Teresa de Avila, Lettered Woman

Conclusion

203 Conclusion F or generations, clerics and critics have found Teresa’s down-to-earth epistolary style somewhat embarrassing. The dynamic, multifaceted woman revealed in the epistolary writing is poles apart from the idealized figure promoted by Teresa’s seventeenth-century apologists. Not only early compilers such as Diego de la Presentación but even modern editors such as Silverio de Santa Teresa have shuddered at the exposure the letters give to the flesh-and-blood woman Teresa de Jesús, who laughed, cried, and got ill, frustrated, and angry, just like everyone else. Teresa’s political maneuvers, her administrative acumen, and her interest in food, decoration, medicine, money, and domestic issues made them uncomfortable . For these men, the practical, straight-thinking Teresa revealed in the letters was at odds with the image of the perfect and pure Catholic saint. Silverio actually apologized for daring to reveal the “domestic and intimate aspect” of Teresa’s life.1 As we saw in Chapter 1, certain early twentieth-century critics such as Américo Castro objected to Teresa’s chattiness, her earthiness, and her inelegance. They found her concern for the everyday and her use of conversational language distasteful, and they thought her disregard for epistolary style vulgar. But for today’s cultural historian, these down-to-earth qualities are precisely what make the letters fascinating. The letters portray a woman of keen intelligence with an enormous capacity for work and normal human emotions. Yet this more realistic representation in no way diminishes Teresa’s relevance or exemplarity. On the contrary, modern readers will find in this more comprehensive image of Teresa a model to admire and emulate. For people of faith, Teresa continues to serve as an example of devotion that transcends external, perfunctory expressions of religion and leads to a profound understanding of the bond between God and the human soul. This grasp of the spiritual core of every individual and the notion that one serves God by serving others were the forces that galvanized Teresa to launch the reform. She was convinced that by giving others the opportunity to devote themselves entirely to prayer, she was doing God’s will. The image of this real and very complex woman who was both deeply spiritual and politically savvy has inspired myriad 204 Teresa de Ávila: Lettered Woman modern admirers of all faiths, from Catholics and Protestants to Jews and Buddhists. However, one does not have to be a believer to appreciate Teresa, for she definitely speaks to our secular world. At a time when women are emerging as leaders in all fields, Teresa stands out as a precursor. She is an example of a woman who triumphed in a highly patriarchal society, navigating the treacherous waters of misogyny and cultural intolerance. Teresa bucked obstacles as daunting as those faced by any modern female politician , scientist, academic, or CEO to become a powerful administrator, legislator , and spiritual leader. She moved beyond her own immediate sphere of influence—the convent—to negotiate with prelates and nobles. Her letters not only tell the story of the Carmelite reform but also show how one woman stood firm and even kept her sense of humor in the face of terrible adversity. In one sense, Teresa had an advantage over modern women. At a time when women’s inferiority was generally taken for granted, in spiritual matters women were often considered privileged, since Scripture teaches that God favors the weak. Women’s spiritual sensitivity was taken as evidence that “the last shall be first,” an argument that Teresa used to bolster her authority. Today’s women have countless opportunities that sixteenth-century women did not have, but they cannot claim privileged sacred knowledge to help shield them from the “old boys’ club,” as Teresa did. Teresa’s letters allow us to know her in a deeply personal way. They reveal her warmth and profound spirituality, and they expose her vulnerability as well—how easily she was hurt by a perceived snub, how furiously she reacted when her advice was ignored. More than anything, they show the great joy she took in founding and administering convents. Through letters she guided her spiritual daughters; she attended to their lodgings, their material needs, their health, their daily routine. She was also concerned about her spiritual sons, in particular Gracián, whom she shepherded through endless political trials. And on top of everything, she was the de facto pater familias of the Cepeda-Ahumada clan, whose bickering, lawsuits, and financial...