MOTH RHOODI FRAN

THE SE 'RET GARDEN

b

D ebora h

.,

ni v r ity f
M.L.l. .,

.

e tate

lumbia, 20
ni v r ity, 2 10

BMITT D IN P RTIAL
LFILLM
REQ IREM T F R THE D
M T R IN ART
IN
NGLI H

UN IV R ITY

N RT H RN BRI I H

ep tember 20 15

© Deborah . N ie l en, 20 15

L MBIA

F

T B

OF

0

TE T
..

b tra t
abl

11

f

nt nt

dica ti n and

Ill

ckn wl dg m nt

IV

Intr ducti n
hapt r

ne

hapter Tw

hapt r Three

Pr tty M id

II in a Row :

R
by any ther arne:
Metaph r D r Moth erh d
Mitre

d

ard en a M anin g and

Your
uit
ntrary, H w
u .: R produ cing M th erh ood

onclu i n
Work

finin g M therh

27

44

70

ited

74

Ill

K

I

W

M

an' t u e th at all fm e, i inid f u
Th ugh I'm g n , I' m li k
ng th at ing and igh and
II th

ay b Jann

rd n, 00

been p ibl .
I dedi ate thi the i t m m m ~ r ith ut h r th i w rk wo uld ne er h
rk a he i th m th r I I ok ~ r in lit ratur and in my elf.
h i th in pirati n [! r thi
h mad me th ew man I am t d y. Mi yo u m m.

Thi the i wo uld n t ha b en po ibl with ut th e upport f my fa mil y, Dave, Matt, and
Katie, wh ndured al ng id e me th e I ng writing pr
, wh ~ rfeitcd our dinin g ro m t
book and artie! , and who beli eved in me even when my c nfidence wa haky. hank y u.
Thank y u to ry tal ampb 11 for y ur fri nd hip and ch Jar hip , aturd ay aft em n
coffee that looked like pl ayin g game but reall y w re upp rt, in pirati on, and ren ecti ve
qu e tion .
Thank you to Dr. Dee Hon1e and Barb Dean [! r givin g my grain fan id ea directi on.
Thank you t my wond erful the i c mmitte . Dr. Jacqueline H ll er, y ur moth erhood
course helped me take what were onl y hadow f id ea and full y f01m th em with cholar hip
and refl ection. Dr. Blanca ch rcht for yo ur thoughtful feedb ac k; y u look d upon thi
project with fre h ye .
And , e pecially thank you to Dr. Kri ten ue t, my mentor and my fri end , for yo ur unending
pati ence, th ughtful direction, and per everance. Yo u helped me find my v ic amid the
research and convey the thing I hoped to ay.

fNR

11 t
g dm

nc unt r 1n hildren' lit ratur t k th II rm f fairy

oft n, th

m th r and m th rh

d th t ar

g dm th r, r ar un1 irl n ga ti
k rn 1 f truth t th
ef~ ct and , a

ither imp

ibl t me t, as in the a

, a in th eca e f th

r pre entati n ' th

arc

nn

rarchin g fl cu

th e m th r in ran
haracteri ati n

H dg

f my th

i will

f th fairy

il tepm th r. Whil th r i a

iti e

f m th rh

da a

cia!

amin e m th rh od and th e charac ter of

n Burn ett ' The ecr ' I

arden ( 19 1I ).

nlike traditi naJ

f rn other in chil dren' literatur a either id ali -'"ed r ev il ,

ffer a rich e pi ra ti n f m th rho d a a fl nn f fl minine

cia! id ntity.

urn ett' n ve l
in g Th e

ard n a a ca e tud y, I eek t compli cate ur und er tanding f m therh

ret

f

r implifi cd r e agg rated fl r

a r ult, th ey fl atten r b cure th c mpl

id entity. Th

ctati n

unr ali ti r pre nt ti n

r

d and in

doing o how how Burnett frame m th rho d a a fl m1 of po iti ve ag ncy conn ecting itt
the rn taph r of th e gard en. Readin g Burnett ' nov I in thi way i n t entir ly new - mo t
critic focu to ome d gree on the ag ncy Mary ga in and retain over the c ur e of th e
novel; in what foll ow , however, I link que ti on about Mary' age ncy to th e te t'
representation of motherh od as a di ver e, politi ca ll y- infl ected, and fluid ubject po ition. In
thi re pect, I argue, Burnett c nte t

tati c, binary notions of the mother central to Victorian

culture.
Much of the critical work on The Secret Ga rden empha 1ze it r le in r in for ing or
ubv rting patri archal Vi et ri an norm .

ne group f cholar (

an , Fo ter and immon ,

Key er, Moran, Murray, an I Paul) argu that de pite Burnett' per onal femini ~ tv ie\\ point
th e

k reinfl rce patri ar hal n rm .

in which Mary wa tche

lin and Mr.

reading f CU parti ' U] ar attention on the ,'C CI1 C
ra en r turn to the manor whi l ~ s he r 'mains outsid '.

th r , including
ubtl

ub

c llab r ti
t

rt

i 1 r ('' ard n "),

that Th

unth r, and Par n , b li

ict rian g nd r n rrn , citing th d pl .G minin

nature f m th rh

d r pr

nted in th b

JC

ard 11

k, and th e .C t that th p wer f th

t i 1 ated in th g rd n in whi h Mar r m in . u h d bat hi ghli ght th e
hi h th e gard n i a liminaL

nte t d

Jn

urn tt ' n

f

di agr

ment, I argu th at th ga rd n i at the c ntre f all ten

m therh

d: it n t nl y functi n

way Mary ga in agen
agen y,

ur

a

r. lnt r

fp

a m taph r ~ r m th rh

he and th ga rd n d

I-

t nt t

n th at can b r ad ith r

ning in thi a p ct f criti ca l

a a it

lu i n r a

k, th

f th

n in th b

k related to

d, but i al o entral t th

lop t geth er. Hi t ri call y linked t female

n referr d t a the batt! gr und n whi ch th e wa r aga in t patri archy wa

(Bil t n 7) at th end of th

ict ri an era, gard n blurr d th e lin e betw

pri vate pace , affl rdin g w men a ce

~

ught

n publi c and

t the publi c phere with out overtl y chall engin g

Victorian gender norm . In Burnett' n vel, the ga rd en i

imultancou ly a publi c and pri va te

pace, connected to both the ut id w rld and the famil y home. Lik th garden,
motherhood in TheSe ret Garden fun ti on both in id e and ut id e traditi onal Vi ctori an
rol es and space . Draw ing on the uniqu e as ociati n of the garden in herr pre ntati on of
m therh

d, 1 ugge t that Burnett offer a model f female agency that ubtl y ubvert or

chall enge patri archal norm .
My position on the n vel a a femini t text build on and elaborat
whi ch critica l con en u on Th e ecr >/

arden i clear: th no

ymbolic and mythi c way , and it empha iz
Roxburgh, e aminati n

motherh

fth e ga rd en in Burnett ' \ ork

2

two area for

I pre ent the garden in

d. Beg inning with the \Vork

r

ntinuc t be of kc n int 'rc. t. Such

di

u

1 n

t pt an

inclu

th r g n rati

m nt ·2

natur

ualit ,· 3 and e

f th gard n r gard n a

- riti i m .4 In additi n t r fer n
in clud

myth, mu ch f th di u i n f gard n 1mag

ard n that it i n arl uni

m ther·,

m

h r a th

t Mr . ra en

e

Th :>

'cret

ith th

au, ro b l, and

w rb y in thi po iti n.
ra

n, Mr . owerb y

irg in Ma r , whil e Bi ler (" ard en ")

onn cti n f the ga rd en and m th erh od in The ecret

pecifica ll y on th way

of~ ring in tead a mor

um ett chall ng

binary idea ab ut gcnd r,

pen vi ion f thi ro le. Th book in many way begin quite

conve nti onall y a a hi ldren · t , t, in
Mary and

n

arden a r pre nting a co mmun ity f m th er .

My wn engagem nt
arden ~ cu e

rb t th e

Mr .

