the problematics of motherhood in twentieth century women's fiction

experience and motherhood as an institution?
deviate from the patriarchal expectations of motherhood'
SO, to what extent?
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Do they
If
These and related questions are here
discussed in the light of the perspectives of Meridlan
(Meridian), Saru (The Dark Holds No Terrors), Morag (The
Diviners) , Rosamund (The Millstone) and Kate (The Summer
Before the Dark)
In their conscious revolt against the
passlve, femlnlne ideal of motherhood, these women question
the exlstlng norms and denounce institutional motherhood as
a patrlarchal fiction.
In the process, they confront not
only the question of bearing children, but also that of
rearing them and owning entire responsiblllty for their
upbrlnglng
It is this biological and famlllal/societal
responslblllty that weighs down these 'new' mothers
3.4.1. In Allce Walker's novel, Merldlan equates
mctherhood to slavery
a sense of duty than out of love
She looks after her baby more out of
what she calls an "impersonal love' (M 86)
Her love for her chlld is
3ne day she really looked at her chlld and loved
him with as much love as she loved the moon or a
tree, whlch was a considerable amount of
impersonal love (M 86)
In a deliberately ironically titled chapter 'The Happy
Mother', Walker portrays the tension and guilt Meridian
faces in her role as mother. She feels that pregnancy and
motherhood have stolen from her the capacity to be active In