Ivette Martí Caloca
The episodes of Marcela and Leandra both pose the problematic virginities of their protagonists. In Marcela's case, this is so because her desire to remain a virgin is not tied to an institutionalized finality (convent or marriage), rather, to her own free will. On the other hand, Leandra's virginity is put into question. Therefore, one important aspect of each episode is based on the virginity of its female character. In this article, we will explore how these episodes perhaps denounce the hypocritical dynamics conveyed by the ideal of virginity in Cervantine times