Fr e' w rk

r th r le f th id a l

ee Mr .

hil

talgia 1 an

c ntral t Th , e .,. ''

altern at I) attributed t Mr .

rre p nd in 0 1 . th e garde n· Mag i
and natur . Par n c mpar

d, i

ch Jar hip . h r i d

r al in th

t

r fer n e t R u

r a f c n n u , m th rh

Marga r t M Mill an.

ur ; n

olin , are ab ent.

fa r as th e mother

f th e bo k' tw pr tag ni t ,

ritic offer a numb r of expl anati on fo r th e trope of th e ab ent

mother that i ce ntral to many children'

tori e .

rim e . fo r

amp! . argue that th e dead r

ab ent mother motif allows the reader to cope with their maturation and de ire [i r
independence all ow in g th em to '' retain their love forth ir mother yet move towa rd
adultho d" with out de lr yin g the ac tu al relati n hip ( I 0 I ). Thaden a!

u pp rt the the or~

that ab enc , particularl y thr ugh dea th , i a literary d vice that all ow forth p ychological

1

Darcy di cu e th e idea of no talgia in Burnett ' w rk in her art i le "The Repre entation of
Na ture in The Wind in th e WilloH'S and The, ecre / Gorden. "
2
Di us sed in Mari a N ik laj va' arti cle, " cr t arden.. ~ n han ted Pl ace ."
3
Mari e Me eng r avie i on f the few holar t di ·u
e ualit in The ecrct
arden in "' A it f arth ' :. uality and the Rc prcs ntati on of 'hil dhl odin l'c . t and
r en v r i n
f The ' Cr >/ ard ' II ."
4
In " Kindr d Na tur : Th Earthlin g ," Barbara T. Jate di u , c The ccrc:t Garden f'rom
an c -cri ti ci m tance.

f

maturati

fr m ur m th r a

a rating

[! r a

11

m

ra en r pr

d ath all
rang

ard >n, Mr .

r, th ab en

nt ti n f m th rh

ari d r pr

hi ld

f th e

nt the

Bum tt t rem

f alt mati

iI tpm th r and th fair g dm th cr re pec ti
th mph

alt m ati c in Jud e th

. Th

Di ck n and Ben Wea th r taff. th
and Marth a
ard n cro

i all fr m th

t ry and , in d in g

nn

and

, th ir arl y
' t culti va te a

with nurturing qu ali ti c , 'uch a

e V\ h d th e v. rk f m th rh od, uch a Mary'

w rb y, and th gard en it elf. M th erh

ya h

d repre cntati n in The ecret

gend r, - a with Di k n and Weath er taff - cia , - via th e

- and even pati al b undari

tw

d, br a king awa from th

il t pm thcr and th fair g dm th r. Whil e UJ rfi iall y Mr .

binari
ilia

r iI itate Mar ' maturati n.

d

g1 ing th

f Th

pr t g ni t m r latitud [! r a ti
L nn

11

ya h and Marth a

in th gard en it If.

Burn tt' int re tin multipl e m da liti e of moth rin g arguabl y break w ith th e
cari cature and tereo type that frequentl y tructure children·
mother a an archetyp e.

tori

, in tead treatin g th e

xplaining the difference between the e m de , Loi

out that "a rchetype prov id e foundati on to build n and all ow endl e

ib

n p int

vari ety; t reotype

label and limit by a uming all member

f a group share imil ar trait ;" h furth r not

that archetypes work to nrich, wherea

tereotypc onl y "fl atten and ti fl e ·· ( 177). T h

groundbreaking work of andra M.

ilbert and u an 1ubar c n id er the polarizing ffect

f ter otype in depth, ultim ately ugg ting that " th e an ge l-wo man and the mon ter-\ oman"
are actuall y two face of the arne being (20 1). uch int r tin compli cating bi nar
formul ati on

f m therh od uggc t the c t nt to which ur unders tand ing of gend ~r ~d

cia] id entity may be enrich d and e pand cd thr ugh criti ca l ngagement with literature.
My analy i of Th e

>ere! Gard >n build on th imp tu , of su ' h work. B focusing ( n th ~
4

r pr

ntati n f th r 1 ti n hip b tw

m th ring, I, t

att mpt t di pl a

c mpli at d, di

hara t r.

mini t th

f rn th rh

impli cit in my int r t in Th , , T e l
con tru ti n

n th g rd en and th g rd n r a a m taph r f
implifi d

d ha

f m th rh

ard ' 11 , par1i ularl th way in whi ch

cia]

rl - irnpli ti , binary ~ rrnul ati n

f m th ring ar d tcrmin d b

d rcquir

ur fa m r

grappl d with many f the larg r i u

c mpl e r alit . Th b tt m line i th at m th r arc human.
m th rh

d in fa

th at n any giv n day, y u nc d t be ,

fa

any moth er kn w r al
[t and nurturing, ye t firm and

tr ng re idin g in multipl e pi a e along th e perc i ed ontinuum f " fair g dm th er" and
''e iI tepm th er. ..
It i thi rea lit y that femini t ngag m nt
repr ent m therh

[ m th erin g have grappl ed with - h w t

d a the c mpli cat d c n tru cti on th at it i , capturin g thee

nee f

b ing a mother, without I ing the per n behind the r le. In re earchin g thi th e i , n

f

my tru ggle wa to po ition my elf and th e curr nt [! mini t th eori e with in the contex t of
the Victorian period . I believe th at mo t middl -cia

wo rkin g mother in th e late Vi t ri an

peri od tru ggled to find th eir vo ice and make a pace for th em elve th at recogni zed oc icty'
expectati on and limitations while being tru e to their genuine elve and de ire . Burnett, a a
wo man wo rking during that peri d, wa n different. ln additi n, I think that d pit the
pa ing of one hundred year

ince th e publi ca ti on of The ecret

arden, v m n in today'

ociety are ti ll trugg lin g with many of the ame i ue .
Applying femini t ch lar hip to th e Vi et ri an period mean app l ing cont --mporary
femini t cholar hip whi le truggling aga in t imp

ing our utTcnt ideo logic,.

hi struggle

i furth r comp lica t d by the emcrgenc of a d me tic id eo log carl in the nineteenth
centu ry that i b ginnin g to br ak dow n b th e nd o r th
5

i ' t( rian period, the carl

t

nti th
urn tt'

ntur . T addre
li~

and

mpl

thi

it , I r

arch d

rilin g al ng with 111 d rn ~ mini t

ard ' 17 in light f m r

arch all

re arch n

i t rian ga rd n and gard ning lit rature,

re ar h n

urn ett, al ng 'v\iith

In what [! II

ther

111

ith [! mini ·t

ntati n f

ict rian p ri d) and
h Jar hip and

riling - p cifica ll y in th '

n a range f e pre 1 n

f 111 th rh o d in Th e

ard 11 . Th ugh I c ncentrate n th thre bi I gical m th er wh

for under tandin g th n

r ading f Th ,

arden

'

ard ' 11 .

reading f Th '
I [! u

d a well a

h meth d log th at 1 appli ed wa t

d b th urr nt and hi, t ric I f th e

c mbin re ear h n m th rh

and apply thi t a I

h lar hip .

th crack in th e r pr

ed me t

um tt her I f.

m th rh

ict ri n m th rh

' Cret

ffer a [i cu ed c nt xt

I' 111 r 111 taph ric en gag 111ent wi th m th erh od, J al

analyz

both the garden and Mary, it gard ener. Ind ed, Mary i a produ ct of th e m th ering he
receive or doe n t rec ive from b th Mr .
the center of power in Th e Secret

werby and Mr . Lenn x . he i al o ultim ately

arden .

