La Llorona/Maternal Infanticide

In perhaps our darkest topic yet, this week we take on the topic of maternal infanticide. We talk about the legend of La Llorona, some of La Llorona's exploits, and some real cases of mothers who drown their children.

We have to give a shout out to Mariana Esquivel, whose unpublished research shed light on some of La Llorona's contemporary representations.

Sources:

Axtman, Kris. 2001. “Why Juries Often Spare Mothers Who Kill.” Christian Science Monitor, July 9, 2001. https://www.csmonitor.com/2001/0709/p3s1.html.

Elbein, Asher. 2015. “The Return of La Llorona.” The Texas Observer. February 23, 2015. https://www.texasobserver.org/la-llorona-return/.

Jones, Pamela. 1988. “‘There Was a Woman’: La Llorona in Oregon.” Western Folklore 47 (3): 195–211.

Leon-Portilla, Miguel, ed. 1990. The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico. Boston: Beacon Press.

Limon, Jose E. 1990. “La Llorona, the Third Legend of Greater Mexico: Cultural Symbols, Women, and the Political Unconscious.” In Between Borders: Essays on Mexicana/Chicana History, edited by Adelaida R Del Castillo, 399–432. La Mujer Latina Series. Encino, CA: Floricanto Press.

Perez, Domino Renee. 2008. There Was a Woman: La Llorona from Folklore to Popular Culture. University of Texas Press.

“Woman Who Threw Six Children in Bayou Gets Probation.” 1987. UPI. 1987. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/06/19/Woman-who-threw-six-children-in-bayou-gets-probation/9409551073600/.