the problematics of motherhood in twentieth century women's fiction

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not relieve the mother of her responsibilities; it is the
psychological responsibility that makes the integration of
the mother role and worker role so difficult.
With the
elimination of the sexual divlsion of labour and the public
/ privato dlchotorny, 'motherhood' extends to 'parenthood',
no longer adhering to gender-based roles.
Thls changing
Image 1s increasingly reflected In the med~a, most obviously
in advertisements whlch have switched over from the
dellneatlon of the devoted mother-at-home to the independent
woman-at-work, and, conversely, from the macho image of the
man to a more 'homely' one - of the father in the kltchen,
the father wlth hls daughter, his son.
6.4.1. Such a masslve change, especially with regard to
notrons deeply embedded m the human psyche sxnce centuries,
has not met wlth universal consent
Even today, mothers
continue to be confined to thelr home-bound responsibllltles
which Includes twenty-four hour mothering with little or
absolutely no involvement from their partners. Brlnging men
rnto the parenting process and domestlc work has not been an
easy task. Wantlng, and even demanding, a partner's equal
partlclpation, does not guarantee securing it. Lack of co-
operation from thelr partners is what has made many mothers
such as Morag of The Diviners and Rosamund of The Millstone
opt for single parenthood
Women like them, who attempt to
integrate work and motherhood, find it easier to do so