Compare and Contrast the Maternal Figures in Both Therese Raquin and Antigone.

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It can be seen that there is a contrast between the maternal figures within Therese Raquin written by Emile Zola and Antigone written by Jean Anouilh. A maternal figure is defined as a person who conveys characteristics of a mother, thus not necessarily the biological mother. The only maternal figure seen in Therese’s life is Madame Raquin this is similarly seen in Antigone’s life, as her only maternal figure is the nurse. Both maternal figures have brought up kids that weren’t biologically their own. Both authors have chosen to use situations where maternal love and guidance was either needed or lacked. In Therese Raquin, Zola reveals maternal instincts through different sections of the plot. In both texts, the maternal figures are looking after children that aren’t their own. In the novel Therese Raquin, Madame raquin is portrayed as being obligated to look after Therese. “I don’t know what to do with her…” said Madame Raquin’s brother, “you can have her.” After Therese’s mother died, Therese was given to Madame Raquin because her dad could no longer care for her. It then later states, “he left and was never seen again, he was killed in Africa.” This suggests that Madame Raquin was Therese’s only hope and because of this it seems that she was obligated to look after Therese and bring her up as if she was her own. The author invokes sympathy in the reader for Therese and Madame Raquin, as both have been thrown together due to circumstance. We sympathize with both characters because each had no choice in the matter, however from the novel we as the audience wouldn’t be able to make this judgment had the book not told us so. Madame Raquin has devoted her life to taking care of Camille, even ensuring that Therese will marry him in order to take care of him in the future. In Antigone the nurse is looking after Antigone although she isn’t her own child. The
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