The subversion of the female gender in Solitario de amor by Cristina Peri Rossi

Abstract

Through queer theory derived from the thought of Judith Butler and Paul Preciado, we will analyze Solitario de amor (1988) by Cristina Peri Rossi, aiming to show how Aída, the female character in the novel, subverts gender and enables a new way of living with herself and others. The narrative poses a direct criticism of the patriarchal system in which the character lives, and also of the current world. Our analysis attempts to do a non-hegemonic, queer reading of Peri Rossi's novel in order to construct new readings of Spanish-American literature, especially that written by women, so that we start dialogues with perspectives that are not frequently used for the analysis of literary works written in Spanish. Likewise, we seek to contribute to the critique of Peri Rossi's narrative work that often goes unnoticed, unlike her poetic work, and that can provide new post-patriarchal, alternative imaginaries to the sex/gender binary system which still prevails in our society --an issue that seems to be of direct interest to the author. Thus, the analysis of this work will show how identity, gender and love can have new expressions that break with what is culturally expected, reaching an agential freedom that the act of love invites to experience.