Teresa de Ávila, Lettered Woman (review)

Abstract

MUjiCA, barbara. de Avila, Lettered Woman. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt UP, 2009. xiv + 278 pp.For many, of Avila (1515-1582) remains quintessential mystic among pantheon of Catholic saints. If one were only to read her spiritual classic, Interior Castle, or view Gianlorenzo Bernini's amazing study in marble, Saint in Ecstasy, one might conclude that this was a woman so otherworldly, so rapt with visions, that her feet literally never touched ground. Over last thirty- five years, however, scholars of history, literature, and religious studies have worked to recover a different a fiesh-and-blood woman whose feet were very much planted on ground. Barbara Mujica's readable new book makes a significant contribution to this endeavor. In this, first full-length study in English of Teresa's extant letters, Mujica amply demonstrates how an examination of Teresa's efforts provides insight into workings of her personality, relationships, and (103).Mujica begins with an introduction, The Pen and Sword, which provides historical background necessary to understand Teresa's life and work as a monastic reformer and founder of a new religious order, Discalced Carmelites. She also situates as a writer of letters. saint probably composed thousands of letters during her lifetime, but even 450 that have remained contain a wealth of information on everything from court politics to remedies for rheumatism.In chapter 1, From de Ahumada to Saint Teresa, Mujica summarizes Teresa's life and reform efforts, highlighting personal and societal circumstances that would inspire her to devote so much of her time and energy to production of letters. This chapter also serves as an excellent review of recent literature on of Avila and Discalced reform of Carmelite order. I found particularly intriguing and convincing Mujica's discussion of Teresa's position as a member of a family of conversos (converts from Judaism and their descendants). Like so many conversos, her father and uncles were active merchants and property owners who were involved in numerous lawsuits. Mujica argues, would have had early exposure to world of lawyers, notaries, contracts, and licenses, and become acutely conscious of the importance of written word (23). This orientation toward writing and record-keeping would serve her well as she later engaged in her own legal battles and business dealings as administrator of some fourteen convents.Chapter 2, Teresa de Jesus: Woman of Letters, one of book's strongest, contributes to a growing body of scholarship on letter-writing as a literary genre, means of expression, and vehicle for life-writing in early modern Europe, especially for women. For letter-writing was a political tool as well, as she attempted to protect and promote her reform movement and direct a growing network of religious houses. Mujica traveled to Spain to examine Teresa's remaining autograph letters, and her attention to detail is readily apparent in this chapter. reader learns fascinating information about actual mechanics of letter- writing, such as types of pens used by state of her handwriting at various stages in her life, and logistics of postage and delivery. An ascetic who spurned worldly titles and honors, nevertheless understood strategic importance of deference and diplomacy when corresponding with elites who could aid Discalced Carmelite reform. Thus she took care to use fine paper and ink and paid almost obsessive attention to correct forms of address and other matters of epistolary etiquette (58).Although founded a new religious order for women, she had to deal with a great many men, some sympathetic to her cause, many skeptical or overtly antagonistic. In chapter 3, God's Warrior and Her Epistolary Weapons, Mujica uses Teresa's letters to reconstruct her protracted struggle to establish Discalced Carmelite houses for nuns, and later for friars, gain approval of ecclesiastical authorities in Spain and Rome, and separate her order from older, Caked Carmelites. …