19th Century Feminisms: The Pariah-woman in Flora Tristán

Abstract

The aim of this work is to show arguments that would allow to locate Flora Tristán in the feminist tradition. Specifically, we will exhibit the foundations of a gender philosophy in her autobiographical document, Pariah’s Pilgrimage. This work makes a first-person reconstruction of the author's trip to Peru, in which she looked for refuge with her paternal family and she aimed at obtaining the inheritance that belonged to her as a daughter of Mariano Tristán and Moscoso. This text was published in 1838, five years after this trip was made.The work will be divided in four parts. In the first one, we will make a brief summary of the author's life. In the second one, we will describe the historical context to which she belonged. In the third one, we will show the passages in which we can observe the foundations of a gender philosophy. In the fourth one, we will place Tristan inside of the categories of the Wollstonecraft dilemma: feminism of equality or feminism of difference. Finally, we will outline some conclusions about the importance of reading female authors.