The fir t chapter examin e how w defin e and contextuali ze th e ocial id entity f th e
mother. In addition to looking at the dicti onary definiti on, I pull from hi tori al anal y i ,
fo und ational femini t theory, and archetypal reading of mother and moth rho d to id nti fy
how Burnett' nove l take up and , to om extent, reconfi gure , the late Vi ctori an mother
fi gure. Motherho d in Th eSe ret

arden enco mpa e a multitud e f peopl and

en

place . Rather than a binary y tem, thi repre entati on of motherho d i inclu 1v , ·ro mg
di tincti n of rae , g nder, cl as , and even pace. In th nov I, r pr entati n of
motherh od appea r in a number of character , including tho e who p --r form mothcnng ~ ork,
u h a Martha and Mary'

ya h; th o. e with nurtu rin g qu aliti e , uch as Di ·k.on and Ben

W ath r taff; i I gica l mother , including Mr . ow rb , Mr ·. Lcnno. , and Mrs. ra\cn,
6

and th gard n
t

nurturing

hi h b th p

tua1 r Jati n hip b tw

m th

n th

actual m ther-child r lati n hip ut id th unr

a m th r. 1 argu that th

iliti
JITI

te th

C

mpl

f the

iti e

li ti binari e th at und erpin

ial

typ

In hapter tw , I [! u

n th id ea l m th r a th

Vi t n an n

1, di cu ing th ga rd n a

h

thi fi gur

ing h

th gard en and m th erh
thi n

nabl c

pirit

h haunt

m taph r [! r m th erh

urn tt t ··r

n il e lth J pp

urn ctt ' late

d and w men and
iti n " ~ und V\ ithin both

d and "tran ~ rm th em int a pirati n " ( ranci and 1J ter J 0) . In

I, I ugge t, th ga rd n pl ay a c ntral r le in r

fl male ag n y. My reading draw

n garden hi t ry and

alin g hi t ri ca! ambi valence ab ut
ict ri an gard enin g literatur t

demon trate how Bum tt ubtl y prom te the [! mini t age nda. M ving to a clo c readin g f
the nove l' moth r , I furth er e amin e how Bum tt ' r pre entati n f m th ering ugge t an
alternati ve to dominant fl nn of lat -Viet ri an g nd er id entity.
In chapt r three, through clo e reading of th e tex t, I exa mine the role f Mary and
how Mary' wo rk in th e ga rd n demon trate a n w m del of moth erho d a ac ti v
parti cipation. I argue that Burnett'

pec ifi c onn

ti on betwee n Mary and th e

offer an alt m ati ve t the traditional middl e- and upper-c ia

cret garden

Victori an model of

motherhood and that by u ing the fi gure of a child , Burnett i pointin g t the futur and it
po ibil itie . I di cu

how the much debat d ending of the bo k and it imp lica ti on f r

ubverting r enforcing patri archal n01m can ac tu ally be r ad a both all wing the reader to
decid e on th eir own futur path.

7

H P

R

:P

R W:

I

TY M I

and de p rati n . ( ' R ill qtd . in

When I began my gradu ate " rk in hildren' lit ratu re in
ju t D r m th r in lit ratur but D r

mpl e

rg

-a m th r lik m m ther, lik the mother I tri
b

arden and

turned t

ull er, n.1 .)

I , I b gan t

d m th r : f p iti

arch n t

' p w rful 111 th er

t b . Lik th e littl e bird in th P. . Jame

k, A r Yo u My Mot her?, I began a qu e, t t find r pre entati n

ultimat ly I d m t The ecret

5

H RH

111 I 111 ight ha

mb
in that m m nt f al n n

M

INI

ranee H dg on

f thi m ther.

urn ett.

hi qu e t

I ng th way, I

di covered that my earch wa m re co mplica ted th an impl y findin g exa mpl e of g od
m ther . Thi chapter r c unt thi qu e t and e pl ain why findin g a repre entati n of g

d

m th r i m re c mpli ca t d than it fir t appear .
pon etting ut t find a good m th er, I began to think about how oci ty d fin e,
mother and motherhood. What eemed impl e enough - a mother i th e fe male par nt fa
child - quickl y revealed it elf as mor complicated th an thi . Bi ologica ll y, a moth er i the
female parent of a child , but what ab ut all the thing a mother doe or repre ent ? Many
wo uld agree th at a mother cares for yo u, play with yo u, and teache you. Yet, uch
a umpti ns- pl ea ant and apparentl y beni gn a they may appea r - rai e significant
qu e tion about the ocial con truction of motherh od. What do we do with bad mothers'?
Abu ive m ther ? What about a gay coup le? Where doc the

cia] idea of mothering begin

r nd, and what ocial and politi ca l end d e it , erve.

5

Mu h o f thew rk for th i chapt r wa produc d f( r JN DR 69 : Theoric of Motherhood
with r. Jacqueline II II r.

uld find a g
h t

n titut
m th rh

di p r

d m th r, I n d d t kn
n titut

nal · w all ha

ur initial d

ag

d m th r. It i im

am th r , and

a l

ripti n [ m th nng ft n r fl ct

rt nt t r c gniz that

take pla

[ u r w n h m , th e a I
m,

v r, it i

ur e 1 ri nee. II

p liti c l. Whil moth erh

t m th rho d i al

ft n m th r ar judg d (fr m th

king [! r : what

m of u , includin g m . elf are m th r .

imp rtant t rec gmz

li[i .

what I

d and moth ring

ccur in th publi c arena of v ryda y
ad a ul man, r Kate

os clin , both

f wh m be am m th r in them die) t the an nym u m th cr o r mi 'behaving children
in the gr cer

that we

Marj ri M

O\'el: From tereotyp ' to Archetyp '. th e er;

m1ick ugg . t in Mothers in th e f;_ng lish
rd " moth er attac he [it elf] t a c mpl e

et of image and m ti on from th e broad! politi al t th e inten ely per onal" ( iii) .
Rec gnizing both the per

nal and p litica l id

acknowledge that we oft n view m th rh
archetyp

( ib

f m th rh

d mean we need t

d in tenn of ter otype , cari ca ture , and

n) .

In approaching th topi c of moth rhood in Th e Secret Garden, it wa imp rtant t
tabli h paramet rs around th e scope of motherhood , mother , and moth ering, n t onl y a I
under tand them now but in an attempt to place them in hi tori ca l per pecti ve. The ecret
arden was publi hed in 1911 and Bum tt, who was b m on Nov mb er 24, 1849, wa

profoundl y influ need by Victorian dom e ti c ide l gy even a

he trained again t it

( erzina). In li ght f di cu i n that Burnett' "' rk , pec ifi ca ll y The ecret Gun/en,
ubv ti patriarchal norm , it i nece ary to e amine Vi tori an id eo logic of motherhood in
order to und r tand fu ll y th e co nt
pr vid thi

t in which the n vel wa produced. Thi ·hapter will

nte t, e amining d finiti n

f moth rhood , as we ll a. the , tercot yp 'S,

an atur

and arch t p

d finiti n m

th

and th r b

urr und d m th rh

th t ha

it

i t rian r .

I. D finin g th W rk fM th rh

d
ith bi 1 g - a mother i

finin g a m th r ft n b gm

me n wh g1v

t a child . ulturall it i n t quit thi

impl , and ba ing th definiti on

fail t r

cial co n ·tructi n f m th rh

gn1 z th

hap

mpl e it

f th

lely n bi I gy
d; lo kin g up th

definiti n [ a m ther in th

xford English

ictionwy qui ckly dem n trate. h w In

thi

c ording to th

xj'ord En /ish Dictionwy a m th er i :

imp! d finiti n an b

birth

lv d

the ~ male parent of a human being: a w man in relati n t a child r children t
wh m he ha giv n birth ; a wo man

h und e11ak

th r p n ibiliti e of a

parent toward a child , esp. a tepm th r; [w] manl y qu aliti e (a taken t be
inh rit d fr m the m th r); maternal qu aliti e

r in tinct , esp. maternal

affection; a qu ality, in tituti on, pl ace, etc., that pr du ce , pro tect , nurture , r
u tain people, id ea , etc.; a qu ality, conditi on, event, etc., that give ri

to r 1

the ource of s mething. A I o: a pl ac regard ed a engend red or n un hin g
something; [a] country, city, etc., in relati on to it nati ve [a in Mother Country];
nature rega rded as a fund am ntal, e p. protectin g and nurturin g, force ...
per onifi ed in [a in Mother Natur ]." (

D, moth er)

A thi definiti on sugge t , in it most ba ic fonn motherhood i a bi I gica l act. In addition
to bi ology, how ver, the role f mother ha been

tend d t includ any woman who take ,

re pon ibility [i r a child , a w II a qu aliti es con ider d a matemal, u ·h a affection ani
nu1iure. ocial m aning have tak n a imp! biolog ica l ac t and cr a ted a ·ompli ·a ted

10

n tru ti n.

pr

ing thi

mpl

it

rrni k id ntifi

M

iii) in v.hi h " [m] th rh

" fundam nt I parad

rea unng f human in tituti n ,

di

n

m tim it i

t at th

m th rh
fth

111

t uni

f th m

n

da a

all b gan li~

r al and

t e clu

e, e

ith am th r.

