No. 28 (2025): Apart but Not Marginal: The Representation of Maids in Hispanic Literature and Culture. Types and Archetypes

A “marginal protagonism” or a “protagonistic marginality”—such is the oxymoron that best defines the role played by the subject of this special issue: the maid. A central yet subordinate figure throughout literary history, the maid—historically defined as the waged woman responsible for domestic and familial order—has a deep-rooted cultural tradition that has left a significant mark on various artistic expressions, especially literature, from the 19th century to the present. Iconic characters such as Elicia, Areúsa, and Lucrecia, the maids in La Celestina, as well as the many servant women who populate the picaresque epic, Golden Age theatre, and Cervantine narrative, are emblematic examples of how she (or they) has been portrayed, reimagined, and reinterpreted throughout the centuries.