Lectoras y escritoras en la Argentina de 1860: Margarita Rufina Ochagavía y M. Sasor

the number of women who dared write literature in argentina during the second half of the nineteenth century remains unknown. it is highly probable there were more than those registered in literary history. social prejudice against novels and women writers was renewed as the most progressive intellectuals wee promoting a type of literature that would contribute to the progress of the young nation, that is, a literature useful to educate both men and women in morals. women who published overstepped that barrier mostly for two reasons: their inner need to express their opinions and fantasies in writing, and their personal goal of becoming acknowledged as writers. this paper presents two of the most forgotten female novelists: margarita rufina ochagavía, author of an angel and a demon, or the value of a promise (un ángel y un demonio, o el valor de un juramento; 1857), and m. sasor (mercedes rosas de rivera), author of maría de montiel: a contemporary novel (maría de montiel: novela contemporánea; 1861) and emma or a proscript's daughter (emma o la hija de un proscripto; 1863). in particular, this paper examines the idea of novel they had in mind, the readings they did, the description of the argentine society presented in their plots, and the ideological issues stated by both women.