Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature Commons^™

Women On Top: Power And Transgression In The Libro Del Conde Partinuplés, Martha Daas

World Languages and Cultures Faculty Publications

English

In the romance tradition, women are relegated to “ideal love” or distracting presence, either Virgin (Christian presence) or Witch/Whore (pagan presence). The women in the Spanish Conde Partinuplés, however, transgress their typical roles. Throughout the tale, Partinuplés is aided by a succession of women who do not follow the rules of Romance. Through the transgression of gender and racial norms, the female-dominated spaces become spaces of transformative power. In direct opposition are the male-dominated Christian-identified spaces of the Church and Court. During the romance these spaces hold only treachery and falsehood for the young Count. The ambiguity of the …