111 , teri

u " ( iii) . M th rh

d i um

r al in

H

r, lik th d finiti n,

h n

gin t c n id r th e c nstructi n f m th rh

nili t in the und er tanding f m th erh

far fr m impl .
ial

ript

[; r a

f m th rh

d further ari

I, it i

ur

b au

n ur und r, tandin g f th bi I gica l act of gi in g

d nc de

f hild and m th er" ( iii ) that

birth . Me

rmi k re

c n titut

" hildbirth a a tran ~ rm ati\ e . peri en e" ( iii). In

gm ze a ·'p

n

u Ii r int rd pend n

/Woma n Born.

dri nn e

Rich imil arl y remind u th at "[ 111] th e rh o d i earn ed .. . thr ugh an inten e ph

ica l and

p yc hic rite f pa age - pregnanc y and birth" ( I ~).
and

uch claim

ugge t th at ur per nal

cia! cript ab ut m th ring c mplica te h w w inhabit m th rh

d a a c mpl ex and

often paradoxical ocial con tru ction.
ne complication to the ocial c n truction of m th rh od i th e id ea f who
fun ction as primary caregiver and who provid e continuing ca re. De pite the fact th at a child
become a eparate entity after birth, it care ha only b gun . Thu a Ri ch note we move
into the p ych lo gical and ocia l a pect of motherhood. Ri h remind u that "[t] o 'mother'
a child impli e a continuing pre ence, Ia ting at lea t nin e month , mor often for y ar "and
that "m t ofu were rai ed by our moth er , or by women who ~ r love, nece it , or m ne.J
took th e pl ace of our bi logical mother " ( 12). Ri ch maintain th at moth rhood i a

"

ntinuin g" pr
tability - but al

hand

e

arguing that "[ f] r mo t f u a w man prov id ed the co ntinuit and
th rej ction and refu al

f ur ea rl y live , and it i '' ith a \\Oman' s

ey , b dy, v ice, that w a ociate ur primal

II

n ati on , ur carli . . st ·ocial

e peri n e" 12 . Ri h furth r r

gm

th t th nurturing r 1 w m n ft n play i n t

in tinctual but r th r l am d, and that ~

( 12) f m th rh

" [m]at rn a! pra ti

it fr m being

d a 1 rn d pra ti c cl

d. M th rh

bi 1 gical r " natural" pr

t d t " be natural and pia th part"

. In " Mat rnal Thinkin g,"

" r th \\ rk of m th rin g " i g

r ati n, gr wth. and a

pur ly

ra Ruddi k c ntend th at

ern ed b ... sa ti f in g [th e J I mand

pt bility" in nurturin g a child 98). Ruddi ck fu1i her a crt

th at whil e m th r ar ' rare! give n prim ar

r dit" G r th eir , u e

m th r typ ica l! h ld her elf, and i h ld b

th r , re p n, ibl e [! r th e ma lfun ·tion of [the]

gr wth pr c

"(9 ). Whil Ri h b gin

in thi " prac ti e". "a

ith bi I gy, b th Ri ch nd Ruddi ck emph a ize th

c ntinuing r le fa m th er in a child· I ife p int ing t herr le and ocietal e pectati on of
her rol a the primary ca regi er fa hild . Thi careg1vmg 1 referred to a th ew rk f
m therh

d.
oncen1ing the work of m therh od, th ere i

ome debate v r wh

hould be

primarily re pon ible D r the child . h doro w point out th at. " [i ]n a c n enti nal nu clea r
family, the primary attachment fi gure i almo t alway the mother." th ough he al
recogni ze th e need to "di tin gui h atta hm ent from dependence" (3 8) a highli ghted by
Bowlby and others. he ugge t "[a] child i de pende nt on wh e er i prov idin g ca re at any
m ment, wherea attachment devel ps in re pon e to the qu ality f intera ti on, and not to
hav in g prim ary ph y iologica l need met" (3 8). When appli d t a d finiti on of motherhood
eem t all ow for oth r typ
that of bi l gy. hinkin g bac k t Ri ch'
m th er , or by w men v. h . .. t

of bond betwe n a child and a caregiver beyc nd
tatem nt about how " mo t of u v. ere rai cd b) our

k th e pi a e of ur bi oi gi al mother.," ( I _) and

rec gnizin g that wh th r by ch i e r by chance bi ologica l mother. may not serve a · primar

12

ar g1

f th ir hildr n, th r

[! r alt

p

mati

u h a n nme , t p m th r and

urr gat m th r .
umpti n ab ut nurturing and arin g ~ r a child ugg t th way that ul tural and
cia! id a ab ut g nd r in~ rm the prim ar
traditi nall r p n i le [! r th prim ar ca r
and

hibit nurturin g qu aliti . H

er,

ar

f a hild .

Jth ugh wo rn n w re

f children, it i n t on! w m n wh p
h n fa th r tak

n th r le f prim ary ca r giver

to their childr n, pi a ing th m in a p ·iti n where th e d th e wo rk tereo typi al f
m th rh

d r

hibit nurtu ring qu aliti e t

ard th eir childr n, d th

lab I ··fath r" or ar they effl ti el b co ming m ther .
bi I gy al new uld limit itt

e fa th er retain th

rtainl y, d IJnin g m th rh

d by

· ri en remind u th at hi t ri ca ll y the ''c hildbea rin g

fu ncti on" ha re ult din the a umpti n that w me n are th natu ral prim ary ca regiver
children (49) . H we
incon equ enti al.

f

r, bell hook c unter that th gend er of the prim ary ca regiver i

hildren require ffec ti ve parenting wheth r th at c me fr m a fa th er or a

mother. hook hi ghlight the work of Iiza beth Bad inter, wh argue that with th in urgenc
of fa ther into th e parenting phere ·'th e e men ar b co min g pa rent , effecti ve fa ther . They
are not b co min g moth er "(qtd . in ho k 149). I wo ul d argue that whil e it i po ible ~ r
anyo ne to p se

nurturing qu aliti es, the e alon are not enough to defi ne

m on a a

mo ther and while nurturing i not limited t wo men, the ex peri nee f motherho d i .
11. Representing Moth rho d in Vi et n an iterature and oc iety
eyond thee m1 lex iti e a oc iat d with the li ed e peri nee of moth erhood in
twenti eth and tw nty- fir t c ntury w tern oc ial conte t , c ncept · of moth 'rhood arc also
subj ct both t hi t ri a! deve lopm ent and to hi stori ca l! , pec ifi c fo nns or reprcs --ntation

that hap

ur und r tanding f thi

additi n t

hildb anng th p r

in tru ti n [

lr I .

r
tm

cia! kill but n t nee

nan p n d, in

amp le, during th

d in th

tm

aril th prim ar

[ th child .

ar g1

In hildr n' lit ratur , whi h ma pr [! und l influ n e a hild '
Ian,

und r tandin g f m th rh

d

ha k r) r pr

ntati n

ften

m therh

agg rating

d, r

ammtng

re ult, veen p int

ib

nal

emare t, and

r implifying an imag

triking char cteri ti c t cr at a c m1

r grote qu

[
ef~ ct.

uch a Peter Pan, Mw y Poppins , and A /t ee 's
n

a

nd ca rica ture ab und .

ut, whil "chara teri zati n

"th e imp! r and m re ter a typi ca l r
(223).

n H nneb rg, K rt nhau and

e and cari ca turize,

ict ri an hi ldren' n

A dventure. in J11onderland

ib

[! und ati

f fa th er we re more de ripti e" (224),

f th m ther need d n th r ugh d

ripti n

imil arl y, Me om1ick find m th er charac t r d crib din term ranging fr m

"co mi c ideki ck to trag ic lead" ( iv), often "tedi u , tupid, narr w, r elf- invo lved - or el e
o elfl e

a to make th em unpalatabl e" ( v). Th e fl atn e

of moth er in children' Iiterature

of the Victorian period thu appear t be in direct contra t to the public rh etoric of
motherh ood a a governing id eal, th ugh both work t limit th

cia! p wer and p liti al

agency ofw men.
The Victorians ought t elevate and idealize m therh ood in a mann er that wa a
unrea li ti c a th e ar hetype , t reo type , and ca ri ca ture fo und in children' literatur

fth

tim . ln The Ma t rna/ Vo i ·e in Victorian Fiction, Thaden app rov ingly qu ote Bernard'
judgement that " [t]hi im age f the id al, ever-pre nt, ev r-1 ing, all re ·pon ible mother"
wa "a nineteenth- entury Victori an cr ati n" (qtd . in
Viet ri an

haden ). Thaden point cut that the

ought t c nn ct moth rho d with a number o f largcl midd le-cia s id --ologi "' S

in luding th cult of d m ti ity, th Ang I in th !louse, and th ' de ctrin' of scpamt'
14

pher . Harri
and

id

rah ti kn

n id nti fie

, a an imp rtant earl

om , li Habit. ( l

~

IYom n of ~ 11 land: Th

[! rmu lati

r ~ IIi and h r upp rt r it w

m rnage nd h r

n f the th

o ia/

iet ' m ral

"a um d th at a w man

g al in life wa

ati n t b ar and rai e hildr n" (

uti 'S

f d m ti c

vv m n a

th t p iti n d mid le-cl a

1 g and

c mpa

II i ' , Th

ntr Patm re' p em ''I h

).

