1. Marianismo in Latin American Culture
Evelyn Stevens, “Marianismo: the Other Face of Machismo”
Stipulates that women are spiritually and morally superior to men, and able to withstand extreme sacrifices and suffering for the sake of family.
The main ideas of marianismo: feminine passivity, sexual purity, inner strength, selflessness and sadness.
Direct response to “machismo”. Meant to explain the female phenomenon in Latin America in which women are either saints or whores
the concept of marianismo was first discussed in Evelyn Stevens essay
Evelyn Stevens states: "it teaches that women are semi divine, morally superior to and spiritually stronger than men."

2. Roots of Marianismo
Stems from Catholic beliefs of Mary, who is both a virgin and a madonna.
The wife or woman is to remain sexually pure and abstain from sexual activity unless explicitly for becoming impregnated.
Madonna/Whore Complex
A woman’s value increases when she becomes a mother.
Therefore, marianismo alludes to the expectation that the ideal wife and mother is required to be immaculate and spiritually superior to men.
Sexual satisfaction and pleasure is only for men or whores
Self-sacrifice for her family enables a woman in traditional Latin American Culture to gain respect and admiration from others and extract her identity and power.
In return for the suffering, she expects to be highly reinforced though others’ praise.

3. Marianismo in Hispanic Literature
How are women portrayed in these novels and short stories?
Cooking Lesson
When Women Love Men
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Pedro Páramo
The Underdogs
The Tree

4. Bibliography
Andrews, Emily L.. "Active Marianismo: Women’s Social and Political Action in Nicaraguan Christian Base Communities and the Sandinista Revolution." Grinnell College. 2 Apr 2007 <
Melendez , Frances Adele. The Latina Value Scale Revised: A Cross-sectional analysis of Marianismo in Latin Women. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Dissertation Services, 2004.
Yeager, Gertrude. Confronting Change, Challenging Tradition Women in Latin American History. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, INc, 1994.