Leonor Encina: a new model of woman in Martín Rivas

Abstract

This article demonstrates that Leonor Encina, the heroine of Martín Rivas (1862), presents a new model for the nineteenth-century modern woman. Leonor is an exceptionally dynamic character who manifests her independence in the family room and the tertulia in order to manipulate her interaction with Martín and to control the development of their relationship. Her central role in the action of the novel reveals a pro-feminine message that is without comparison in the romantic novels of the period. Leonor is the emblematic modern woman and through her actions demonstrates that women must participate in nation-building.