erm n " f

uee n

' ard en " furth r

ad an d thi id e I g , rti u lati ng th e id ea I f vv m n a man

pp

ite: depend ent, d cile,

1g linth II u e" (l

4- 2) nd.l hnRu kin '

p id lab ur m

and m rail nurturing.

d awa fr m th e arti

h m t a m d I in whi ch m t w rk t ok pi ce in offi c
ughtt

parat middl e-c ia

the na tine

f bu in e .

w men fr m th e publi c

nal wo rk ba d in th e

or fact n e ,

ciety in crea in gly

they w uld remain untainted by

ct ty made w m n re p n ibl e for the moral guid ance of

childr nand the re torati on f men '

pirit up n th eir r tum t th e home aft r bein g ut in

the wo rld . Whil e mo t famili e may have accepted thi idea l, h wev r, th e rea lity often fell
hot1 (Thad n) . For exampl , whil e th expectati n of middl -clas

ci ty wo men, both

mother and daughter , wa to lead live of r lative lei ure, h u. ehold income oft en would
not upp rt enough

rvant to maintain thi lifl tyl . Thu , rea lity nee

itated that both

m ther and daughters perform hou eh ld duti e to en ure the h u eh ld operated effecti vely.
ven in hou eholds with a uffi cient number of ervant to perform required hou ehold
duli e , moreover, women were compli cil in the evi I of th e " bu in
ac ted a the manager

" V\ Orld ince they often

f th e hou ehold laff within the priva te phere r perfo nned the

unpaid "wo rk '' of adva ncing th e hu band/fath er'

cia! p

iti n ia network or fema 1c

acqu aintance. Phi lanthropi c work, such a fundrai ing and carin g for th sick, a! o aiiO\\ c i
w men t pu h a k aga in l thi b undary by

tending th ir moral inllucn ·c outside the

15

h m . Thu

w

an c n lud th t d pit the rh t n , th b und ari

w r n ith r tab] n r uni_G nnl

mpl

phy ica lit
addr

k n ignifi ant alu a

n

f th mam ar a

r

p iall

it p rtain d t

e ualit

th r.

ed thi diffi ult b

a

tn n

uality t the point f I ing h r phy ica lity.

r ntr nching the i

nd childbirth (
typ

al f th
wa a m th er'

ver). Victori an

f th e piritu ali L d W man, dev id f

hi lac k f ph y icaJity i in part what

ev r,

appear in lit ratur , re[i r t when he n te th at

the ideal Viet ri an m th r wa "th e gh t th at haunt th e Vi t ria n no el" (x i).
image, D v r ca ll attenti n to th e c nundrum th at
recognize- the c ntradi cti n , or ar a

pher

1 , paintin g, and poetry,

ntr di cti n [i r th

mbra ing the ter

wh e amine th mat mal fig ur a

parat

d.

mid uch pra ti al amb iguit , r pr ent ti n
among ther [! nn ) t

f

in g thi

orh am, H It rlin e, and Me lintock al o

f ten i n within id a ab ut th e id ea l Viet ri an

mo ther. By portraying a mother a entirely piritu al, in es ence,
vi rtuou and pure woman from her ow n body. In return ,

ci ty di c nn ected th e

ciety inve ted w men with

increased ymb lie power a a m raJ comp a s - though at the ex pen e f per onal freedom
and agency.
he Victori an middl e-cia s moth er' ro le in caring fo r her children v a al
paradoxica l. Whil e being r oted, literall y, in the home, h wa al o bound by ocia l
restri cti ons that kept h r
mother

parat from her children. D pite the curr nt p r cption that

h uld be intimately re pon ibl e for the ca re o f children on a dai ly ba i , rc earch

h w th at the Vi t ri an m th er "had limit d re pon ibilitie for th phy ical care of the
child b cau e thi ca re wa a ign d to a nur e" (I lclterlin e 59 I). ' orham concur. noting,
"[ ]hara teri ti ca ll y, thr ugh ut the Vi tori an p ri od, th child r" n ofupp 'r-middlc class
16

famili

Ea. t Ly nn thi

bri f p ri d " (I 7). In th n

I wa n

th ir par nt

rid and th

li ed in a

r [! nd f bein g tr u I d

I h ld an pini n, M dam

ith childr n. Wh n m

f th e \

ri d, in fri

wh

n

n the pp

m ,w kn

her are

1d n t

ite ide. T hey are never happy but when with th eir children;

a inecure. Th children are noi y, trouble
the moth er' temper grow

m. hey wa h

Ia e , and th nur e'

ffi c

me, ro ; all childr n will be

oured, and he give

. he ha no lei ure, n

as they gr w old h lo e her auth rity.
children, cro

, wh ' 1 tin

m r r preh n ibl ; but th ere are th er

them, fee d th m, r nd ering th em lve

babie , he gave ki

f th

n

m th e be t pl ace. [! r th m.

lr

th y mu t b in th nur ry; r, th e children in the draw ing r
them, dr

[! r

wn gr w up int

lit , wh ll y neglect th m: f th

peak; n thing ca n be m re th ughtl e

tting an

man m th r pur ue a mi tak n

m , th at t

y tem in th manag ment f th ir fa mil
th pl ea ur

db

pr

rfull

p

d, I hall d m the nur r and th e ch

childh

nl in a [! nnal

· and

'

lap where, when th y were

pirit fo r any hi gher training: and

ne who i wea ri ed, ti red out with her

when they pl ay, r make a little

tra n i e whi ch ja r on her

untrun g nerve,who ay,' Y u han' tdo thi :you hallbe till ,'andth at
continu all y, i

ur to be rebell ed aga in t at Ia t: cannot be oth rwi e. (Wood

464)
uch attitude were r

t d in cla

a pec t of g nd er. H w

er, i r th i , wa. the ideaL the

rea lity wa oft n differ nt for middl e-clas and lower-inc me fam il ies.

s with hou sehold

h r , if the famil y c uld nl y upp rt one er ant, ca re lo r the childre n natural!
17

fell to the

m ther (

rham . D pit p r pti n
nth

h

ntur

n rai ing hildr n
mat mal in

t nan m th r. I I It rlin ' r ear h

b ut th id al
[! 1

ard t th

urr nt p ri d th r ha b n an

ith c rr p nding e p

tati n

b ut th

el f

pcctati n ab ut m th rho d

rn

ut fth

ment.

Whil many f ur
ictorian p ri d, hi l n t

ci tal

that " rath er th an an a

urate depi ti n f Vi tori an

m t It n ee a" aniti z d'' er i n th at ali gn v..i th urn
en ibiliti .. 1).

ike D

er,

rham, and Lang land

cicty, we

talgia and " tw nty- fir t century

hi e! qu

ti n th e

lidity f th e

Viet ri an d me ti idea l arguing th at it wa fl awed fr m the beginnin g and n t reprc entati ve
of th r ality fVic t ri an

ciety. H It rl in argu

th at in practice " th e middl e cia

Viet rian m th r probabl y pent n m re, and maybe 1

tim e with her children th an th e

co ntemporary wo rkin g moth er" (6 12). The hi tory of moth erh

d durin g th e pe ri d

Helterline examine, 1899-195 9, h w an increa e in the moth r' r po n ibiliti e rath er
than a decrease. Thi i partly du e to le

reli anc on th e nur e or goveme

and parall el an

increase in perceptions about the importance of th e moth r' role in children' moral.
intell ctua1, physical, and psychological developm ent. Therefore, despite the lingering
rh t ric around the

ngel in the Hou

idea l, th e cult of dome ticity, and th e id

separate phcre , Adrienne Rich how that women of the mid 1950

logy f

pent more ti me caring

for their chi ldren and felt more "trapp d" by m th erhood th an the averag mi dd le-cia
Victori an mother.

