In honor of Mother's Day, I offer my salute to literary mothers both good and bad. These moms are memorable for being mothers even if or when the story wasn't necessarily about them.
- Mrs. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice - silly, excitable, gossipy and quite possibly crazy, Mrs. Bennet's sole goal is to see her five daughters married well. While well-intentioned, her methods of trying to achieve this goal leave a lot to be desired, at least according to Mr. Darcy.
- Molly Weasley, the Harry Potter books - the quintessential warm, loving mother-hen, Molly is fiercely protective of her family and opens her home and heart to Harry and others, welcoming them as family. With eyes on the back of her head, she somehow always knows what Fred and George are up to, but in spite of all the trouble her children get into, she loves them just the same.
- Marilla Cuthbert, Anne of Green Gables - Marilla had no intention of being a mother; she was just hoping to give an orphan a good home while getting some help for her farm. Instead, she ended up coping with Anne's wild and crazy imagination, which often tested her patience. Only a mother could accept Anne as she was and still love her.
- Marmee March, Little Women - wise, understanding, patient and loving, Marmee is the heart and center of the March family. She works hard to enstill in her daughters a strong morality and a desire to help others. Ahead of her time in terms of women's equality, Marmee encourages her girls to chase their dreams and never give up.
- Gertrude, Hamlet - No one will probably ever nominate Gertrude for a "mother of the year" award. She may (or may not) have played a role in her first husband's death, then routinely chooses to side with her second husband over her son. More concerned with appearances than helping her obviously depressed son, Gertrude is the definition of "absentee mom."
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