Motherhood In Carmilla
The short novel Carmilla written by Sheridan Le Fanu, has many motifs ranging from homosexuality, to motherhood. Naturally, motherhood is a great time of bonding and growth between mother and child, with the child feeding from the mother, and the mother providing fo the child. Carmilla’s motherhood theme is instead unnatural and a different sort of version than what many individuals may be used to and comfortable with. Motherhood in Carmilla twists woman’s natural role into an unnatural parallel based on the motif of breastfeeding, how Carmilla is a motherly figure towards Laura, in addition to Carmilla’s own need for a maternal figure.
The breastfeeding motif within Carmilla, is displayed as a method of feeding similar to regular breastfeeding. …show more content…
Once Carmilla is introduced to the plot after the carriage crash, her mother immediately takes off stating, “Here am I, on a journey of life and death in prosecuting which to lose an hour is possibly to lose all”(80). Carmilla’s mother seems more inconvenienced by the carriage accident and her daughter’s unconsciousness than concerned. Instead, as soon as Laura’s father offers to take in Carmilla in the meantime, she sets off as fast as she can. As soon as Carmilla wakes up, she asks about the carriage and where her mother is. Laura’s maid answered Carmilla’s questions, “and on learning that her mamma had left her here, till her return in about three months, she wept” (82). Carmilla seems understandably upset that her mother has ditched her with little to no warning whatsoever. These incidents seem indicative of how Carmilla’s mother typically handles her daughter. Carmilla is eternally a child since her vampirism seems to keep her frozen at her current age. Because of her need for a maternal figure and Carmilla’s perpetual youth, she takes to using Laura as a makeshift maternal figure. This exemplifies an unnatural form of motherhood because of the massive age gap between Carmilla and Laura, Laura as the younger but aging mother, and Carmilla as the elder yet eternally young daughter. Carmilla relies on Laura for food via the previously discussed breastfeeding, much like how a child relies on their mother for
The breastfeeding motif within Carmilla, is displayed as a method of feeding similar to regular breastfeeding. …show more content…
Once Carmilla is introduced to the plot after the carriage crash, her mother immediately takes off stating, “Here am I, on a journey of life and death in prosecuting which to lose an hour is possibly to lose all”(80). Carmilla’s mother seems more inconvenienced by the carriage accident and her daughter’s unconsciousness than concerned. Instead, as soon as Laura’s father offers to take in Carmilla in the meantime, she sets off as fast as she can. As soon as Carmilla wakes up, she asks about the carriage and where her mother is. Laura’s maid answered Carmilla’s questions, “and on learning that her mamma had left her here, till her return in about three months, she wept” (82). Carmilla seems understandably upset that her mother has ditched her with little to no warning whatsoever. These incidents seem indicative of how Carmilla’s mother typically handles her daughter. Carmilla is eternally a child since her vampirism seems to keep her frozen at her current age. Because of her need for a maternal figure and Carmilla’s perpetual youth, she takes to using Laura as a makeshift maternal figure. This exemplifies an unnatural form of motherhood because of the massive age gap between Carmilla and Laura, Laura as the younger but aging mother, and Carmilla as the elder yet eternally young daughter. Carmilla relies on Laura for food via the previously discussed breastfeeding, much like how a child relies on their mother for