Pre-Columbian Theater, Spanish Empire, and Sor Juana: Crash Course Theater #22

Summary

In this episode of Crash Course Theater, Mike Rugnetta explores the early theater of Central America, highlighting the Aztec's religious rituals that were later suppressed by the Spanish colonizers. The video delves into the transformation of theater under Spanish rule, where indigenous people were forced to perform biblical stories and historical pageants. It introduces Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a nun and prolific writer, who is celebrated for her intellectual contributions and her play 'The Loa of the Divine Narcissus,' which subtly critiques colonial rule and pays respect to native cultural practices.

Takeaways

• 🎭 The video discusses the history of theater in the Americas, focusing on the influence of Spanish theater and the role of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a prominent figure in the Spanish Golden Age.
• 📜 Pre-Columbian theater in Central America was closely tied to religious rituals and festivals, often involving costumes, parades, and performances.
• 🌟 The Aztecs performed theatrically during sacrifices and celebrations, such as the festival for the feathered serpent deity Quetzalcoatl, which included comedic skits and dances.
• 🔄 After the Spanish arrival, indigenous theater was suppressed, and performances were used to propagate Spanish religious and imperial ideologies.
• 👩‍💼 Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a self-educated nun who wrote in multiple genres, including philosophy, theology, and plays, and is considered the first feminist of the Americas.
• 🏆 Mexico City became a theatrical center, establishing a prize for the best Corpus Christi play and fostering professional acting companies.
• 📖 Sor Juana's work, 'The Loa of the Divine Narcissus,' is an allegorical drama that celebrates Christian teachings while also incorporating indigenous cultural practices.
• 💡 The play 'The Loa of the Divine Narcissus' uses indigenous dance and costumes to subtly critique the forced conversion of native peoples and advocate for a more respectful approach.
• 🌐 The video script also mentions the broader context of theater's role in society, including its use for propaganda and the expression of countercultural ideas.
• 🌐 The video concludes by hinting at the next topic, which will explore the theatrical style of kabuki in Japan, suggesting a comparison between different cultural expressions of theater.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script?

The main theme of the video script is the exploration of theater in the Americas, particularly focusing on the influence of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a nun and playwright who brought the Spanish Golden Age to the New World.

How does the script describe the pre-Columbian theater?

The script describes pre-Columbian theater as resembling religious rituals associated with various religious festivals, complete with costumes, parades, and sometimes involving human sacrifice.

What was the role of theater after the Spanish arrival in the Americas?

After the Spanish arrival, theater was used as a tool for forced conversion, with native peoples performing Bible stories and historical pageants that often depicted their own defeat and the triumph of Spanish rule.

Who is Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and why is she significant?

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a Mexican nun, self-taught scholar, and playwright who is considered the first feminist of the Americas and the last great writer of the Spanish Golden Age. She is significant for her intellectual contributions and her fight for women's rights to education and expression.

What was Sor Juana's response to the bishop's critique of her writing?

Sor Juana responded to the bishop's critique by writing 'Reply to Sister Filotea,' where she defended her right to write and philosophize, citing the example of Saint Teresa and arguing that women's education could be improved if more women were allowed to teach.

What is a 'loa' and how does Sor Juana's 'Loa of the Divine Narcissus' differ from others?

A 'loa' is a short allegorical drama that emphasizes Christian teachings, often associated with the 'altos sacramentales.' Sor Juana's 'Loa of the Divine Narcissus' differs by incorporating indigenous forms of performance and treating native characters with dignity, thus offering a critique of forced conversion and a more respectful approach to native cultures.

How does the script suggest that 'Loa of the Divine Narcissus' critiques colonial rule?

The script suggests that 'Loa of the Divine Narcissus' critiques colonial rule by portraying native characters and rituals with respect and by suggesting that their practices are not as different from Christian rituals as the colonizers claim, thus advocating for a more gentle and understanding approach to conversion.

What is the significance of the indigenous dance 'tokutin' in the script?

The inclusion of the indigenous dance 'tokutin' in the script is significant as it allows for the continuation of native performance styles amidst efforts to suppress them by the colonizers, thus serving as a form of cultural resistance and preservation.

