Wise or protective women role models in literature, films and television.

[RainbowsAndPuddings]

A friend of mine is having therapy. One of the tasks she's been set is to come up with names of one wise figure and one protective figure. These can be real life people, or from literature, television or films.

She and I have been discussing this and have found that it's really hard to think of women who fit this category, especially in books, television and film. And she can't think of any man who she could identify with who would fit these roles.

Are we being unreasonable to think there aren't many women portrayed in this manner? We thought we'd ask Mumsnet for suggestions.

My first thought was Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley.

but also Marilla in Anne of Green Gables, Ma in the Little House books, and Flora Poste in Cold Comfort Farm.

Oh gosh yes. Wise and protective, and kind and funny too.

I love dolly parton. Bloody smart woman and funny. My fave quote from her is ‘people think I’m just a dumb blonde. But I know I’m. It dumb. I also know I’m not blonde’

Thank you, everyone. Wow - a lot of suggestions. I haven't heard a lot of the TV shows, and my friend and I will check them out. I did agree with a poster's observation that old storytelling tended to dispose of the female mother figure early on and put the blame for all problems at her feet. It doesn't surprise me - especially as a lot of strong, independent women were considered witches and killed.

To reply to another poster: the wise and protective figures can definitely be real women! My friend and I were discussing Boudicca, the Queen of Jhansi, Josephine Baker...

The wonderful character played by Diane Morgan in Motherland.

Ariadne Oliver in Poirot.

Joyce Barnaby in the old Midsomer Murders. She usually solved the crime before her husband.

wise & protective can maybe also include women like Gisele Pelicot and Georgia Harrison for realising they had to pursue legal action and (bravely) reveal their identities to help protect other women from sexual abuse.

Guinan (Whooping Goldberg) in Star Trek TNG
Catherine Standish in Slow Horses
Lady Stark in Game of Thrones

I mentioned upthread Janeway and Seven of Nine from Star Trek Voyager, but I'd actually forgotten about Guinan in TNG. Star Trek has often pushed the boundaries on representation, but it's sometimes depressingly easy to overlook their portrayal of women given how poor the original series was on the matter.

Also, special mention to Counsellor Troi from TNG. Once they stopped viewing her as little more than a pair of tits her character really developed into something awesome. I regularly rewatch "Disaster" (season 5, episode 5) just to see her involuntarily thrust into command (as well as Worf delivering a baby with one of the best lines in the whole of TNG.) It's an episode that speaks to exactly what the OP is asking.

Ellen Ripley in Aliens. She practically took charge of the marine unit when things fell apart and risked her life to rescue Newt from the Alien queen.

Ripley from the Alien series
Captain Janeway from Star Trek
Guinan from Star Trek
Yu Shu Lien from Croiching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Princess from the Paperbag Princess
The Grandmother from the Princess and the Goblin

Miep Gies, the incredible real life protector of Anne Frank and her family

Dana Scully - The X-Files

I can think of a few from TV - Captain Janeway from Voyager is both wise and protective. Sister Evangelina from Call the Midwife (any of the characters from that show actually!). Dolores Landingham from the West Wing. Galadriel in the Rings of Power.

In literature, those that spring to mind immediately are Jo March, Dori from Demon Copperhead, Catelyn Stark, Daenerys Targaryen (thus far in the books, at least), Molly Weasley, Tiffany Aching (all of Terry Pratchett's witches actually), Miss Honey.

Flora Poste in Stella Gibbons' Cold Comfort Farm

Going to go a bit left field here: She-ra! Or the grandma in the witches by Roald Dhal. It's got to be something that resonates with her on an emotional level so maybe think about films/books from childhood. Wishing your friend all the best with her therapy.

Ripley from Aliens.
Mila Jojovich (sorry if spelt wrong!) in Resident Evil.
Sarah Connor.
The Oracle in The Matrix
The women in Hidden Figures.
GranGran from Jojo & Grangran
Louise from Thelma&Louise

For a more recent protective woman, how about Joyce Byers from stranger things?

Dante’s Beatrice
Galadriel from LotR

I think grandmothers fare better than mothers though. They can have a role of revealing hidden family secrets and other knowledge. Tolly’s great-grandmother in the Green Knowe books is an example.

August Boatwright in The Secret Life of Bees.
A book made into a film.
August is both protective and wise.

Mrs Moore - A Passage to India
Cassandra Mortmain - I Capture the Castle
Sara Crewe - A Little Princess

Wise and protective definitely describes one of my favourite literary characters, Marian Halcombe in 'The Woman in White', ditto my favourite film character, Marge Gunderson in 'Fargo'

Betsey Trotwood in 'David Copperfield' is definitely protective, even if she isn't always wise

Almost any headmistress in schoolgirl fiction:

Miss Annersley
Miss Grayling
Miss Yorke
and many others

I was going to mention the dons in Gaudy Night too but someone beat me to it.

Just thought of another one from my youth... going for a wise figure: Angela Lansbury/Jessica Fletcher Or Mary Poppins. I'd have her hitting people with an umbrella for me. Or putting them in her magic bag.

Although this is for a serious reason, it's actually really fun.

Wise - the librarian in Matilda
Protective- Miss Honey ditto