On The Theme Of Motherhood In Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Feminist Utopian Trilogy

Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) is an important writer, theorist and socialist aswell as one of the most important feminists in the first wave feminist movement. She fell intothe classic novelists until she was rediscovered in1970s. The main body of her utopianliterature comprises a utopian trilogy, namely, Moving the Mountain, Herland and With Her inOurland as well as a novella What Diantha Did and a series of short stories like The YellowWallpaper, which are systematic and evolutionary. The previous and present scholarship onGilman, home and abroad, mainly concentrates on her novel The Yellow Wallpaper andHerland. Unfortunately, her feminist utopias as a system have not won the scholarly attentionthey deserve.Motherhood, which is a central issue in feminist scholarship, is a vital theme of Gilman’sliterary works, particularly reflected in Gilman’s utopian novels. Gilman is keenly aware ofthe fact that institutionalized motherhood in patriarchal society constructs the crowning gloryin the disguise of exaltation to mothers. While in her utopian world, in order to fulfill theirvalues, mothers have the courage to take off this aura, get rid of the shackle of family andthen entering into the public space confidently. Mothers, are no longer the full-time “nanny”of families, who have rights to choose uncontrolledly and develop in an all-round way.According to Gilman, human reproduction requires mothers, the maintenance of any familycannot be separated from mothers, and the construction of a harmonious society is alsoindispensable from mothers. They can apply the ability of housekeeping to the mission ofmanaging the society, spreading the culture of motherhood. Yet, in patriarchal society,mothers are confined to the home in the disguise of exaltation, which seriously hinders themfrom being independent social individuals. Consequently, it’s imperious and significant tobreak the institutional motherhood and construct a new one under the guidance of feminist. Inher utopian novels, through revealing unique identity, clearing sacred duty and empoweringinviolable right to mothers, Gilman breaks away from the traditional patriarchal motherhoodand constructs the new feminist motherhood successfully.This thesis will try to explore and analyze the theme of motherhood in Gilman’s utopiantrilogy Moving the Mountain, Herland and With Her in Ourland. Emphasis is put on literary discourse and summarizes the profound meaning of motherhood for Gilman, namely,motherhood represents the unique identity, embodies the sacred duty and empowersinviolable rights to mothers. Through depicting the beauty of the utopian world and the chaosof the real society, revealing the crime of institutional motherhood, Gilman advocates mothersto get out of the shackles of family “concentration camp”, to improve themselves and fullyand independently and achieve their values as the social individual. The new motherhood,which enables mothers to stay away from anger and make them no longer conceal theirsweats and tears with aura and flowers, supported by Gilman not only expressesforward-looking, but also enlightens today’s feminist movement. Therefore, the culture ofmotherhood is a “key” in opening the door of social progress.