the problematics of motherhood in twentieth century women's fiction

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mother at the same time? Why do feminists who are mothers
experience a conflict between their feminist leanings and
maternal experiences' Why was lt necessary for women to
relect their own biology, relinquish a part of themselves to
be feminists? Is it possible to integrate feminism and
motherhood so that the two are no longer at odds? Feminlsm
began as a natural and inevitable reactlon against the
poiitlcs of patriarchy which instltutlonalised all familial
structures to subordinate women and used them to lts own
advantage Since patrlarchy Insisted that all women to be
mothers, women had to rebel against their own potential
motherhood, declaring 1t a restrlctlon and imposition on
thelr minds and bodles. in order to combat patrlarchy, they
had to give up a part of their self In recent tmes
however, the decislon regarding whether to mother or not, or
when and how to mother, 1s no more dictated by patriarchy,
but left to the woman's discretion As Drabble's The
Millstone illustrates, women can Integrate femrnlsm and
motherhood In perfect unlson and experience both to the
fullest satisfaction.
6.8.1. Conslderlng the problems that the emerging mothers
- Rosarncnd, Morag, Kate, Mer~dlan and Saru - face, may lead
one to wonder if feminlne motherhood was a more desirable
condition than feminist motherhood. Dld feminlne motherhood
give women more power that femlnlst motherhood? Did