Student Question
How does Shelagh Delaney depict mothers in A Taste of Honey?
Quick answer:
Shelagh Delaney depicts mothers in "A Taste of Honey" through the character of Helen, who is portrayed as neglectful and self-centered, prioritizing her own desires over her child's needs. This negative portrayal underscores the play's emphasis on the importance of nurturing and the ideal qualities of motherhood. While Helen herself is an inadequate mother, the narrative highlights the broader significance and necessity of maternal care.
Helen is the mother figure of the play, and she is presented as an awful mother who thinks only of her own pleasure. She doesn't care about her child and doesn't act as a real mother to her.
However there is also a focus on what mothers "should" be, so one could say that Helen is presented very badly, but the need for a mother and the importance of mothering in general is emphasized in the work.
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