In exa mining moth r in The

'ere!

arden within their hi . tori ca l con tc t, it quick!

become clea r that d pite th rhct ri c of the cult f dome ti city, th power of the An gel in
the I lou

an mb Jem f femininity, and th ide logy o f ·cpara t ' , phcr "'S , th 'S C ideals

w re ft n n t ub tantial t th li
m d 1 pr m t d b

ci t

rking

m n

ft n

mc d

m

l

l

J g

[ eparat

ar n

[a

ph r

[r pre entati n]

).

m n but rath r a pirati nal

f r al

ic t n an w m n au th r

tl y middl e-ci a

that th c n tructi n [the id al m th r wa m r
and d

trine

made it app ar.

wa furth r c mpli at d a the
f the id al m ther··

p n nc

m

mplicat d than traditi nal alu
id

d

uch a th

r tho

wh

ng J in th H u e and
ere al

m th er thi c nfli ct

" r th e pr bl em in th eir oc ict '

n tru tion

had n ugg t that th eir writin g ffcrcd a 'm re va ri ed

f m th erh

m therh od wa a acr d pr

d" ( ). W rking aga in t th

nt mp rary prec ncepti n th at

n and that m th r wh were auth r c uld not pr perl y

focu their attenti n n their children, many ~ male auth r cho e t write und er a
p eudonym and did not p rtray w rkin g moth r in th ir fi ti n.
biography that a a working m ther Burnett wa

r.t:ina dem n trate in her

ften caught between her w rk and her

family and a the prim ary breadwinn r was ultimately required t make

m t ugh

deci ion . On a number of occa i n , Burn tf writing caree r, her children. her marri ag ,
and own her health 6 co llided ( erzina). Perhap thi i one expl anati on forth multipl ,
diver e expres ion of motherhood role in The ecret Garden : a a moth r and an author,
Burnett ought t dem n trate th e compl exiti e of thi

itu ati on. Jn Th

ecret Garden, I

w uld co ntend , Burnett crea te a wide range of characte r who m ther or nUJ1ure, a a
refl ecti on of a m re r ali ti c appr ach t an w ring th full range f the need of a child.

6

erzin a' bi graph y on ranc Hodg on urnett re 'OLlllt sc era] occa ·ion ' h 'n Bumett
wa b dridden du to th tre
nd hau tion of we rking and p 'rf()mling her household
re p n ibiliti .

lll. Th

M r . LiIi a

ra

n(

ard 11

din Th

p trum fM th rh

Iin ' m th r , M r .

rb ( i k nand M rtha '

n vel , ar u uall

nl addr

Mar ' moth r) , nd Mr . u an

th er are th bi I gi al m th r in Th '

111

' T 'l

ard 'n .

ul rl y in ighte nth nd nin tecnth c ntury

rmi k n te that m th r m n

M

nn

d a ' Mr ' indi ating a lac k f a definit id ntity r in[! reed
h argu

th at " th e id entity o f a 111 th er a an individual

by th ab

n e f

tend t b

ub urn d b h r id entit) a a m th e r.. (, i\ ). It i intere tin g, th en, th at Mrs.

Lenn

i the nl y m th r in The e Tel

f h r character. While all thr e

arden n t giv n a fir t name, ren ctin g th e fl atn e

omen are m th er , ac h f th e bi I gica l moth er i quite

dif[i rent fr m n an th r th r and r p

ti v ly i a

ciated with a different pace. Mr .

Lenn x, for exampl e, onl y make a bri ef appea rance in th e n vel at th e h u e in Indi a.
!though we ncounter Mr . ow rb y in a numb r f pace , includin g th ga rd en, th e
man r, and her own home, he i mo t trongly a

cia ted with th e moor where mo t of her

mothering work occur . The pac a ociated with Mr . raven i th

ecret gard en at

Mi elthwa ite, lovingly crea ted for herb h r hu band . Thi s garden wa th

it

f her dea th ,

and has been locked up ever since.
In " Domesti catin g Br nte' Moo r : Moth erhood in The ecret Ga rden,"
c nnect the dead ili a

nna

raven with the id eal mother as he moth er both Mary and

il er
olin

indir ctl y through th Magic of th garden. Thi argum ent wo rk for Mr . raven but is
, who al o di e in the no

I. Although upon

initi al exa min ati on Mr . raven and Mr . enno appear to be the p

itive and n gati\ '

probl matic when we c n id r Mr . Lenn

nature o f th m ther fi gur - ne kind and gentl e whil e the other i , elfi sh and t ranni ca l th e two hare n ornam ntal quality and carry out role , as ocia tcd wi th their social cl ass
20

m

far a n ither p rb nn th ph i al

th

ry that~ r upp r-middl

Ia

rk f m th ring. Mr .

nd upp r Ia

rt

m n ni nc that h uld b k pt fr m int r~ ring
m th r " ( had n

n

ial

th r . Wh r cla

rk [ m th ering.

t ra nd

a an arth m ther, wh , in c ntra t t Mr . enn
p

iti

ffcc t

f th e moth ring

f th If

~ r b ing far t

and ab n

ali gn Mr .

cia! cia

and

imm n d crib Mr .

werb y

and Mr . rav n, dcm n tratc th

pen cnce.

In additi on to bi oi gical mother , The
di spl ay quali tie often a

"an

ith th pi a ure and intri gu

w r
p r[i rm th

th

h dul t teach Mary appr pri at behavi r ( J 1),

he i p inting t th pr bl em f unin

there[! re d

pit m1z

men, hi ldr n

. When Mr . raw [! rd riti tze Mr . cnn

ncern ed ab ut h r app earanc and

I1J1

"Cr 1

ard 11 ha a number f character who

ciated with moth rin g r pr vid e altern ati ve t ex i ting m th er .

The two character wh act a alten1ati ve to the bi ol gi al m th er inclu de Mary' Aya h in
India and Martha owerby, at Mi elthwait . Th aden remind u that unlik current
the Victorian upper-middl e cia

and upp r cia

ciety,

moth er did n t attend to the prac ti cal need

of the child , but rather thi wa u ually the wo rk of a nann y or goveme

(6). Fr m the

moment of her birth, Mr . Le1mox delega te her parental rc p n ibilitie to thee tent that,
und er Mr . Lenno ' ord er , the Ayah g e to grea t length not t in olve Mr . Lenno in
Mary' s care (Burnett 5). Whil e Martha owerb y are fo r Mary, her re p n ibil itie align
m re cl ely with tho e of a ervant rather than a mother. Martha doc in truct Mary u ing
the age advice fh er wn mother, Mr .

we rb y, a in thi c,·amplc, "[b] ut mother . a) S ) OU

ought t be lea rn in ' y ur boo k by thi time an' yo u ought to ha e a wo man to look alter) ou"
(5 ).

21

th r charact r in th b

kp

b undari . Ph IIi Bi 1 r rgu

that

u uaJly h ld b w men . In Th
argum nt that nwiur nt p

um tt ften pia

cr can tran

nd gend er.

ga rd n r n t nl ' nurture th plant , but al
r t re th

cr t gard en t it

d mal fi gur

n W ath r taff and

urd 11

7

gen

nuriuring qualiti

k ep th

r nd pa

in nwiuring r
i k n reinfl rc th

n Weather taff, the gruff
hildren '

riginal b aut . imil arl , il

tat

e ret and help them

r argu

th at Burn ett ' w rk

in Jude multipl m th r figure , in luding men, in ffec t dem n trating th at " moth erh o d i
n tan e

ntiall y fl male a ti it but a hum an ne" ( I 6). I·

ick n i trul hi m th er'

ter and , imm n n te that

n emul atin g her emp ""' rin g m th erh o d t le when h ac t

a a urrogate m ther "r cuing and helterin g" ( I 4) animal . Druley al o ee
m th r fi gure who "c hoo

th e work of moth ering, di

ickon a a

ve rin g a great deal of j y fr m th e

work. He moth r th earth , and through the ea rth , h moth r b th

olin and Mary back to

health" (63). Dickon' capacity D r nurturin g can be seen a Mary recount th e fl II wing
tory for

olin,

[t]he new-bom lamb Dickon had found three day before lyi ng by it dead mother
among the gor e bu h

on the moor. It wa n t the fir t moth rl e

lamb h had

found and he knew what to d with it. He had taken it to th e cottage wrapped in
hi jacket and he had let it n ar the fire and had fed it with wam1 milk. ( 140)
ickon know exactl y what the Jittl moth rle
what m th erl es Mary and

lamb need ju t a he in tinctivcly know

olin need .

inall y, mu ch of The ecret

urden cholarship identi fie Mary a a mother fi gure .

ixl r (" ard en '')a rgue that Mary' trea tm ent f olin place · her in a motherin g pos iti on.

