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Brianna Hofman

HIS 392 Paper 1

Professor Cromwell

Malintzins Abilities

Many people know of the story of Hernn Corts and his conquest of Mexico. He

and his men traveled from Spain on ships in order for a search of a new world. Cortes

wanted to conquer this new world in order to get approval from the Crown back in Spain.

So Cortes set out to do just that. During his conquest, he had come across this indigenous

woman whose name was Malintzin. Not too much is known exactly what has happened

in Malintzins life simply because there is no evidence from her about it (Camilla

Townsend, Introduction location 201 of 5597). Despite that lack of primary evidence,

Camilla Townsend, in her book Malintzins Choices, does argue that there is enough

ethnographic evidence about Nahuas and Spaniardsfor [a book] that provides full

details on every aspect of Malinches context and places her actions in their proper

setting, allowing readers to see what kind of thoughts she might have entertained in such

a situation, as well as the extent to which her decisions mattered (Townsend,

Introduction, 201). Through other peoples accounts of that time of Malintzin and with

the knowledge of how indigenous people lived, it can be gathered what Malintzin may

have been thinking during her time. The decisions and actions Malintzin chose before,

during, and after the conquest of Mexico were due to her intellectual ability and want for

security.

Before the main conquest had started, Corts realized there was a barrier standing

in his way, he needed a translator in order to communicate with the indigenous people.
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One of the first times he had realized this was when he and his crew, little did they know,

landed in a Nahuatl speaking area trying to find Moctezuma (Townsend, Chapter 2). Only

one of Cortss men spoke a dialect of Maya which made trying to understand Nahautl

very difficult (Townsend, Chapter 2, 841). Malintzin could have remained silent. No one

expected her to step forward and serve as a conduit (Townsend, Chapter 2, 841). That is

exactly what Malintzin did, she stepped forward and offering herself to serve as a

translator to Corts because she knows Nahautl and the dialect of Maya that one of

Cortss men knew which meant that she was their missing piece in the translation.

Townsend explains that Malintzin must have grown up in a noblemans household

because of Her later ability to courtly languageand her clear-sighted understanding of

the Mexica political arrangements (Townsend, Chapter 1, 362). This clarifies just how

smart Malintzin actually was for an indigenous person, or most importantly a woman.

The fact knowing that Malintzin was far more intelligent than most of the natives,

draws to the point of her reasoning for taking the role as a translator for Corts. Malintzin

weighed her options, she could certainly continue in silence as the concubine and

slaveor alternatively, she could speak aloud, earning the respect and gratitude of all the

men presentshe herself would probably live longerand could certainly help obtain

food (Townsend, Chapter 2, 852). The route Malintzin took by stepping up and showing

her skill, allowed her to gain the respect and security of the Spaniards, especially that of

Corts. If Malintzin chose the other route, she might have just been given off to some

Spaniard to do whatever he pleased with her, just like they had done with so many other

indigenous women. Being a translator allowed Malintzin to have a place amongst the
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Spaniards that would give her security because she is very needed to them for their

conquest.

Not only did Malintzin gain the respect of the Spanish, she also gained the trust

and reliance of Corts. Malintzin was someone that Corts needed throughout his

conquest. Not only was Malintzin translating for Corts, but she also was Cortss right

hand man or, in this case, woman. Malintzin went everywhere where Corts went to

translate and help Corts gain more trust of the indigenous people. It seems clear that

Malintzin played an integral role in the unfolding negotiations, that without her, the

defeated Mexica would probably have fared worse, finding it nearly impossible to

express themselves to the victors (Townsend Chapter 5, 2179). This role Malintzin

played helped her gain relations with the indigenous people and a relation with Corts.

Corts would not have given her this role if he did not feel like he trusted her. Since

Corts did trust Malintzin, this allowed for her to become close to him. This strategy of

Malintzin to get close to Corts was probably to gain a better sense of security for herself.

Not only did Corts rely on Malintzin to help make the conquest possible, but Malintzin

also relied on getting closer to Corts in order for security.

Another way she used her intelligence to gain security for herself was that she

tried to assimilate herself more in the Spanish culture, Corts and Malintzin calmly look

on, he making a peaceful gesture and she holding out a rosary (Townsend, Chapter 6,

2368). This was especially to show the other indigenous people that they too should

accept Spanish ways. Malintzin had gotten pregnant with Cortss soon to be son, which

made her that much more tied to Corts and the Spanish culture. It is quite possible that it

was Malintzins choice to get pregnant with Cortss baby as Townsend states, In her
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own mind, the fact of her pregnancy would certainly have changed her relationship to the

future worldshe was now intertwined with the new state in the most intimate ways

(Townsend, Chapter 6, 2467). Malintzin wanted to be intertwined with the Spanish,

because she knew that they would keep her alive and well taken care of. Malintzin used

her intelligence ability to play her cards right by becoming tied in with the Spanish in

order for her to gain security for herself.

After the conquest, Malintzin knew her services were going to become less useful

and more than likely she was going to be given off to some Spaniard for a wife like every

other woman. So Malintzin knew that she had to marry someone of a higher status in

order to keep the life she has been living thus far since being with the Spanish. When

trying to settle on a husband, Malintzin knew A marriage to one of Cortss original

captains with claims to hidalgo status was certainly the highest-level match she could

hope to attain (Townsend, Chapter 7, 2737). If Malintzin had achieved this goal to marry

one of Cortss captains, she would definitely have security for herself. And she did just

that by marrying Juan Jaramillo. She was able to obtain the beneficial and well-ranked

husband that she had been looking for in order to secure her place amongst the Spaniards

(Townsend, Chapter 7, 2737).

This marriage between Malintzin and Jaramillo could not have happened if it was

not for the close relationship that Malintzin had developed with Corts and his help for

finding her a respectable ranked husband. Corts had given Malintzin, as her dowry, the

altepetl of Otutla as an encomienda (Townsend, Chapter 7, 2752). This shows that since

she decided to be on the Spaniards side and marry Jaramillo, Malintzin was not only

given security, but she was also given some political power as well. It is possible that
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Malintzin was seizing an opportunity to gain something that she wanted- that she was

attempting to grab hold of enough power to protect herself and her children, and

conceivably even certain other people in Otutla (Townsend, Chapter 7, 2647). Malintzin

proved what not many people thought was possible, that indigenous people can have

some power in this new Spanish world and let alone a woman can have some of this

power. Malintzin showed the strength of her intellect by gaining this small political

power in order for herself and her children to have protection.

The shear influence of Malintzins intellectual ability and her determination for

security were what persuaded the decisions and choices she made before, during, and

after the conquest of Mexico. Every decision and choice she had made, Malintzin must

have thought through what benefits she could receive and how she could make a secured

place in the Spanish society. This thinking was very different from what most men during

the time would say for an indigenous woman. She was even thinking as far as in advance

for her childrens sake. Her daughter was able to live in a more luxurious lifestyle

because of the choices and decisions Malintzin had made. They did see her as a female

and knew how important she was to their conquest as a translator, but they never ever

turned on Malintzin (Townsend, Chapter 4). They knew that without her, their plan to

conquer Mexico would be severely withheld. The Spanish men relied on this woman to

get them what they wanted. It can easily be seen that this woman, Malintzin, was needed

to help Corts and his men of Spanish conquistadors conquer Mexico. With her helping

the Spanish, she was also able live a much more secure and extraordinary lifestyle and

was able to help protect herself from a life lived by most other indigenous women.
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Works Cited

Townsend, Camilla. Malintzin's Choices: An Indian Woman in the Conquest of Mexico.

Albuquerque: U of New Mexico, 2006. Kindle.