Immature Mothers as depicted by Shakespeare

Abstract

Shakespeare depicts immature mothers in the plays KING JOHN, KING RICHARD III and CORIOLANUS. Their immaturity is related to their relationships with their sons. None of them are truly introspective, nor do they enter into their sons' feelings. Conversely, their sons are considerate of their mothers no matter how immature they are, and continue to be mentally open to them. Through these sons' attitudes toward their mothers, we are able to feel the perspective of Shakespeare. He does not reject these immature mothers, but instead regards them with sympathy as human beings who are unconscious of their immaturity, and cannot help but live in that way. The present writer wishes to analyze and elucidate the actual states of these immature mothers from the viewpoint of the relationships between themselves and their sons.