22

a m ther fi gur

int r ting in

M r

f ca lm, g ntl m th rh

far a

he d

but rath r 1

d" M ran

"the traditi na l imag

n tp
f~ cti

lin

wh n h c nfr nt

u m m1 r ,

Hi fa c 1 k d dr adful ,
ch king; but a
" If

u

II n, and he

hit and r d and

a ga pin g and

g littl e Mar did n t ca re an at m.

r am an th r

r am," he aid . ·Til

rea m t

- and 1 can cr am

I ud r th an y u can and I"ll fright n y u, I' ll frighten y u! "
H actually had topp ed cream in g b cau
which had b n c ming alm
fac and he h ok all

he had tartl d him

t choked him . he t ar w r

. Th

cr am

treaming down hi

r.

" I ca n' t top! " he ga ped and

bbed . " I can ·t - I an ·u··

''You can!" houted Mary. " Half that ail yo u i hy teri

and temper - ju t

hy teri cs - hy teric !"and he tamped each tim e he aid it. ( 125- 126)
Mary i

ucce ful in mothering olin prec i ely becau e he confront him on hi s own t rrn

and in a like manner.
inally, even pace pl ay a rol e in mothering a man y ch Jar not the power of the
ga rden t " mother" or pl ay a role in Mary and
th gard n a

o lin ' deve lopm ent. Bi . ler ("Garden ") ee

ynonym u with moth rhood, b th a a metaph r for th moth er and as a

pace th at fall within th e traditi onal ph ere f a "' oman' age n

. im ilarl , there was a

ren wa l f the id a of wo man a natur and a rein[! reed id entifi ca tion with Mother
arcy, o t r and

immons, and
2

atur ".

il "r b "li "V,. that the garden i.' a

pirit, ither a h r hauntin g th gard n r a th Ma gi

m niD tati n f Lilia
ntain d within it, r
n
a a

ti

fin al n t , th b

ni al t

ta

k ha t

w 11 a a b

k

iati n

p riph era l a

ith th id a f m th erh

d:

ritt n by a m th r auth r. Whil , th c 1 nial

r lati n hip b tw en ngland and Indi a dem n trated in th b

k i n t a G cu , it d e

hi ghli ght the id a f ngland a

ue n Vi et ri a a th e m th r

to th c I 111
m therh

wa pr

M th r

a! nt during th

d and The ecr >f

unt ry. h id a f

ict ri an peri d. he fin al conn e ti n between

urd ,n i France H dg

n

umett h r elf, a a moth r and an

auth r.
Noting that Burnett wa writing in th

a me period The e Tel

Gerzina h w that Bum tt ' li fe dem n trate th e

mplex iti e a

urd )n wa

et,

ciated with late

Victori an moth erho d. imilarly, K y er b rve th at Burnett had her wn concern ab ut
being a good mother, which were pl ayed ut in The Secret Garden . Therefo re, I thin k it i
important to c nnect the mother in the novel to th e ro le of Burn ett her elf a a mother. Fro m
the age of eventeen, France Hodg on Burnett wrote pro fe ionall y and wa the ole
br ad winner of her fa mil y both a a daught r taking ca r of her mo ther and ibling , and a a
wife and mother, taking care of h r hu band and two on . De pite writing b ing on ider d
a oc iall y acce ptabl e pr fe ion fo r a wo man,

erzina' biograp hy of Bu rne tt d mon trate

that Burnett exerci ed a great dea l f agency out id e of what w uld have be n expected in
traditional patri archal culture.

e pite an unh appy marri age, havin g a hu band lent Bumett

an a pect f re pe lability and all owed Burnett t travel and condu ct her afl:1irs in a" ay that
w uld n t have b en a

y G r a ingle wo man in th Victoria n p . . riod ( erzina ). Whil' her

writing car r afG rd ed Bum tt a c rtain d 'gree of freedom, it a! ·om 'ant c tended ab ·ence '
2

r I ft in th car

fr m h r hi ldr n wh

f

nann .

n wh n th

p nt I ng p ri d awa fr m th m,

n Burn tt

id d and in

fh

Th re ~ r , th e pr

ur

f h r ar r w re n t with uta

health and famil y.

n

u ld ha

b en a

and fr ed m
mp l
r and

affect d Burnett (K

f thi
erzin a) .

~ r h r

ing h r l

pit

e a b ncc

d p rat I h r hildren mi ed h r ( erzina) .

a th d ath f h r ld

t

n,

tt
1

urn ett '

n I, which de pl y

numb r f riti c n t th confli ct urn tt

peri enc din att mpting t balanc her hildr n and h r ca reer ( i I r ( "I•ranees " ),
Drul y, and

crzina).

rul e argu

the repre entati n f m th ring r l

th at whi le

urn tt alu d moth erh

d, he chall nged

in h r writin g f Lilt/ Lord Fa untl 'roy, A Lilt/ ,

Prin e .. , and Th Secret Ca rd 11 .

omin g to kn ow Burn tt through
do s refl ect a pect

erz in a· bi graph y, I beli eve The ecret

fth e auth or' life, includin g th

l ove ~

arden

r h r hildren; her life) ng love

of gardens; her ind epend ent nature; an expre ion f the grief ov r th d ath of her on
Lionel after a lengthy illn

; h r per nal vi w of moth rh

activism, femini m, and pirituali m at

d; and her e po ure to idea of

k Farm .7 Burnett ' I ve o f gard en b ga n a a

y ung girl in Manche t r when he would pend 1 ng hour in th gard n behind the fam il y
hom . hortl y before writing The S cret Garden , Burnett pent everal yea r at Maytham
Hall 8 , who e grand gard ens are th e basis f the estate and ga rd en in the novel, and in
Burn tt' s own w rd wa "the nl y pl ac I eve r felt\ a home . . . Mayth am i real home··

7

"N k arm wa the name f 140 ac re of land pur ha cd in 185 by J hn !looker ... and
ranci ill tte. her they built a numb r o f hou ' into hi h ariou ' or th ir rri --nds and
relative mov d, d veloping quickl y into a wa rm and fa mil ia l communit of\Hitcrs,
pr fe i nal , and a ti vi t " ( erzin a 9 1). LabelIa l lo kcr, \\ i fc r John !l ooker, was an
"a ti vi t ~ r w men' ri ght ·"
8
umett vi it d Maytham Hall b tw n I 9 and 1907 .

urn tt ' ind p nd nt natur i w II d

(h r mpha i 2

rzma aptur

a ag ,

[a]lth ugh n t a

h r

urn nt d but in th [! II wm g

nc aft r p nding tim at

k ann :

mpaigning ~ mini t, h II und h r c mpli cated II ling

d m ti lifl ratifi d:

m n

th d v ted m th r and ambiti u

uld

rzina ' readin g \\ uld upp rt th e id

b ut

f Th "J ecr ' I

arden a

emg ubtl y ub ver ive

and the id a f attempting to reco ncil a pirati n int an id ea l future. Burn ett '

wn Ii ~

appea r t be an attempt t re oncil e her a pirati n within th e c ntex t f her rea lity
neg ti ating her care r and her famil y,

pec ially aft r th e d ath f her on, Li nel, on

D cember 7th, 1 90 (Th wa it 190) a Franc
includin g
hi

m un1 d deepl y over thi I

. Many riti

erz ina, beli e e th at olin '' i the re urrecti on of Li onel, the b y vv h ri e fr m

ickbed to cure him elf with th e aid of beli ef and nature" (26 ). It wo uld appea r that

Burnett liv d a life out ide that of the ter a typica l Viet rian mother all und er the gui

f

patriarchy. Alth ugh onl y uppo iti on, I do know th at you cann t wa lk through li~
untouched, and I wo nder if all of the e element , her love of her

n , her I ve for gard n

(e p ciall y Maytham Hall), her exp ure to femini m, acti vi m, and pi ritu ali m, her
ind pendent nature and h r experi nee a a moth er, did "whi per" to her "memory·· a
wro te Th S "Jcr I

arden.

he

ard n i the idea li zed pace where e erything can happ "'n.

