Society & Culture / Literary Studies & Writing / Fiction & Narrative Studies

How 16th Century Spanish Women Used Fantasy Novels to Fight Patriarchy

Chivalry, Reading, and Women's Culture in Early Modern Spain: From Amadís de Gaula to Don Quixote

Stacey Triplette

In this video, we dive into Stacey Triplette's groundbreaking book 'Chivalry, Reading, and Women's Culture in Early Modern Spain: From Amadís de Gaula to Don Quixote.' Discover how women in 16th and 17th century Spain secretly used chivalric romances—often dismissed as 'trashy' fantasy—as weapons of resistance. Through wills, library inventories, and literary analysis, Triplette reveals that women were the core consumers of these books, using them to explore forbidden emotions, form secret communities, and even manipulate powerful men. From the subversive letters of Oriana in 'Amadís de Gaula' to the real-life story of Beatriz Bernal, Spain's first professional female writer, this video uncovers a hidden revolution. Watch to learn how these women turned literacy into a tool for freedom, and why the authorities were right to fear them.