ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book confirms Carmen de Burgos's pivotal place in Spanish feminist history by bringing together eminent international scholars who offer new readings of Burgos's work. It includes the analyses of a number of lesser-known texts, both fictional and non-fictional, which give a comprehensive examination of Burgos's multi-pronged feminist approach. Burgos's works, especially her essays, are essential feminist reading and complement other European and North American traditions. Gaining familiarity with the breadth and depth of her work serves not only to provide an understanding of Spanish first-wave feminism, but also enriches our appreciation of cultural studies, gender studies, subaltern studies, and travel literature. Modernity repositioned women in society; with industrialization and urbanization, the feminist movement grew stronger, as unmarried middle-class women began to demand admission to the professions, which would guarantee them a salary corresponding to the social status of their family.
