Más allá de los problemas de género(s): El enigma del reconocimiento de la Monja Alférez a partir del relato «trans» de la «Historia de la Monja Alférez» (1625)

Abstract

This paper analyses the enigmatic recognition of the transgressive character of the Monja Alférez starting from a text which challenges the attempts of classification: Historia de la Monja Alférez (1625). Without merging sexual/social gender and literary genres, it can be observed however intersections between the literary vagueness of this first-person written story and its protagonist identity confusion, likely the author of the work. Transgender, story and character compel the reader not to think according a gender/ genre logic but to think over the genre/gender functioning and its arbitrariness. Conceived to support the petition to recognize the American services of the Monja Alférez, Historia de la Monja Alférez changes, thanks to the story of a travel to and through America, transgression into traditional literary adventures thus creating a popular hero. Moreover, to understand the success of the Monja Alférez, we must take into consideration that the text integrates a larger promotional campaign which highlights the importance of other factors appearing in the story (estate, religion, cultural origine, etc.), of the lobbyings and of the Basque influence.