Evita, Inevitably

Evita, Inevitably sheds new light on the history and culture of Argentina by examining the performances and reception of the countrys most iconic female figures, in particular, Eva Pern, who rose from poverty to become a powerful international figure. The book links the Evita legend to a broader pattern of female iconicity from the mid-19th century onward, reading Evita against the performances of other female icons: Camila OGorman (1828-1848), executed by firing squad over her affair with a Jesuit priest; Difunta Correa, a devotional figure who has achieved near-sainthood; cumbia-pop performer Gilda; the countrys patron saint, the Virgin of Lujn; and finally, Argentinas president, Cristina Fernndez de Kirchner. Employing the tools of discursive, visual, and performance analysis, Jean Graham-Jones studies literature, film, folklore, Catholic iconography, and Internet culture to document the ways in which these femicons have been staged.