Representation of female self-determination and patriarchal resistance in la emancipada by Miguel Riofrío

Abstract

La Emancipada is a pioneering work in Ecuadorian and Latin American fiction that critically denounces forms of abuse against women in the 19th century. Rosaura is a female character who challenges traditional stereotypes of women and reveals the tension between the desire for empowerment and the patriarchal, religious, and judicial structures that restrict women’s freedom. This study analyzes the representation of female self-determination in the novel through a qualitative and interpretive approach, grounded in critical reading, documentary analysis, and literary hermeneutics. It was found that the novel constructs a strong critique of patriarchal power, physical control over women, and the moral and social hypocrisy that subordinated women. It concludes that male honor is forced upon femininity, turning the protagonist into a symbol of resistance and a voice denouncing the injustices of her time.