Between the Cacique and the Villain: Epistemological reconfigurations of Masculine Power in the literature of Melchor, Enríquez, and Rivera Garza.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the new configurations that emerge from the traditional archetype of the cacique, corrupt leader, or villain in a selection of contemporary works written by Fernanda Melchor, Mariana Enríquez, and Cristina Rivera Garza. From an interdisciplinary perspective that integrates gender studies, cultural studies, and social literature, a dominant line is traced in the construction of male characters who exert oppressive authority over others within the framework of Latin American literature. The analysis focuses on the reinterpretations of these characters from a female perspective, as well as their role within a society marked by structural violence and cultural practices that foster the abuse of power. Through the study of these literary texts, a clear paradigm shift — an epistemological turn — in the representation of the villain archetype is observed, particularly in the Latin American context, which is shaped by the rise of the media and economic crises. This shift reveals new ways of narrating the unjust exercise of power and its deep implications for the construction of identities and social structures. Violence, corruption, and social control become key themes in these rewritings, which not only question old power structures but also offer a fresh critical perspective through the voices of women writers. Thus, these works enable reflection on the transformations in literary representations of hegemonic masculinity and their effects on contemporary society.