Bad Mother? (THE LIBRARY message #4539)

Bad Mother?

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Posted by Cheryl on March 02, 1998 at 00:45:09:

In response to Oh, okay........, written by Janet on March 01, 1998 at 10:57:49

]...Considering that this removal as well as being sent to boarding school at an early age could easily account for the emotional distancing from her mother, it is no surprise that some of JA's novels suggest weak, silly, or absent mothers;...

Was Cassandra Leigh Austen a bad mother? I can't decide, and it appears that Tomalin can't either. Was she cold and heartless to turn her children out of their home for 1-2 yrs, or was she being practical, coping the best she could with such a large household full of students as well as her own children to care for? Was she shunting off the girls, or was she trying to aid in easing the great financial strain the family was continually under?

Tomalin does say that although it seems harsh to us, all the children (excepting George) turned out well; healthy, cheerful, ambitious. Whether she was a good or a bad mother (or more likely a mixture of the two) she got good results!

REPLIES:

sent to a wet-nurse Janette K 20:42:33 3/09/98 (0)
Good point, and another thought. Barbara 23:24:22 3/02/98 (1)
- Another good point! Caroline 09:37:41 3/03/98 (0)

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