Page 2 | Who is your favourite literary mother?

MissHoneyPenny · 2025-07-19T20:18:11+00:00

Your favourite mother/mother figure from literature. I think my top choices would be Marmee from Little Women, Miss Honey from Matilda (hence username) and Ma Joad from The Grapes of Wrath.

DeirdreChambersWhatACoincidence · 22/07/2025 18:39

Pauline Mole, my number one. I love her. I often think to myself "What would Pauline do."

Two, Daisy in Polo by Jilly Cooper. Bloody Hector. I was so happy when she ended up with Ricky.

Debrathom · 22/07/2025 18:32

Papergirl1968 · 22/07/2025 14:38

I’d have said Ma Ingalls too. They’d put down roots, build a house and get the kids into school, and then Pa would get itchy feet and drag them off in the wagon to start over. I’m sure she didn’t want to keep moving across the country.

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Sarah Miller has written a book called Caroline which imagines the Little House books from Ma's point of view. There is also a very interesting non-fiction book called Prairie Fires by Caroline Fraser which looks at the truth behind some of the stories. It sounds like your interpretation is correct- Ma didn't want to be dragged across the wilderness with small children. The family really struggled with poverty too and she had to find some ingenious ways to feed them all. It was a very hard life.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 22/07/2025 18:22

Wafflefinder · 19/07/2025 22:31

Beaten to it, but was also going to say Ma Joad and Helen Graham.

Martha’s mother in The Secret Garden

Jumped on to say Susan Sowerby too!

RantzNotBantz · 22/07/2025 18:08

Another in admiration of Mothers Blackett and Walker, and many mothers of Blyton adventure characters who made themselves scarce, absent, missing in a plane crash* etc so that their offspring could get on and live their best lives.

*found safe and well once the children’s school holiday was completed.

Nevertrustacop · 22/07/2025 17:22

Mrs Peggot Demon Copperhead

upinaballoon · 22/07/2025 17:20

BarnacleBeasley · 22/07/2025 13:54

I liked Laura Morland in High Rising by Angela Thirkell (a recommendation from another thread) - because being a mother is a major part of her characterisation, but the story isn't about being a mother, and because she's fully aware of how horrific and boring her child is, as well as obviously loving him very much.

Marmee came to my mind first and someone earlier on has reminded me of Martha's and Dickon's mother (Susan Sowerby?) but now you mention Angela Thirkell you've set me wondering. Did Mrs. Morland have a son called Tony and hairpins which kept escaping?
I have to go, but I want to say that it is such a treat to have threads like these.

HonoriaBulstrode · 22/07/2025 15:22

She only makes a brief appearance, but Phoebe Tucker from Gaudy Night. MNetters would no doubt deplore her habit of casually dumping her offspring on grandparents before going off to join her archaeologist husband on a dig. But she thinks they're 'rather fun', approves of her son 'patiently and correctly excavating the gardener's rubbish-heap and making a collection of bones' and isn't bothered by germs and dirt.

Steelworks · 22/07/2025 14:39

Lady Violet Brigerton was my first thought, and of course, and Violet Crawley from Downton, if we’re allowed tv influenced mothers.

Papergirl1968 · 22/07/2025 14:38

EssentialDecluttering · 19/07/2025 22:33

Ma from Little House on the Prairie. So calm, wise and capable.

I’d have said Ma Ingalls too. They’d put down roots, build a house and get the kids into school, and then Pa would get itchy feet and drag them off in the wagon to start over. I’m sure she didn’t want to keep moving across the country.

PenCreed · 22/07/2025 14:33

There's a children's book by T Kingfisher called Minor Mage, where the mother has to go to look after her married daughter for a week and reluctantly leaves Oliver (the minor mage) at home. As soon as she's gone the villagers insist on him going off on a quest and when he gets home at the end she's clearly not long back herself. He comes in the door and she's in the middle of prepping everything she needs to come after him.

Another vote for the Dowager Duchess of Denver! And for Kate Somerville in the Lymond books.

whohasthetime · 22/07/2025 14:01

Another vote for Elizabeth Zott.

SisterTeatime · 22/07/2025 13:55

I like many of those mentioned (especially Mrs Brown, William’s mother). I like Everard Bone’s mother in Barbara Pym’s Excellent Women, a fierce woman with a phobia of birds perhaps not very motherly but a funny character.

BarnacleBeasley · 22/07/2025 13:54

I liked Laura Morland in High Rising by Angela Thirkell (a recommendation from another thread) - because being a mother is a major part of her characterisation, but the story isn't about being a mother, and because she's fully aware of how horrific and boring her child is, as well as obviously loving him very much.

sarsaparillatree · 22/07/2025 13:54

Mrs Brown, mother of William, Ethel and Robert in Richmal Crompton's "William" books. She deserves a sainthood.

squashyhat · 22/07/2025 13:41

PrinceYakimov · 21/07/2025 23:52

I was going to say Mrs Walker as well. (Splendid name@squashyhatby the way)

Topaz in I Capture the Castle is pretty great too

Edited

Why thank you!

UnimatrixZeroOne · 22/07/2025 13:31

Caroline Ingalls (Ma) from Little House on the Prairie 🥰

SamkaSabrinka · 21/07/2025 23:59

Lyuba in The Cherry Orchard

PrinceYakimov · 21/07/2025 23:52

I was going to say Mrs Walker as well. (Splendid name@squashyhatby the way)

Topaz in I Capture the Castle is pretty great too

TheDonsDingleberries · 21/07/2025 23:52

Mrs Large from Five Minutes Piece 🐘

On the other end of the scale, Cersei Lannister is a mother I love to hate.

Calliopespa · 21/07/2025 23:45

QuantumPanic · 19/07/2025 23:14

Came here to say this.

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Me too! Definitely Moominmama!

Yestothis · 21/07/2025 23:41

Spindleweed · 19/07/2025 23:11

Certainly not to your last suggestion!

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Madge Bettany, though, as an aunt / elder sister / guardian figure, would definitely get a vote from me - at least until Jo starts having kids and Madge somehow becomes a bit useless ...

Falderalagain · 21/07/2025 23:35

Mrs Ruggles - the family from one end street

Pubgarden · 21/07/2025 21:51

bellocchild · 19/07/2025 22:48

Louisa Durrell is rather a heroine.

Absolutely agree.

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 21/07/2025 21:49

Nanny Ogg from Discworld
Aurora from Terms of Endearment

Brownbearwhitebear · 21/07/2025 21:43

Lots of these and yes I found Marmee a bit too pious for my liking. I’m going with Ma Larkin, Pam Ferris in the tv series has her spot on as described in the books.