Quote by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: “I do not study to write, nor much less to teach, but to learn.”

This statement clarifies her motivation for intellectual pursuits, emphasizing a pure and personal quest for knowledge over external recognition or social roles. It defends the intrinsic value of learning for its own sake, rather than for accolades or duties.

Found in her 'Reply to Sor Philotea,' this was a crucial defense of her intellectual autonomy. Sor Juana was often criticized for her studies, and this quote asserts her right to pursue knowledge for personal fulfillment, challenging patriarchal expectations.

Mexican poet, philosopher, and nun of the colonial era, considered the first published feminist writer of the Americas. Her poetry, plays, and essays challenged the intellectual and social restrictions placed on women in seventeenth-century New Spain with extraordinary courage.