Redefining The Role of Motherhood In L.M.Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables

Name of Author : M. Esther

Abstract: Role of mother has been the focus of many fictional works throughout literary history. Maternalism is a huge theme in L.M.Montgomery‟s Anne of Green Gables, however not in a usual way. Being a prolific Canadian writer, L.M.Montgomery has formulated some of her powerful mothering archetypes that remain as prevalent themes in the twenty-first century popular culture. She has shaped her maternal romance as a profound transformation of the self, claiming the experience as a process of reinvention and family building. Some of her mother characters stand out as memorable models of motherhood. Marilla Cutbbert in Anne of Green Gables is not like the stereotype mothers in literature. The story starts with ageing siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthberts decide to get an orphan boy to help out on their farm Green Gables but Anne Shirley arrives instead. Matthew accepts her but Marilla hestitates at first and later she makes up her mind. The writer explains Marilla‟s decision to adopt Anne. Although she is not Anne‟s biological mother, she gives birth to Anne‟s new life journey by accepting Anne as a member of the Green Gables. This paper will explore the characteristics of Marilla‟s motherhood because it is the journey of motherhood that stimulates the transformation in Marilla‟s life and character. It leads us to speculate how, in the end, Marilla overcomes her prejudice towards an unwanted orphan girl and establishes a motherly relationship with her. A comprehensive understanding of the character Marilla leads to a scope for new and diverse study on multi-dimensional representations of motherhood in the Anne of Green Gables in future.

Keywords : Maternalism, Mothering archetypes, Biological mother, Maternal romance, Family building

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