Female Catholic narratives in the first decades of the 20th century: Models of being a woman

Abstract

The shift in mindset that took place during the opening decades of the 20^th century broadened women’s field of action in Spanish society with the conquest of new rights. In this new cultural framework in which women achieved increasing visibility, female intellectual activity was not without an element of protest. The emergence of the avant-gardes opened the world of art to a new generation of modern women par excellence who shared a number of feminist ideals. Catholic women also participated in this process of social achievements and cultural relevance by creating a strong network of women’s/feminist movements, such as Acción Católica de la Mujer (Women’s Catholic Action), and by entering the University and the world of politics, thus influencing the development of new gender identities through a Catholic lens. In this paper, we will analyse literary production intended for women and, especially, that written by female Catholic authors, such as novelist Concha Espina, playwright Pilar Millán Astray, or propagandists such as Blanca de los Ríos, as well as feminist periodicals, such as La Voz de la Mujer (The Voice of Women) and their view of Catholicism. Through this analysis, we will study the model of womanhood they projected, as well as the links between religious sentiment, literary creation, modern society, and women’s identities, pinpointing those elements that endured, changed or were opposed in the culture and mindset of the time