María de Zayas y Sotomayor

Novelas ejemplares y amorosas

"Novelas ejemplares y amorosas" by María de Zayas y Sotomayor is a collection of ten novels published in Zaragoza in the 17th century. The stories unfold across five nights in the luxurious home of Lisis, where five women and five men gather to share romantic tales. Zayas weaves supernatural elements, violence, and female desire into narratives that challenge conventions. Rather than ending in happy marriages, these exemplary tales warn women of male deception and expose society's false appearances. A second collection followed ten years later with darker themes.