Lieutenant Nun

How did Erauso’s story contribute to her fame or infamy during her lifetime? Discuss how her narrative may have been received differently by various audiences (e.g., in Spain versus the Americas, by men versus women, etc.).

Explore the role of violence in Lieutenant Nun. How did Erauso use violence, what does it reveal about her assumptions and values, and what does it show about life in the early modern Spanish colonies?

Erauso has been described as acting like neither a woman nor a gentleman during her life. Discuss what this may mean and how accurate it is.

Analyze the depiction of the colonial environment in Lieutenant Nun. How did Erauso’s role as a soldier in the Americas reflect the broader dynamics of Spanish colonialism and the treatment of Indigenous peoples?

Discuss the reliability of Erauso’s narrative in Lieutenant Nun. To what extent can this text be considered a factual autobiography, and how might it be interpreted as a constructed or exaggerated account?

Examine the tension between religious life and secular adventures in Lieutenant Nun. How did Erauso’s experience as a nun influence her actions as a soldier, and vice versa?

What does Erauso’s life reveal about ideals of masculinity and femininity in early modern Spain?

Consider the importance of clothing in Lieutenant Nun. What does it symbolize, and how is it used in the text?