How does the script connect the Aztec rituals to the Christian Eucharist?

The script connects the Aztec rituals, which involved mixing seeds with human blood and shaping it into a statue for consumption, to the Christian Eucharist by highlighting the similarities in the act of consuming a representation of their deities, suggesting a potential bridge between the two practices.

What is the final message of 'Loa of the Divine Narcissus' according to the script?

The final message of 'Loa of the Divine Narcissus' is that Christianity triumphs over native beliefs, but it also emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting native cultures, suggesting a more compassionate approach to conversion and cultural assimilation.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Introduction to Pre-Colonial and Colonial Theater in the Americas

The video script begins with an introduction to the history of theater in the Americas, highlighting the pre-Columbian era where theater was closely tied to religious rituals and festivals among the Aztecs. It discusses how the Spanish conquest led to the suppression of native rituals and the imposition of Spanish religious and historical narratives through performances. The script introduces Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a prominent figure in theater and literature, who was a nun and a feminist, and her significance in the context of the Spanish Golden Age and the New World.

05:02

🎭 The Life and Works of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

This section delves into the life of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a self-educated nun who became a favorite of the Spanish viceroy and his wife, allowing her to continue her education. Despite facing criticism for her intellectual pursuits as a woman, she defended her right to engage in writing and philosophy. The script discusses her decision to become a nun to maintain control over her intellectual life and her contributions to various genres of writing, including plays. It also touches upon her response to a critique by a bishop, who disapproved of her involvement in worldly affairs, and her eventual silence to avoid punishment.

10:04

📜 Analysis of 'The Loa of the Divine Narcissus' and Its Cultural Significance

The final paragraph focuses on Sor Juana's play 'The Loa of the Divine Narcissus,' which began as a prologue but evolved into a short allegorical drama. The play celebrates Christian teachings and the Eucharist while also incorporating indigenous cultural practices and performance styles. It presents a critique of forced conversion and advocates for a more respectful approach to native cultures. The script discusses the play's characters and plot, which includes a battle between Spanish and Aztec figures, leading to a resolution where the Aztec characters adopt Christianity. The play's conclusion emphasizes the triumph of Christianity and the conversion of the Aztecs, but it does so in a way that respects and acknowledges indigenous traditions.

Keywords

💡Theater

Theater refers to the art of representing dramatic or comic stories through acting, often on a stage. In the video, theater is central to exploring the cultural and religious expressions of different societies, particularly in the context of the Americas and Mexico. The script discusses how theater evolved from pre-Columbian religious rituals to Spanish colonial performances, showcasing its role in both entertainment and the propagation of cultural and religious ideologies.

💡Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a self-educated Mexican nun, philosopher, and writer, often regarded as the first feminist of the Americas. The video highlights her as a prominent figure in the Spanish Golden Age, emphasizing her multifaceted contributions to literature, including plays, poems, and philosophical works. Her story exemplifies the video's theme of cultural expression and resistance through theater and literature.

💡Golden Age

The Spanish Golden Age refers to a period in the 16th and 17th centuries when Spain experienced significant cultural, political, and economic prosperity, with a flourishing of arts and literature. The video connects Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz to this era, noting her as the last great writer of the Spanish Golden Age, and discusses how her works, including plays and poetry, reflect the cultural richness of the time.

💡Altos Sacramentales

Altos Sacramentales are a type of religious drama that was popular during the Spanish Golden Age. The video mentions Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz's 'Loa of the Divine Narcissus' as an example of an Alto Sacramental, which typically celebrates Christian teachings and is associated with religious festivals. The script uses this term to illustrate how religious themes were woven into theatrical performances to educate and convert audiences.

💡Indigenous Performance

Indigenous Performance refers to the traditional performing arts of native peoples, which often have deep cultural and religious significance. The video discusses how pre-Columbian theater in Central America was closely tied to religious rituals and festivals, with performances involving costumes, parades, and dances. These performances were later influenced by Spanish colonial rule, leading to a fusion of European and indigenous performance styles.

