Motherhood: What Was and What Could Have Been Motherhood has forever been a defining status of the female race. Motherhood affects every woman in a profound way, whether she has a child or not. A woman who has her own children, or raises another’s, will spend every moment concerning herself with their well-being. Another may wish for a child to dote over, but never have one placed in her hands. There are also those women who deliberately choose not to have children and may even face criticism for not dedicating their bodies and futures to their womanly duty. Though every woman’s experience with motherhood is unique, it will be a defining characteristic in her life. The poets, Anne Bradstreet and Gwendolyn Brooks, tell the world what this definition is for each of them and though these two women have completely different experiences with motherhood, both demonstrate the deep, undying love that mothers have for their children and the grief women experience because of this love.
Anne Bradstreet, a Puritan woman living in colonial America, reflects on her fond memories of her time spent as an exemplary mother to eight children in her poem, “In reference to Her Children, 23 June, 1659.” From this poem the reader can gather that
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The women who raise children, who will eventually leave, the women who never get to love or have children, as well as the woman who chooses to have no part in maternity will experience love and grief given by virtue of motherhood. A woman may miss her children, the children she never had, or the opportunity to have children. She may also love her children, love the thought of children, or love that she made the best decision for her own interest. Regardless of a woman’s relationship with motherhood, it will have lasting effects on her
There is no going back from this moment on. She is no longer just her mother’s child-- she is a mom. Her baby’s mom. It is as if her whole world changed in a blink of an eye, but despite the rapid change, she embraces it. She loves her child to an extent only a mother can imagine possible.
While the mothers in neither Dobson’s nor Harwood’s poems are entirely content with the situations, they have found themselves in, they have ultimately chosen to make the necessary sacrifices because a mother’s love for her child is
A little girl is forced to grow up with the “helping” hand of a drunk father and an excitement-addict mother, both of which pay little attention to what their children need: love. Instead, they go on wild adventures: breaking out of hospitals, travelling the desert, encountering perverted relatives and jumping into animal cages- just to name a few. While this may seem obscure, this story is actually true.
Motherhood who needs it? Is it women, men, society or everyone in general who needs motherhood? In “Motherhood: who needs it?” Betsy Rollin argues that people are having children for all the wrong reasons. Instead of having them because they want to they have them because they feel that it is expected upon them as a woman.
As demonstrated through the water imagery, both Sethe and Denver have developed their own definitions and roles as “mothers.” This contrast may serve to be a point of tension as the meaning and extent of “motherhood” continues to be defined throughout the
When thinking of personal experiences, “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks touches on the emotional topic of abortion. Even though this poem was published decades ago, it can still be seen very relevant to this day. Accepting abortion and the outcome can indeed be a challenging task for many, while others seem to adapt to it without much of a problem. Gwendolyn Brooks’ writing lets us take a look at the mothers view point of abortion and how a mother responds to her new situation. Throughout the poem, the speaker shows signs of grieving concern of the topic of abortion and its outcomes by presenting emotions of regret and memories, shame and guilt, and contradicting herself to almost justify what she has done.
The argument over a woman’s right to choose over the life of an unborn baby has been a prevalent issue in America for many years. As a birth control activist, Margaret Sanger is recognized for her devotion to the pro-choice side of the debate as she has worked to provide sex education and legalize birth control. As part of her pro-choice movement, Sanger delivered a speech at the Sixth International Neo-Malthusian and Birth Control Conference in March of 1925. This speech is called “The Children’s Era,” in which she explains how she wants the twentieth century to become the “century of the child.” Margaret Sanger uses pathos throughout her speech as she brings up many of the negative possibilities that unplanned parenthood can bring for both children and parents.
Gwen Harwood to a large extend, takes marginalised groups such as women, and privileges their experiences by giving them a voice through poetry. Both ‘Suburban Sonnet’ and ‘Burning Sappho’ express the frustrations of women who feel tapped by motherhood and the expectation that they will conform to domestic roles. Harwood comments on the inability of women to pursue personal happiness as she shows that motherhood can be both rewarding and all consuming. Meaning is therefore drawn from each poem through Harwood's intricate use of stylistic features such as figurative language and imagery, shaping readers to understand that it is often those we love that cause the most intense feelings of resentment and internal frustration.
Morrison’s authorship elucidates the conditions of motherhood showing how black women’s existence is warped by severing conditions of slavery. In this novel, it becomes apparent how in a patriarchal society a woman can feel guilty when choosing interests, career and self-development before motherhood. The sacrifice that has to be made by a mother is evident and natural, but equality in a relationship means shared responsibility and with that, the sacrifices are less on both part. Although motherhood can be a wonderful experience many women fear it in view of the tamming of the other and the obligation that eventually lies on the mother. Training alludes to how the female is situated in the home and how the nurturing of the child and additional local errands has now turned into her circle and obligation.
Such considerations fundamentally shape human life and family relationships. A women needs to be aware of the various psychological and social factors that contribute to the decision such as “that human parents, both male and female, tend to care passionately about their offspring, and that family relationships are among the deepest and strongest in our lives—and, significantly, among the longest lasting.” These key intrinsic goods- in this case factors such as human life, parenthood, and family relationships- are ultimately worthwhile are not to be taken without due
The concept of motherhood and the role of women have existed since the beginning of time and throughout various points it has differ. There is no limit to what can be considered motherhood. To one person, motherhood might mean the act of raising children and taking care of their family, and to another; motherhood might be what defines them as a person. This is seen in Tillie Olsen’s short story “I Stand Here Ironing” and the “Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. In both stories, the main characters were dealing with the struggles of motherhood and being a wife.
Because she was drugged during the delivery of both her sons, Edna never truly experienced childbirth. She didn’t realize the overwhelming natural force of bringing a child into the world. When she witnesses the birth of Adele’s child, it is brought to her attention that the female body is designed for childbirth, and she has already committed herself to this purpose by becoming a mother. Her mindset is all wrong for a mother, she sees children as just one more life to populate the world, yet nature has decided that this is her purpose in the world. Edna’s realization about her natural position of woman and mother in combination with the societal position she’s expected to fill drives her to suicide.
Maternity In Love Medicine In the novel “Love Medicine” by Louise Erdrich the mothers seem to defy history and control their families and their lives, the mothers seem to have most influence on the people around them. The mothers in “Love Medicine” are strong tough women, who suffer through seemingly unbearable pain throughout their lives which seems to influence them for the rest of their lives. One of the strongest characters in the novel “Love Medicine” is Marie Lazarre/Kashpaw who comes from a family of thieves, but heads her family with a no nonsense attitude that she has carried with her since early life.
Motherhood feels like a prison sentence. I can't wait until I am paroled when my son turns 18 and hopefully goes far away to college.” The mentioned secret confessions explain the reason for many parents, especially mothers, to regret having children. Mothers require to devote all the leisure time to taking care of children, so they do not have time to enjoy different things in their lives. As a result, stationary life makes many mothers feel stressed and
Anne Bradstreet (1612 – 1672) has been a long-lasting leading figure in the American literature who embodied a myriad of identities; she was a Puritan, poet, feminist, woman, wife, and mother. Bradstreet’s poetry was a presence of an erudite voice that animadverted the patriarchal constraints on women in the seventeenth century. In a society where women were deprived of their voices, Bradstreet tried to search for their identities. When the new settlers came to America, they struggled considerably in defining their identities. However, the women’s struggles were twice than of these new settlers; because they wanted to ascertain their identities in a new environment, and in a masculine society.