Elena Catena facts for kids

Elena Catena López (born November 12, 1920 – died January 19, 2012) was an important Spanish university professor. She was also a philologist, which means she studied language and literature. Elena was a publisher and a feminist, meaning she believed in equal rights for women.

She was one of the first women to earn a special degree called a doctorate in Philosophy and Literature. She got this degree from the Complutense University of Madrid. Elena was also the first woman to become a vice dean at that same university. In 1960, she helped start a group called the Seminar on Women's Sociological Studies.

Elena Catena's Life and Work

Elena Catena López was born in Salamanca, Spain. After the Spanish Civil War, she moved to Madrid. The war caused many problems in Spain, including in universities. Women also faced many challenges during this time.

Despite these difficulties, Elena Catena achieved many great things. She was one of the first women to get a doctorate in Philosophy and Literature. This was a very high academic achievement. She also became the first woman vice dean at the Complutense University of Madrid.

Teaching and Publishing

Elena Catena was a professor of Spanish literature. After she retired, she became a professor emeritus. This means she kept her title because of her important work. She taught many students and was a great example to them.

Besides teaching, Elena also worked as an editor. She was in charge of the Clásicos Castalia collection for Castalia Publishing House. She also created the Biblioteca de Escritoras (Library of Writers) collection. This collection helped bring back important works by Spanish women authors.

In 2001, a book called Homenaje a Elena Catena (Tribute to Elena Catena) was published. This book showed all the different parts of her work. It also included her latest studies on Spanish literature. Many famous scholars contributed to this tribute.

Helping Women's Rights

In the 1960s, Elena Catena helped start the Seminar on Women's Sociological Studies. She worked with other important women like María Laffitte and María Salas Larrazábal. This group was a center for moderate and intellectual feminism.

They helped start the first gender studies in Spain. Gender studies look at how society sees men and women. This group helped connect different feminist groups in Spain. They worked through the end of the dictatorship and during the time Spain became a democracy.

Books and Articles

Elena Catena wrote many articles for journals. She also helped with many group publications. She guided many students who were writing their own research papers. A full list of her works can be found in the book Homenaje a Elena Catena.

Here are some of her important works:

• Hernando de Acuña, Varias poesías (as editor, 1954)
• Habla y vida de España (with Luisa Yravedra, 1958)
• Teatro español del siglo XVIII (as editor, 1969)
• Iniciación a la historia de la Literatura española (1978)
• Azorín, Doña Inés (as editor, 1973)

See also

In Spanish: Elena Catena para niños