💡Colonial Rule

Colonial Rule in the context of the video refers to the period of Spanish domination over the Americas, which brought about significant cultural changes, including the suppression of indigenous religious practices and the imposition of Spanish language, religion, and culture. The video describes how theater was used as a tool for spreading Spanish religious and imperial propaganda, with indigenous people often forced to perform biblical stories and historical pageants that reinforced Spanish dominance.

💡Religious Allegory

A religious allegory is a narrative that uses symbolic figures and actions to represent religious concepts or truths. In the video, the script mentions that colonial authors translated and wrote religious dramas, including allegorical plays, to proselytize and convert indigenous populations. These plays often took the form of biblical stories or moral lessons, using theater to convey religious messages and values.

💡Cultural Subversion

Cultural Subversion in the video refers to the act of subtly challenging or undermining dominant cultural norms or authority, often through art or literature. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz's 'Loa of the Divine Narcissus' is highlighted as an example of cultural subversion, as it incorporates indigenous performance styles and critiques the forced conversion of native peoples, suggesting a more respectful approach to cultural and religious differences.

💡Hironomite Nuns

The Hironomite Nuns were a religious order in colonial Mexico known for their relatively relaxed rules compared to other orders. The video discusses Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz's decision to join this order, which allowed her to continue her intellectual pursuits and maintain a degree of independence. This choice is significant as it reflects her desire for personal and intellectual freedom within the constraints of her time.

💡Eucharist

The Eucharist is a Christian sacrament that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, involving the consumption of bread and wine as symbols of his body and blood. The video mentions the Eucharist in the context of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz's 'Loa of the Divine Narcissus,' where it is used as a symbol of Christian redemption and a point of comparison with indigenous rituals, suggesting a potential bridge between the two cultures' religious practices.

Highlights

Introduction to the history of theater in the Americas before European influence, focusing on pre-Columbian theater and its religious rituals.

Description of the Aztec celebration for the feathered serpent deity Quetzalcoatl, involving actors performing comic skits.

The Spanish arrival and its impact on native theater, including forced conversion and the use of performance for religious and imperial propaganda.

Alonso Ponce's documentation of performances in convents, showcasing European-style Bible stories and battle reenactments with indigenous actors.

The translation of religious dramas into indigenous languages and the writing of plays in local languages for proselytization.

The rise of Mexico City as the theatrical center of the Spanish Empire, with the establishment of a prize for the best Corpus Christi play.

Introduction to Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a prominent figure in the Spanish Golden Age, known for her diverse writings and plays.

Sor Juana's background as an illegitimate daughter of a Spanish military officer, her self-education, and her early writing at the age of eight.

Her decision to join the Hieronymite order of nuns to maintain control over her intellectual life, despite offers of marriage.

The publication of one of Sor Juana's essays and the subsequent critique by a bishop, who questioned her involvement in writing and philosophy as a woman.

Sor Juana's response to the bishop's critique, defending her right to engage in intellectual pursuits and advocating for women's education.

Her death in 1695 from the plague while caring for other nuns, highlighting her selflessness and commitment to her faith.

Analysis of Sor Juana's play 'The Loa of the Divine Narcissus,' which combines Christian teachings with indigenous performance styles.

The play's portrayal of Aztec characters and rituals, challenging the narrative of native people as savages and promoting a more respectful approach to conversion.

Inclusion of the indigenous dance 'tocotin' in the play, allowing for the continuation of native performance styles amidst Christianization efforts.

The play's conclusion, which sees Christianity triumphant but also acknowledges the similarities between Aztec rituals and the Eucharist.

Upcoming episode teaser on Japanese Kabuki theater, described as a counterculture performance style in 18th-century society.

Crash Course Theater's association with PBS Digital Studios and the support from patrons on Patreon that helps keep the content free for everyone.

