Teresa de Cartagena
Teresa de Cartagena was a notable figure from the early 15th century, born into a prominent family in Burgos, Spain, around 1415 to 1420. She was the granddaughter of Pablo de Santa Maria, a converted Jew who became a bishop. Teresa's educational background was likely superior to that of many women of her time due to her family's status. However, her life took a significant turn when she lost her hearing, presumably due to illness. As a nun, she authored "Arboleda de los enfermos" (Grove of the Infirm), a work reflecting her struggles with her disability. The book received disbelief from contemporaries, particularly regarding the authorship of a deaf woman. In response, she wrote "Admiraçión operum Dey" (Wonder at the Works of God), where she defended her intellectual capabilities and contemplated the spiritual implications of her deafness, suggesting it allowed her to hear God in a unique way. Despite her contributions, much of Teresa de Cartagena's life remains a mystery, with her literary works serving as the primary lens through which she is remembered.
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Subject Terms
Teresa de Cartagena
Nonfiction Writer
- Born: c. 1415
- Birthplace: Burgos, Spain
- Died: Unknown
Biography
Teresa de Cartagena was born in the early 1400’s to a prominent family in Burgos, Spain. Believed to have been born sometime between 1415 and 1420, she was the granddaughter of Rabbi Sel Omoha-Levi—who had converted from Judaism to Catholicism in 1390 and taken the name Pablo de Santa Maria. Pablo de Santa Maria then went on to become bishop of Cartagena in 1402 and later bishop of Burgos in 1412.
Due to her family’s standing, it is generally believed that Teresa de Cartagena received a better education than was afforded to most Spanish women at the time. Then, at some unknown point during her youth, she lost her hearing, presumably as a result of illness. While serving as nun, some twenty years after having lost her hearing, Cartagena wrote Arboleda de los enfermos (Grove of the Infirm), an attempt to come to terms with her disability.
The general reaction to Arboleda de los enfermos was one of disbelief—specifically, disbelief that something so well written could have been penned by a woman, much less by a deaf woman. In response, Cartagena wrote Admiraçión operum Dey (Wonder at the Works of God), in which she not only attempts to prove that she had written Arboleda de los enfermos but also contends that her handicap is in some way the work of God. Furthermore, she argues that the inability to hear as other people hear leaves her free to hear God. Unfortunately, aside from her family background and her two manuscripts, little else is known of Teresa de Cartagena’s life.