical torture of local militants that refused colonization (De Erauso). Nevertheless, this notes that Catalina defied societys expectations of a female participant during the colonial era. For instance, Lieutenant Nun highlights that Catalina escaped from the Convent to pursue individual goals and objectives. Her escape was indicative of a lost female community member who later transformed her gender into a male stereotype. Similarly, the decision to join battlefields in Chile and Peru was contrary to societys expectation of a woman during the Spanish colonial period in America.
Additionally, Catalina challenged the normal expectations of a woman during the Spanish era by joining the military. Lieutenant Nun indicates that she escaped the Convent and later joined the Spanish army to fight in South America. This discussion highlighted the domestic duties associated with a woman during the 17th and 18th centuries. This explains why girls and young ladies were usually taken to a religious institution and taught moral values and ethics identified with their gender. As a rule, male members of the society were expected to defend a community from external threats and expand territory, as depicted by the Spanish and Portuguese empires (De Erauso). The decision by Catalina to join army officers was contradictory as it defied the described expectations. It is worth noting that she changed her gender preferences by dressing like a young lad. This was instrumental in engaging as a military officer, where she later rose to respectable positions in the army ranks.
Her actions also contradicted the expectations of a woman in Catalinas age during the colonial era. Lieutenant Nun explains that she engaged in battle fights with brutal murders and physical torture typical in a military conflict. Normally, it would be difficult for the female gender to survive in such environments characterized by an enemys frequent invasions. Ideally, women are considered sympathetic and difficult to engage in mass murders of rebellious militants in Spanish America (De Erauso). The excerpt notes that she fought fiercely with a sword, which resulted in severe injuries to victims. Catalina was also injured and taken to a healthcare institution where she recovered before assuming her combat duties. Her male attributes grew significantly when she constantly interacted with men and was surrounded by them during the combat getting involved with fellow male fighters, as highlighted in the excerpt, evoked the sexual interests. As a result, she would pursue women, which was contrary to the expectations of a female member of the ancient Spanish society.
Moreover, Spanish society had explicit expectations of a male conquistador during the colonial era. Colonization in the past entailed forceful acquiring of land and eliminating rebellious locals who opposed the invasion. For instance, these individuals were mandated to conquer foreign territories to improve their wealth to facilitate security. As a result, male conquistador was allowed to arrest, torture, or even kill rivals who opposed Spanish territorial expansion expanding to America. Such measures were required as opponents would take worse ones when they captured Spanish soldiers who were considered territorial invaders (De Erauso). Catalina conformed objectively to the societys expectations of a male conquistador as evidenced in Lieutenant Nun. She rose to high ranks in the military and issued stern directives to officers fighting in the field. Murdering individuals and torturing, locals constituted the main acts and practices that indicated an active male conquistador. Army officers lacking such attributes contributed dynamically to other roles promoting conquering of foreign territories.
Army officers faced atrocities, including torture and murder, whenever arrested by local militants in Spanish America. For instance, arrested military men were tortured and forced to provide intelligent information useful for invading other territories. The process of soliciting sensitive information was critical as it entailed long-term torture of an individual both physically and mentally. As highlighted in Lieutenant Nun, Catalinas escape from military justice was indicative of the physical torture she experienced in battlefields (De Erauso). Escaping military justice was a rare phenomenon as rivals killed captured opponents after acquiring useful information to invade other territories. The right to live was only granted to incarcerated individuals who were useful in other aspects entailing military security. For instance, they would be intellectually involved in the planning of ambushes to rebellious militant groups protecting their community. It is highlighted that she faced mental challenges before being rescued and reinstated in a higher military capacity.
Spanish colonization and the New World shaped Catalinas experiences in fundamental ways. The colonization period identified the importance of freedom of expression, as evidenced in Lieutenant Nun. Conservative practices in the traditional Spanish community suppressed this freedom using social processes. For instance, women were not involved in physical fights for territorial expansions. As a rule, teenage girls and young female adults were taken through religious teachings that inculcated different values in them. Collectively, women took part in considered feminine activities, mainly involving domestic duties (De Erauso). This implies that Catalinas experiences were uniquely influenced by the colonization period that resulted in the New World shape. For instance, during the Spanish colonization of America, Catalina learned the art of sword fighting associated with men. The New World shape also implied that sexual norms would be redefined as Catalina got involved with female partners. It indicated that one would sexually express themselves in a hidden social setup away from Spain.
The Spanish colonization also shaped Catalinas experiences regarding the patriarchal nature of traditional societies. For instance, female members of conservative communities did not allow women to participate in social meetings entailing marriage. The elderly men of such communities usually deliberated social issues and gave directives without involving women. However, Lieutenant Nun highlights that patriarchal social norms could be challenged, as evidenced by Catalinas experiences. It is noted that she rose to high ranks in the military that allowed her male conquistador to pay respect with humility (De Erauso). She was also saved from military justice after her fake personality was identified. Ideally, Catalinas experiences were critical in marking a transformation of the female genders involvement in conquering new territories. This was contradictory to norms that described traditional communities with patriarchal decision-making social structures. Contribution of women in Spanish America noted a gender transformation period that aided the ineffective establishment of remote territory.
In conclusion, Catalinas experiences depict spectacular and ordinary events that identify male Spanish conquistadors similarities and differences. Being a female member of a conservative society, Catalina was taken to a convent where she escaped and joined the Spanish army officers fighting rebel militants in Chile and Peru. The discussion notes that Catalina challenged traditional practices that defined the female gender. Involvement in a military war and escaping justice depicted events where she survived through a gender transition period. She murdered rivals and tortured opponents, just like male conquistadors. Lieutenant Nun indicates that the Americas Spanish colonization shaped Catalinas experiences entailing freedom of expression. The excerpt also indicates that sexual orientation had become an imminent social force as Catalina got interested in female partners.
Work Cited
De Erauso, Catalina. Lieutenant Nun: Memoir of a Basque Transvestite in the New World. Beacon Press, 2011.
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