Lieutenant Nun

In the first five chapters of Lieutenant Nun, Catalina de Erauso recounts the opening stages of her story: her escape from the nunnery, her first donning of masculine clothes, her travel to South America, and her early adventures, which culminate in her joining the army. While Erauso does not offer much deep introspection throughout her autobiography, a glimpse of her motivation can be seen in these chapters: Erauso consistently seeks adventure with very little overall purpose, thereby introducing the theme of Freedom and Adventure in the Colonial World.

Erauso characterizes her own early travels as moving from place to place “with no better idea of where to go, or what to do, than let [her]self be carried off like a feather in the wind” (6). Her priorities appeared to be avoiding abuse from authority figures (she quickly left both the nunnery and Vitoria after being hit) and dodging her searching family (she fled from Valladolid when her father arrived). A decisive moment in these travels came when she returned to San Sebastian and her mother did not recognize her. Following this, she quickly left Spain and went to the Spanish colonies in South America. This reaction can be understood as Erauso perceiving, in her mother’s lack of recognition, a true warrant for freedom. Knowing from this interaction that no one would uncover her secret, she was free to fully indulge her hunger for freedom and cross the Atlantic.

While Erauso does not explicitly explain her decision, the “New World” was the ideal place for adventure. This becomes apparent both within the text itself and through its historical context. The need for Spanish citizens within the colonies, the material wealth in the area, and the consistent demand for soldiers all created lucrative opportunities for many Spaniards who may have struggled to gain status and wealth back home. Erauso’s story shows how quickly one could gain status in South America, as she was placed in charge of shops for the influential merchant Juan de Urquiza within a relatively short time. The shortage of potential workers widened the horizons of those who were there.

Moreover, the very influence of Urquiza is demonstrative of the new possibilities for citizens in the colonies. While he was just a merchant, without official office, he secured Erauso’s release after she wounded two individuals and then haggled for a marriage between his apprentice and the doña (a lady of rank) Beatriz de Cárdenas. Ultimately, Erauso’s decision to join the army because she “had a mind to travel and see a bit of the world” provides a useful summation of what Lieutenant Nun can show both about Erauso as a person and the colonial world in which she resided (17). She was continuously adventurous, living in a colonial world that attracted young men through the opportunities for fortune and adventure.

Erauso’s ability to seek adventure was, however, contingent upon the world viewing her as a man, which highlights the critical theme of Personal Identity Versus Societal Roles. The book’s opening portrays Erauso as the daughter of a respectable family in San Sebastian and as a young woman training to be a nun. Through the highly symbolic act of turning her nun’s clothing into the clothing of a man, Erauso changed more than just her outward appearance: She instead changed her entire social role. Following this point, to the outside world, she was not the daughter of an established San Sebastian family (who could not even recognize her) but instead a young man from that region. The change of social role caused a complete overhaul in her prospects and treatment.

Erauso subsequently freely engaged in business and feuds with other young men. In fact, Erauso began to (and would continue to) act as a picture of societal expectations for masculinity. She brawled with men over affairs of honor and engaged in a flirtation with a woman, both actions entirely aligned with early modern expectations for young men. This behavior hints at Erauso’s simultaneous personal challenge of societal expectations and her systematic upholding of them. Going forward, Erauso would continue to be highly confrontational with men, while women would almost always fall into one of two categories: a nun or a potential lover. In other words, she would be a model Spanish renegade, who happened to be a biological woman.

Finally, the theme of The Role of Religion in Early Modern Life appears in these chapters through Erauso’s contentious relationship with the church. The importance of the church to everyday life is introduced through her parents having her raised as a nun. Erauso also highlights the use of churches as an area of sanctity that sheriffs would not storm, even to bring out criminals. However, despite their societal importance, Erauso’s personal religious feelings appear mixed. She seems to have had little attachment to the life and restrictions of a nun, as is made clear through her leaving the nunnery as soon as she had the opportunity. However, she still attended church in San Sebastian when given the chance and introduces Trujillo to the reader by discussing its bishopric. Throughout the rest of the autobiography, religion will continue to be central to Erauso’s outlook and yet have a moderate impact on her decision making—a potential hint at broader societal trends.