Abstract

Abstract:

Since her execution in 1848, Camila O’Gorman has emerged as a mythical figure in Argentine history and has captivated the attention of popular audiences around the globe. Camila, a young woman from an elite family in Buenos Aires, flouted the societal and sexual moves of her time by secretly eloping with Ladislao Gutiérrez, a local parish priest stationed in the city. Upon their discovery, Buenos Aires Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas ordered the executions of the lovers, despite the fact that Camila was eight months pregnant with her illegitimate child. Although Camila’s story has found spotlight in historical fiction, it has largely disappeared from more serious academic scholarship, partly due to a scarcity ofsource material. This essay represents an exploratory attempt to reexamine Juan Manuel de Rosas’ decision to execute Camila O’Gorman and Ladislao Gutiérrez by analyzing the socially and historically constructed gender ideologies that dominated Argentine elite society throughout the century.

pdf