Transcripts

[Music]

hey there i'm mike rugnetta this is

crash course theater and today we head

to the americas at a time when broadway

was just another unpaved part of not yet

even new amsterdam so we're gonna head

to mexico to learn about a woman who

brought the spanish golden age to the

so-called new world and guess what she

was a nun why is it always the nuns

yorick

[Music]

we shouldn't get too far before being

super clear there was a theater in

central america way before any europeans

and it will probably seem familiar

pre-columbian theater looks like

religious ritual and is associated with

various religious festivals when aztecs

conducted a sacrifice they did it in

style with costumes and parades and

animals

though maybe don't get too attached to

those animals or some of the people

wearing the costumes in the 16th century

an indigenous onlooker whose words were

later copied by a missionary described a

celebration for the feathered serpent

creator deity quetzalcoatl the actors

came out and performed short comic

pieces pretending to be deaf afflicted

with colds halt blind and missing an arm

all coming to the idol to ask for health

the deaf ones would give foolish answers

and those with colds are coughed the

halt limping about described their

miseries and complaints and made the

people laugh heartily others came out

representing vermin with some dressed as

beetles others as toads others as

lizards and so on after this was over

they performed a dance with all of these

actors and the festival ended there you

have it folks ability related comedy and

vermin dance fun times for all but

lizards aside we don't have to look

especially hard to draw connections

between this and the kind of medieval

comedy that informed the cycle place or

even all the way back to ancient farce

things change after the spanish arrive

obviously for a lot of reasons not the

least of which being genocide if you've

watched crash course world history

you'll know that the attitude of the

spaniards towards native religious

practices was not exactly

chill admittedly some native religious

practices did involve human sacrifice

the invading spanish practice forced

conversion stamping out native aztec

rituals often violently missionaries had

native peoples perform bible stories and

take part in

historical pageants on fun topics like

how the great and honorable spaniards

had conquered the evil and terrible

moors

guess which side the indigenous peoples

played turns out performance is a pretty

useful way to spread religious and

imperial propaganda and impose your

preferred historical narratives we know

about some of this because of the

franciscan monk alonso ponce from 1584

to 1589 he toured more than 170 convents

and had his secretary write down all of

the performances he saw ponce saw a lot

of european style bible stories and

battle reenactments with indigenous

actors basically acting out their own

defeat but the secretary also noted

games and acrobatics which had a

non-european vibe and probably reflected

earlier indigenous performance

throughout the 16th century colonial

authors translated religious dramas

imported from spain into indigenous

languages and then began writing their

own plays also in local languages to

proselytize with these were mostly

religious allegories or takes on bible

stories such as the three kings or the

sacrifice of isaac but by the end of the

century spanish was becoming the

dominant language of theater and mexico

city was becoming the theatrical center

of the spanish empire in 1565 the city

established a prize for the best corpus

christi play and by the early 1600s

people were building spanish-style

theaters and starting professional

acting companies that brings us to

sarwana ines de la cruz the first

feminist of the americas the last great

writer of the spanish golden age and the

only one to get her own steamy netflix

show juana inez take that lopete vega

like croswita she too had some dope

nicknames the tenth muse the phoenix of

america and like rosfita she wrote in a

lot of genres including philosophy

theology a ton of poems several carol

sequences and 27 plays most of them

introductions to altos sacramentales

including the loa of the divine

narcissus which we'll look at in a

minute she wrote a few full-length

comedies including a pawns of a house

which includes a strong-minded young

woman who wants to become a nun and love

is more a labyrinth about theseus

ariadne and phaedra doesn't really sound

like a comedy but that hasn't stopped

anyone yet sorhano was born in mexico in

1648 the illegitimate daughter of a

spanish military officer she was mostly

self-educated and said that she wrote

her first play at the age of eight so

she was pretty precocious too she later

moved to mexico city where she begged to

be allowed to dress as a boy so she

could attend university but she had to

continue her education privately she

became a favorite of the spanish viceroy

and his wife and lived at court where

she continued her education learning

latin and also nahuatl she spent a few

years as a lady in waiting and then in

1669 she decided to join an order of

hironomite nuns a comparatively relaxed

order she'd already received several

offers of marriage but she knew that if

she got married she would have to devote

herself to her family and be subservient

to her husband boring but if she became

a nun she could determine her own

