Quote by Adrienne Rich

As her sons have seen her: the mother in patriarchy: controlling, erotic, castrating, heart-suffering, guilt-ridden, and guilt-provoking; a marble brow, a huge breast, an avid cave; between her legs snakes, swamp-grass, or teeth; on her lap a helpless infant or a martyred son. She exists for one purpose: to bear and nourish the son.

As her sons have seen her: the mother in patriarchy: control

Summary

This quote describes the societal perception of a mother within a patriarchal system. It portrays her as a figure of control and power, simultaneously associated with eroticism and castration. She is burdened with suffering, both from her own heartache and from the guilt imposed upon her. The quote symbolizes the mother as an enigma, with contradictions represented by a marble brow and a huge breast, between her legs entailing danger and fertility. Furthermore, she is seen as responsible solely for the purpose of giving birth to and nurturing sons, depicted through the imagery of a helpless infant or a martyred son on her lap.

Topics

By Adrienne Rich

Liked the quote? Share it with your friends.

Random Quotations

Those who prepared for all the emergencies of life beforehan

Those who prepared for all the emergencies of life beforehand may equip themselves at the expense of joy.

No monster vibration, no snake universe hallucinations. Many

No monster vibration, no snake universe hallucinations. Many tiny jeweled violet flowers along the path of a living brook that looked like Blake's illustration for a canal in grassy Eden: huge Pacific watery shore, Orlovsky dancing naked like Shiva long-haired before giant green waves, titanic cliffs that Wordsworth mentioned in his own Sublime, great yellow sun veiled with mist hanging over the planet's oceanic horizon. No harm.

The future is built on brains, not prom court, as most peopl

The future is built on brains, not prom court, as most people can tell you after attending their high school reunion. But you'd never know it by talking to kids or listening to the messages they get from the culture and even from their schools.

Jesus desired to awaken inquiry. He sought to arouse the car

Jesus desired to awaken inquiry. He sought to arouse the careless, and impress truth upon the heart. Parable teaching was popular, and commanded the respect and attention, not only of the Jews, but of the people of other nations. No more effective method of instruction could He have employed.

Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change

Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth.

Change Religion Growth

The two most precious things this side of the grave are our

The two most precious things this side of the grave are our reputation and our life. But it is to be lamented that the most contemptible whisper may deprive us of the one, and the weakest weapon of the other.

Charles Caleb Colton

The more time you spend contemplating what you should have d

The more time you spend contemplating what you should have done... you lose valuable time planning what you can and will do.

My older sister was at the cusp of new wave, and I had older

My older sister was at the cusp of new wave, and I had older brothers from my father's first marriage who were rock 'n' roll guys, so I was exposed to a lot of popular culture.

Paul Thomas Anderson

An old man loved is winter with flowers.

An old man loved is winter with flowers.

What would life be if we didn't shake and wake ourselves up

What would life be if we didn't shake and wake ourselves up once and a while

Heather Richards

Motivational Inspirational

The brave don't live forever, but the cautious don't live at

The brave don't live forever, but the cautious don't live at all. Here's to the brave!

Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech y

Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.

Laurence J. Peter