Of all the historical characters known from the time of the Spanish conquest of the New World, none has proved more pervasive or controversial than that of the Indian interpreter, guide, mistress, and confidante of Hernan Cortes, Dona Marina--La Malinche--Malintzin. The mother of Cortes's son, she becomes not only the mother of the mestizo but also the Mexican Eve, the symbol of national betrayal.
Very little documented evidence is available about Dona Marina. This is the first serious study tracing La Malinche in texts from the conquest period to the present day. It is also the...
Of all the historical characters known from the time of the Spanish conquest of the New World, none has proved more pervasive or controversial than...