the problematics of motherhood in twentieth century women's fiction

them for their good qualities rather than
denigrating them for the lack of maternal
aptitude? Or structure motherhood in a more
congenial fashlon? l1974:35)
The feminist agenda finally aims at removing the stigma from
non-motherhood and giving it a positive, valued and
desirable status, thus creatlng free, uncoerced, genuine
choices between motherhood and other llfe-patterns. ~ o all t
feminists underplay the role of the mother.
What many
object to is the insistence that all women must become
mothers, that motherhood is every' woman's destlny, that only
through bear~ng children can women flnd fulfilment
Feminrsts finally polnt to a world in which motherhood,
strlpped of its mythlc compulsions, will be Infused with as
much declsion and conscious lntelllgence as any other
dlff~cult and freely chosen work
In such a world, they
emphasrze, maternal affection w ~ll become all the more
rlcher and steadier because it wlll be a decision freely
taken
6.3.0. As Meridian, Saru, Kate, Morag and Rosamund begln
to ask if self-realizat~on by way of work or career 1s in
any way Inferlor to self-realizatron by way of motherhood,
Or what is so sacred about self-sacrifice or noble about
wanting children, the concept that is being repeatedly torn
apart is that mother-love 16 natural and every woman 1s born
with the maternal instinct.
As mother-love is no more