To Keep the House and Shut One’s Mouth

_To Keep the House and Shut One’s Mouth_ (2015) by **Clara Janés** is an extraordinary treatise that embarks on a historical and transcultural journey through millennia of women's writing. **Janés**, an esteemed member of the Spanish Royal Academy, meticulously unearths forgotten or understudied literary contributions by women, from the ancient Akkadian High Priestess **Enheduanna** (2,500 BCE) to contemporary Afghan poets. This work fundamentally challenges traditional literary canons by foregrounding female voices that have shaped thought and culture across civilizations.

Through a series of insightful essays, **Janés** highlights the paradoxical nature of women’s writing, exploring how priestesses, courtesans, and princesses navigated societal constraints to express themselves. She delves into diverse contexts: the freedom of expression in ancient Egypt where women held significant societal roles, the highly ritualized poetic contests of China and Korea (with their gender-specific writing systems like Nushu and sijo), and the complex interplay of eroticism and spirituality in texts like the **_Song of Songs_**.

This edition, edited by **Anne Pasero**, is a significant achievement for **Janés**, offering a contemporary approach to literary analysis that not only re-evaluates ancient texts with fresh eyes but also proposes new paths for research into women’s writing and feminism. It serves as a powerful vehicle to diffuse knowledge about overlooked literary legacies, demonstrating the persistence, creativity, and paradoxical power of the female voice throughout history, often in defiance of societal expectations to "keep the house and shut one’s mouth."