ABSTRACT
Seventeenth-century Novohispanic nun Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz is noted for her writings defending women’s right to education. This chapter argues she defends women’s right to education by advancing Socratic pedagogy. Four aspects of Socratic pedagogy are explained: the use of autobiography, the use of complex irony, the eliciting of shame, and the portrayal of philosophy as an erotic activity. The chapter then shows how each of these four techniques is present in Sor Juana’s writings defending women’s education. The chapter concludes by suggesting that the use of Socratic pedagogy allows Sor Juana to demonstrate her status as a worthy interlocutor while appearing to remain respectful of social hierarchies and gender norms.
