Bleak House - The Mothers

Mothers who didn't read Doctor Spock, or see Star Trek

In no particular order, except as I think of them. (Which is, in fact, a particular order)

Mrs Jelliby
A woman with a mission! Campaigning for Africa while her own little jelly babies are falling down stairs, wandering after sheep or being enslaved by a prodigious amount of letter writing.

There were two classes of charitable people: one, the people who did a little and made a great deal of noise: the other, the people who did a great deal and made no noise at all."

However, I would quite like to live in a house like that. As long as I wasn't Caddy.

Mrs Deadbeat otherwise known as Lady Honoria Dedlock
I never really took to her. Proud, bored, faints over some  handwriting, reveals herself to her daughter, says they must never meet again (what would the neighbours say) runs all over the place, only to die by her lover's grave. By the time we hear she thought her daughter was dead it was too late for me to love her. And her poor husband!

Mrs Pardiggle
A woman of 'rapacious benevolence', so generous with her children's money. Sticks like a limpet to the undeserving poor once she's stopped knocking everything over. Those kids are so going to turn on her one day.

Missing Mums

Mummy Dedlock (again)
Mrs Rouncewell, although it's not her fault
Mrs Squod (don't know if it's her fault or not)
Mrs Smallweed, but her family probably drove her to suicide
Jo's mum
Mrs Necket who would have been so proud of her family

Yummy Mummies

Mrs Bagnett

Formidable with an umbrella. She makes up for saddling her children with preposterous names by being good and kind and organised and Victorian (when she's not running around sorting out the Captain)

No one else, but Mrs Bucket would have been a great mum. We need more little Buckets in the world.

Other Mothers

Mrs Woodcourt. Snob, scheming, but she must have done something right to produce a hero.

Some of the children become mothers. Caddy is a good one. Charley would be great. 

The Big Daddy of all Mummies

ESSSSSSSSSSSTHERRRRRRRRRRRR

Esther had a faithful doll, who was always there for her. (That's what faithfulness means!). 

 It almost makes me cry to think what a relief it used to be to me when I came home from school of a day to run upstairs to my room and say, "Oh, you dear faithful Dolly, I knew you would be expecting me!" and then to sit down on the floor, leaning on the elbow of her great chair, and tell her all I had noticed since we parted.

She buries Dolly in the garden, and spends the rest of her life modelling herself on the dear old doll in expiation for the matricide, Quiet, unassuming, there for everyone. TBH she does speak out on several occasions, when she thinks it will help, but she always remains Dickens' perfect female. I think.

P.S. OH and I saw Miriam Margolyes presenting her excellent 'Dickens' Women at Hull Truck Theatre. Wish I had read this book first. Esther must have got a look in.