Women modeling women. La Educanda (1861-1865) and the professionalisation of female writing, between instruction and entertainment

Abstract

This paper reviews the two periods of the publication of La Educanda (1861-1865), which are marked by changes in the main recipients: from mothers/teachers to young female readers, as well as by the composition of the newspaper itself. In the first period, there were rarely any female voices and there was no continuous publication of literary texts, although this was perhaps compensated for by the supply of books to reward subscriptions. In the second stage, literary creation increased in conjunction with the participation of some of the most important names of the so-called isabelinas women writers, particularly Joaquina García Balmaseda and Ángela Grassi, in whose professionalisation the magazine must have been a significant step forward. The readings they proposed for the instruction of the young ladies for whom the publication was intended are analysed, which, despite their moralising tone, represent an advance on the progress towards their education and economic independence.

Keywords

• prensa femenina
• siglo xix
• ángela grassi
• joaquina garcía de balmaseda
• literatura