Book Analysis Essay on "Lucrecia's Dreams: Politics and Prophecy in Sixteenth-Century Spain"

Introduction

"Lucrecia's dreams: politics and prophecy in sixteenth-century Spain" is a book written by Richard L Kagan in 1995, and it is about a notorious young mother of prophets who was branded as an "Evil Dreamer" by the Spanish inquisitions. She had several imaginative dreams about the future of Spain based on some recorded transcripts of the dreams. Regardless of whether she was a sinner or a saint; her dreams transformed her to a cause celebre and an extraordinary woman of that age in Spain. She was viewed as a divine seer by her followers who could expose the political and personal failures of Phillip II of Spain as discussed in the short notes below.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Reading Notes

Lucrecia was born in 1568 to Alonso Franco de Leon her father and Ana Ordonez mother at Madrid and her family was well respected, and her reputation was good. At the age of twenty-one years and unmarried though in love with Diego Vitores; who was skilled in Latin history and poetry. Lucrecia got arrested on 25th May 1590, and she was taken to Toledo for trial since the Holy office had trouble with her dreams which were widespread by then. Lucrecia's current dream was about a young man who told her about the Day of Judgment and said that if King Philip II had been more devout, then they could have avoided the judgment. He also says that a plague Angel will come followed by a good Angel who will get rid of their sufferings. Such dreams which suggested that King Philip II was not a responsible monarch were termed as blasphemous and led to her arrest.

The significance of her dreams was that they focused on criticizing the political and social life of Philips II. In her dreams, the king who was a substitute father to Lucrecia had failed her daughter and was seen as the cause of all the bad things in Spain, for instance; the oppressive taxes, weak national defense, a corrupt church and lack of justice for the poor. Her dreams forewarned of the impending loss and destruction of the kingdom proclaiming that the troubles of Philip would start as a result of the defeat of the great Armada; this was a disaster which Lucrecia had predicted a year before 1588. She foresaw the invasion of Spain by both the protestants and Muslim enemies as well as the death of Philip and accession of new leadership that will help in recapturing Jerusalem from the hands of Muslims.

Another factor which led to her Inquisition case was the negative attitude of the Spanish church towards women visionaries. She was six months pregnant during her first inquisition and remained in touch with Vitores the father to her child when in prison. According to the letters she exchanged with Vitores, it can be seen that she was somehow educated with a good memory and attentiveness which enabled her to recall her dreams with ease, although she tried to hide that. Her political education was based on gossips, and the short time she spent at the royal court enhanced it. Lucrecia's dreams attracted many courtiers and churchmen who planned to use these dreams to provoke Philip to change his ways. Despite the various opposition, various women like Lucrecia and the Nun of Lisbon continued to experience their dreams and visions about the future of Spain. Lucrecia was a strong woman who embarked on the political career with the help of her dreams (Kagan, 1995).

References

Kagan, R. L. (1995). Lucrecia's dreams: Politics and prophecy in sixteenth-century Spain. University of California Press.