"La Adelita" is one of the most famous corridos of the Mexican Revolution. Over the years, it has had many adaptations. This particular version of the ballad was inspired by a Durangan woman who joined the Maderista movement in the early stages of the Revolution and fell in love with Madero. She became a popular icon and the source who documented the role of women in the Mexican Revolution; she gradually became synonymous with the term soldadera, female soldiers who became a vital force in the Revolutionary War efforts due to their participation in the battles against Mexican government forces. Today, it is argued that Adelita came to be an archetype of a woman warrior in Mexico, and a symbol of action and inspiration. Additionally, the name is used to refer to any woman who struggles and fights for her rights. However, the song, the portrait, and the role of its subject have been given different, often conflicting, interpretations. It has also been argued that "La Adelita expressed the sensitivity and vulnerability of men, emphasizing the stoicism of the rebellious male soldier as he confronts the prospect of death". In another interpretation of this icon, the feminist scholar María Herrara-Sobek argues, "Adelita's bravery and revolutionary spirit are lost to the fatalism and insecurities of male soldiers who are focused on passions, love, and desire as they face combat". Lyrics The music of this particular version of "La Adelita" was taken by Isaak Osipovich Dunayevsky, who wrote the songs for one of the best known Soviet comedies, Jolly Fellows (1934). The Soviet composer never mentioned the origins of his song. See also Corrido, a type of narrative song found in Mexican folk music Soldaderas, female soldiers who served in the Mexican Revolution José Guadalupe Posada References Alicia Arrizón, “Soldaderas and the Staging of the Mexican Revolution,” MIT Press, 1998, Vol. 42, 90-112. External links Artist's conception of La Adelita Mexican culture Spanish-language songs Mexican folklore Women in war in Mexico Mexican corridos Women in war 1900–1945 1910s songs