Writing in the Raw: Rhetorical Moves of Female Essayists During the Spanish Fin De Siglo

"This study examines the ways in which, during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century or the period denoted as fin de siglo, Spanish women writers argued for gender equality and developed discursive authority through the use of rhetorical strategies in their essays. Through ""their writing in the raw"", they openly exposed and defied the gender bias inherent in patriarchal values. They presented their feminist arguments to largely hostile audiences, whether male or female, tailoring their rhetorical strategies to the gender of the audience and dealing with the topics of education, medicine, law, and wage work. To accomplish this task they had to make text adjustments in their essays. As a result, through their essays we can see their vision of a regenerated Spain as it entered into the 20th century. Furthermore, by positioning gender as a main component of discursive authority, when we read these essays, we change the way we think about the essay as a rhetorical genre and challenge those who believe that Spain was not involved in the debates surrounding the woman question during the late nineteenth and early 20th centuries."

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Spanish

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Merced, Leslie Anne

Contributors dc:contributor

• Tolliver, Joyce

• Women's Studies

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3130981

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/86128