Wow. Very interesting stuff. She certainly isn't empowered at home! And certainly the disorder and chaos must be very trying. But I think her feelings here are also a response to, or at least magnified, by the 'complication' that arose in her aborted relationship with Domingo.
I think there is real credence in the desire to escape from sexuality issue, cited in the thesis. This will sound a bit like crappy pop psychology, so forgive me, but I feel Iris wants to be a nun in part because her own sexual needs have been thwarted, unfairly, unjustly and unexpectedly.
We know she really wanted a normal married life and children (and no doubt sex too, seeing as she has a very sensual side to her nature), pre-Domingo, but I think she was hugely truamatised by what happened with him - on what should have been her honeymoon night - that she almost feels that God has claimed her for his own, denied her the right to express her sexuality. If you think back to Domingo's courtship, she was a little alarmed that he didn't want to kiss her, (we know why now of course), but when he said he wanted her pure, that rang a huge alarm bell. And I think that has stuck with her. That she was meant to stay pure.
And then to further complicate matters, although I have no real proof of this of course, she might also have confused feelings with regard to Father Melia too - who as a man of 'God' is also forbidden to her sexually. No wonder she would feel like escaping to what she would then feel to be her destiny. This of course is very debatable. Does Iris truly have feelings for Father Melia (particularly in the sense of being attracted to him)? Or do viewers assume this, on the basis that he is a good looking chap and they have an undeniable chemistry .... but Iris has not done or said anything in particular, has she?
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