Female representations in the Mexican traditional ballad. Heroines and antiheroines

Abstract

This article examines several female representations of the Mexican traditional ballad (corrido), positive and negative, in secondary or in primary roles. In traditional ballads of Mexico, women’s prominence tends to increase throughout actions that are seen as an offense to male characters and which result in the assassination of the offenders. However, in the traditional corrido, women can acquire a positive main role through their performance in armed fights, as long as women use their «masculine» skills —bravery or ability in the use of weapons— to collaborate in the defense of male characters. The influence of other ballad manifestations, for example commercial corridos or narcocorridos, might help to increase the presence of the brave woman archetype in the traditional ballads of Mexico.