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Mothers against the natural order: Gender representations and desertion of identities in the drama of disinheriting a son in eighteenth‐century Barcelona

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The disinheritance of a firstborn son accustomed to the privileges of exclusion has for centuries been a dramatic event for families,especially if the decision was taken by a woman, the son’s own mother. Very few dared to do so, because it symbolised a break withthe notion of virtuous, compassionate motherhood; it represented a failure to be ashamed of, as well as being a bold challengeagainst the male line. Through examination of litigation documents, this text describes a case of disinheritance by a mother thatoccurred in Barcelona in 1732. The analysis considers the different perspectives of those involved in such events, from the struggleover gender representations to small acts of self-affirmation by women who became agents of their own lives.

Source: Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona (Universitat de Barcelona)

Author: Fargas Peñarrocha, María Adela

Language: English

Topic: Medieval and Early Modern Iberia

Subfield: History

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Gender equality

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7112562537

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