With Mother’s Day around the corner, I wanted to put together a list celebrating some of literature’s most inspirational mothers. Mums who, quite frankly, kick butt. A task that seemed relatively simple, but actually proved quite difficult! When you sit down and properly think about it, a lot of the protagonists in classic literature tend to have either absent, mean, or dead mothers. That aside, here are my choices from the surprisingly small number of amazing, fictional mothers out there.
Molly Weasley
Book: Harry Potter
Fiercely protective, loyal, brave, straight talking, and maternal. Molly happily looks after any child as if they were her own, without a second thought about it. Her intentions are to bring up her children to be principled, grounded, brave and happy - and she’ll do anything to make sure that happens.
Mrs Darling
Book: Peter Pan + Wendy
A gentle, maternal figure and a wonderful storyteller. She’s intentionally been written as the idyllic mother, hugely reflective of the societal ideals at the time. Though she has a number of fantastic traits in providing her children with a safe, and happy childhood. She is very much the devoted mother and the devoted wife and that is all.
Ma Ingalls
Book: Little House On The Prairie
A character and mother who taught valuable lessons, demonstrated kindness, and modeled her behaviour to bring up her children to be good people. She was strong, intelligent, and was a constant pillar of reassurance to her family. She was patient and demonstrated great perseverance in circumstances and situations where others would have given up.
Catelyn Stark
Book: A Game Of Thrones
Devoted to the ensuring the well being and protection of her children. She really is solely focused on her family, and her family alone. A lot of her traits lend her to being a good mother and guide to her children: intelligent, strong, kind, and proud.
Marmee, Mrs March
Book: Little Women
Purposefully written as the ‘perfect’ mother, both in her children’s eyes and society’s. She’s dedicated and selfless, always finding time to console, comfort and counsel her daughters. A lady with a lot of moral integrity and wisdom that she instills in her daughters in a gentle, unobtrusive way.
Marilla Cuthbert
Book: Anne Of Green Gables
A dutiful lady who takes on Anne as her own. Despite coming across stern and rigid, we learn that she has a brilliant sense of humour and a huge capacity to love unconditionally. Marilla is desperate to teach and prepare anne for the real world, but she has just as much to learn, and we get to go on this journey with them both.
Do you guys agree? Is there anybody you would add to it? Or maybe even take off it? Be sure to leave a comment a let me know!