intellectual life and she did nice

during her lifetime one of her essays

was published though the bishop who

published it also added a critique of it

saying that as a woman she was wrong to

concern herself with worldly stuff like

writing and philosophy the bishop also

wrote the critique under the pseudonym

sorfilotea pretending to be another nun

sorhuana wrote a response to the

response reply to sister filotea and

it's here that we find most of her

biographical information but basically

she writes heck no filitea she quotes

the mystic saint teresa who said one can

perfectly well philosophize while

cooking supper and wrote that if more

women teach maybe young girls could

learn without being harassed so much the

bishop censured her not using a

pseudonym this time and later in her

life she probably had to give up writing

to avoid punishment she died in 1695

when she caught the plague while caring

for other afflicted nuns which is

heartbreaking but also righteous as heck

let's look at one of sorhano's plays the

loa of the divine narcissus the loa

which comes from the latin laos or

praise began as a prologue at the

beginning of a comedy that told the

audience what the comedy would be about

but eventually it evolved into a kind of

short allegorical drama that emphasized

christian teachings and was typically

associated with the altos sacramentales

lope calderon tierso de molina and all

of those golden age guys they all wrote

lois but sorhuanusloa does what lois and

altos are supposed to do it celebrates

humankind's redemption via the eucharist

but as a mexican woman of spanish

descent juanas loa also has a sneaky

reverence for native cultural practices

and might even function as a critique of

doctrinaire colonial rule let's speak

truth to power thought bubble occident a

crowned aztec dude enters alongside

america a queenly aztec woman occident

and america are regal as heck and the

first words of the play acknowledge that

oh noble mexicans whose ancient ancestry

comes forth from the clear light and

brilliance of the sun the character of

music tells them that since its harvest

time they must honor the great god of

the sun and war quits le poechtli how do

they honor him by mixing seeds with

human blood shaping it into a statue and

then eating the statue other figures

enter dressed in panchos and perform a

tokutin kind of indigenous dance already

the play acknowledges two cultures and

two performance styles european

allegorical drama and aztec dance now

the spaniards show up first religion

appears as a spanish woman and zeal as a

spanish conquistador religion is freaked

out by the whole human sacrifice thing

and zeal is like relax i got a sword

it's taken care of and religion goes

maybe we can try mercy before killing so

religion is like hey occident and

america maybe don't be heretics and

occident in america respond leave us

alone we are worshiping our god so zeal

is like okay back to plan a die impudent

america there's a huge battle and yeah

no prize for guessing who wins but

occident and america are still defiant

saying yes they're defeated but they're

gonna go on worshiping their god their

way and religion is like look your false

god is just a huge theological

misunderstanding of the true god so

maybe we can all just get on the same

page we worship our god with bread and

wine so maybe it's not so different

after all and occident and america are

like

well argued we'll adopt your god now

let's all get baptized thank you thought

bubble in the loa of the divine

narcissus exciting conclusion religion

is like before we do the baptism let's

watch an alto to learn more about how

great the eucharist is we're going to

call this alto divine narcissus because

in the narcissus myth narcissus and echo

both worship false idols get it and zeal

is all religion as a woman in mexico

isn't it wrong that you're writing alto

sacramentalize to be performed in spain

and then religion is like it comes from

my faith so

nope we good lights down in the end

christianity takes the win the aztecs

are successfully converted but here's

the thing oxidant and america aren't

portrayed as savages and even though

their ritual is definitely stomach

churning unless you're a vampire who

also is into whole grains it isn't

represented as violent or grotesque as

the character religion makes it clear it

sounds a lot like the eucharist if the

blood of christ thing wasn't at least

partially symbolic by incorporating

indigenous forms of performance and

treating native characters with dignity

the low above emphasizes christian

teachings and critiques the forced

conversion of native peoples favoring a

gentler and more respectful approach it

also includes a shout out to greek myth

an implicit acknowledgement of yet

another faith tradition guess what else

sorhana does by including the tocotine

an indigenous dance performed using

traditional music and costumes she

allows that performance style to

continue on

as even other christians were busy

stamping it out which is a classy bit of

subversion so thanks rhwana no wonder

you made it onto the peso thanks for

watching next time get your exaggerated

eye makeup ready because we are heading

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hilarious counterculture performance

style which is pretty much the closest

that a repressive 18th century society

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