Question

Article: La Malinche While you are reading the following article on La Malinche, ask yourselt: How do we know about La Malinche - what sources does this information come from? What role does gender play in interpreting the story of Cortes and La Malinche? What role does culture play in interpreting the story of Cortes and La Malinche? What role does race play in interpreting the story of Cortes and La Malinche? What do YOU think about La Malinche? La Malinche- Rereading the Myth.pdf

Answer 1

La Malinche is basically a story of Nahua woman. She belonged to Mexican Gulf Coast. She played a key role in Spanish conquest. This conquest was on Aztec Empire. She played different roles of interpreter, mediator and adviser for the Spanish authorities.

She is a historical figure. Initially she was a slave. She is also taken as a traitor. Her identification in history has both the impressions of being famous and infamous too. Her own mother sold her into slavery. She was very beautiful. She got her identity faded after the conquest.

Her cultural importance can not be ignored. I think knowledge of gender has impart great role in this story. She is considered a woman who married the Cortes. She also had a son with him. She is considered as culprit because her beauty inspired the King to marry her.

She became infamous for her beauty. She is considered as traitor and culprit also. Cultural and race also shows their impacts in interpretation of her story. Modern Mexicans have mixed feelings about her. Some consider her bad while some consider her in grey areas.

They consider her as a slave person who chose better path for her own betterment. She has become topic of countless paintings and movies. Many books have also being written on her. Sometimes she is considered as a myth.

Sometimes she is considered as biggest villain of that time. Saying of "many mouths many stories" seems to be completely fit in her case. She has many shades. Her interpretation may vary from person to person. Her interpretation depends on the gender, culture, race and also the circumstances in which the listening of story is being done.