Mothers Voicing Mothering?: The Representation of Motherhood in the Novels and Short Stories of Marie NDiaye

Mothers and mothering are significant features of contemporary women’s writing in France, but in Marie NDiaye’s writing, mothers often appear inadequate, abusive or even murderous. This book seeks to explore what this negative representation tells us about mothers and how mothers represent their own mothering to themselves.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 260 pages
Publication date: 23 June 2021
Publisher: Peter Lang International Academic Publishers

Mothers and mothering play a significant role in contemporary women's writing in France, with mothers often serving as narrators and central protagonists in the works of Marie NDiaye. However, these mothers rarely present themselves as appealing characters, and their portrayal in their mothering roles often portrays them as inadequate, abusive, or even murderous. A pattern of maternal failure is perpetuated from generation to generation, and the relationship between mothers and daughters is characterized by rejection and suppression.

In this book, we delve into the profound implications of this negative representation of mothers and explore how mothers perceive their own mothering to themselves. Through close readings of text and intertext, we engage with existing commentaries on the author and draw upon a range of psychoanalytic, mythological, religious, and literary backgrounds to interpret NDiaye's mothers.

By examining these complex dynamics, we aim to shed light on the multifaceted roles of mothers in contemporary French literature and the broader societal context in which they exist. Our analysis seeks to challenge traditional notions of motherhood and offer a fresh perspective on the complexities and challenges of mothering in the modern world.

Weight: 400g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800792227
Edition number: New ed