Introduction -- La Guera as a young woman, 1778-1808 -- La Guera on her own, 1808-1820 -- Independence heroine? -- An aristocratic lady, 1825-1850 -- The first hundred years after her death -- The legend crystallized in Valle-Arizpe's La Guera Rodriguez, 1949 -- La Guera after Valle-Arizpe : the power of fiction -- Conclusion -- Appendices: Chronology of a life ; Genealogy -- Glossary.
Summary:
"La Guera Rodriguez (1778-1850) is a fascinating Mexican woman who has become an icon of the nation's popular culture. She has been--erroneously--portrayed as a courtesan who seduced Simon Bolivar, Alexander von Humboldt, and Agustin de Iturbide; a major independence heroine; and a feminist who defied the conventions of her day. This book reconstructs her true life story and then shows when and why false facts and apocryphal stories appeared to create her legendary figure. It thus illuminates both the neglected social history of her day and the degree to which historical memory reflects ever-changing worldviews and concerns"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.