Motherhood Gone Wrong : Failure as Resistance in Twenty-First Century Swedish Literature

• This article investigates three twenty-first century Swedish novels about mothers who leave their children, in light of a contemporary Swedish context, where the nuclear family has gained a stronger position while mothers struggle to balance different ideals. The novels take issue particularly with cultural ideals of good motherhood in two ways. First, the novels represent mothers who engage in a kind of good motherhood that becomes excessive and thus subversive. Second, their representations of failing mothers can be seen as resistance to a discourse that expects women to meet ideals that not only are unrealistic but also emphasize individual success instead of challenging structural inequalities. Moreover, the novels’ representations of family constellations challenge the nuclear family ideal and suggest alternative ways of organizing close relationships.

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur -- Litteraturvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature -- General Literary Studies (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Genusstudier (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Gender Studies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Genusvetenskap

Gender Studies

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)