Burnett' life i a li ving exa mpi of the di vid e betw en the idea l of motherhood and
the rea lity ofm oth erh

d. A a oc ial and cultural

ft n faiI to captur r ality and pi a

i r inv nt d a

n tru ti n. o ie t) 's idea of' motherhood

th id al out ·id e attai nab l "' limit : "[t]h' good mother

ach ag or oc i ty defin e h r an w, in it own terms, according to its O\\ n
26

m th I g " Thur r
nan

Je

ta

d a it m ral

mp a

d thr at aga in t m raJity,

nti th

urn tt r

, th

n tru t d

( hi I . In " M th r i a R I , W m n ar I Ium an Bein g ,"
f th c n tru t d natur

ntur

CJ

t , th e

ught to cr at a r I th at wa an id al, whi ch
ard >n,

[! r centuri

iety

f m th rh od (7).

d a w kn w itt day i a urpri in g l n vv tn tituti n" (7 ).

pea king ab ut m d m t

ecret

n in pi c

tabi liz a country tran [! 1111

ff a p

8 rnard · tit I r mind u

" m th rh

pt [fami ly ha

ught t ic niz it

change. In an ef.tl rt t
m th rh

4 . Whi l th c n

m ard tate

lth ugh he i

ict ri an peri d wa n di f[i r nt a it

uld n t be u tain din rea lity. hrough Th '

gni zed th fa ult of thi m del and ought to " rein ve nt" r

1magme a m r r ali ti r le fo rth m th cr.

27

R

n,

M

R

M

n n ju t mad , i a pl a e haunt d b

pirit that whi pert

ur m m r . Th ga rd n i thu n talgi , r acti nar . utju t a
tim a gard n 1 b m , th re i th h p th at th w rid
un

lfc n

ga rd

1

ill b mad better by it an

u but radi ca l! ut pi an b li ef. M anin g re id

pre , lari fy, and rec nei l

a pirati n . (Franci

pp

tr ngly, ev ry

in th p wer of th

iti n and tran [! nn th m into

nd He ter I )

In The Pro m ise c~f' Happiness Val ue and .Heanin~ in 'luldren 's Ftc/t on , red ln gli
argue that at th tim e that he wro t The

>cret

ard >n '

urn ett en ed " th e oppre i n and

eti lati n9 offamil y li[i "( ll 2). 1beli e e,a Jn gli d e, th at in TheSecret

ard ,nBum tt

wa makin g a tat ment about ociety a a wh 1 -an att mpt "t im ag in e th e fin e t life
po ibl e and to u e it to criti cize and impro e the life bein g li ved around it at th e tim e" ( 11 2).
The gard en is an ideal metaphor for new li fe: it i b m again each pring, and a Finney
point

ut, it repre ent an '' in co rporati on of hum an drea m and de ire " embodyin g ''a n

idealized alternati ve to oc ial rea lity" (2). In what foll ow , I argue th at Burn tt'
repre entation of th

ecret gard n at Mi elthwa ite addre es the co ntemporary tate of

female agency, a

een in Mr . Lenn x and Mr . raven, a well a im agining alt mati\e ,

repre ented by Mr . ow rb y, Martha, and Mary.

9

ing the ga rd en a a m tap hor, Burnett i

Th , oncis, O. fo rd i ·tionary of' Botany defin e eti olati on a " [tlhe . tate of plant that ha c
be n grown in the dark : th ya re not gre n, ha ing littl e r no chl orophyll , and haYe \cry
long intern de nd rudim ntary lea f gr wth " ( 14 ). h long intern odes, re cmhling long
tem. , "a oc iate[d J with eti olati on ensur ', und er natural c nditi on that the shoot i.' -arri 'd
t wa rd th e li ght a rapidl y a p ibl c" ( 149). c ording to th
. Cord nglish ICtiOnar ,
cti I te i a botani ca l t rm mea nin g "to ren ler (a pl ant) 1 ale and c<. Iourie s b) e eluding the
li ght fr mit: to bl anch ... t giv a pale and ickl hue (a hu man b ing or hi. skin)" (Ol [))
2

a 1 t intr du
Th

~

rm , a childr n' n

appar nt inn
ignifi an

n

ith ut

alt rnati

th

.

t th

I, and th e g rd n ar natur I pa e

am tim , gard n

a g nd r d pace fl r th ]at

th publi and pri at

b th in Mar and in th ri

b au

whi h r b th p n and
ict n an m

r V\ m n' ag n

[; r

th ey w r

tting in which t 1magm th e e change t
t critic

f Th S ere /

d, h ld gr at
itu ated b tw en

e

iti n. 1 will how h w, beca u e [it

multipl meamng and it hi t ri ca ] ignifi ca nc , th ga rd n Burnett build

M

f th eir

in g n ra l t th e time, brin g t n i n.

ft en th r ult f and/ r r ult in pp

hang

~ r thi

f n kind , parti cul arl y a tran fl rm ati n, a w

hang

ph r

nann rm

rtl chall nging traditi nal

ffl r th perfect

cur.

ard n n t the t n i n within th e nove l' co nclu i n. As
7

noted in the introducti n, orne be li eve th at the nove l' endin g upp rt th e patri archal
e it a a fl mini t novel. Whil e thi i ue i

y tern of th Victorian p riod, whil
intriguing, the focu

h uld be le

ab ut the debate and m re ab ut the place in whi ch it i

centred - the gard en. The ecret gard en i a pl ace of ppo iti n, b th ymb li ca ll y and
phy ically. However, a noted in th e opening quotati on, it al o hold th e p w r t "rec ncile
[the e] oppo iti n " (Franci and He ter I 0).

pen to th e wo rld and ye t clo ed and

lud d,

the gard en connects both the private and publi c phere ; it i a paradox that many believe
affo rd d Victorian wo men an appropri ate av nu e into th e publi c phere and aided in their
attempt to gain agency whil e appea ring to fun ction und er patri archal nom1 . In th no el,
Burnett embed much of th acti on within a gard en where th vari u
and meanin g int r ect.

a repr

tory li ne , character, ,

ntati on f m th rho d, th garden upport how Burnett

i attempting t imbu m ther with freedom und er th e gui e of "na ture. " F~aminin g th e
garden thr ugh metaph r allow

um tt to

pl orc new repre, 'ntations or female ag 'ncy

whil maintaining the p rception of upporting tradi tional

i ' torian alu 'S . Thi s a lim\ s us to

p

b th th
with ut

t d

nti nal i w f m th rh

n

ertl y hall nging p tri ar h .

p w r "t r

nil

nan

ard n

I.

parat

rd

f th b

k

ter it ha th e

f Franci and

iti n and tran ~ rm th mint a pirati n" (1 ).

pp

It i n t urpri in g that criti c d bat

patriar h a

m thing n w and m r radi al

pl a ing th gard n at the c ntr

ith h p that, in th

Bumett imbu

d and

ritic n

h th r Th ,

r d Ru kin . . '" f

ph re ) a an unint nti nail fcmini t t

,. ' I

ard ' 17 upp rt or ub crt

ard en "

cemingly a tribute t

t. Bil t n, ~ r e ampl e, argue th at

Ru kin " undefin ed "ga rd en"" the r ti ca ll y e n~ ld all f ngland and it . oci ty rath r than
the h me gard n, a m

tint rpreter have a umed ( il t n).

imil arl y, W ltm an c nt nd

that Ru kin " I ctur " urge [ J w men n t t immur th em I e behind th eir garden wa ll ,
but rather to redefin tho

ga rd en to includ a ll f ngland , Vi ctori a' demiparadi e and

ceptered i le'' (2). F r th e comm ntat r , Ru kin i empowering wo men to move bey nd
the priva te ph ere in order to ex tend th eir m raJ authority; in doin g o, they ugge t,
Victorian w m n al o found a basi for agency. In thi

ecti on, I expl ore th foll ow ing

que tion : Did the gard en provide a pace for wo men to expand their r ach b yo nd th eir own
private home ? Wa gard ening a way D r wo men toe erci

autonomy? Alternatively, wa it

impl y an extension of the h me that o f~ red wo men a fa] e en
that the e que ti on can be a ked and argued und erli

of power? The v ry fa t

the ten ion of th tim . In e. ploring

the ro le f garden and gard enin g, moreover, I am primaril y intere ted in the way attempting
to an w r th em draws attenti n to th e gard en a a limi nal 1 a e tha t, by the end or the
nin t enth c ntury, ffer

a pl ace in which th "' o ' ial cri pt · a. ' ociatcd with gcndcrcd

id ntity could be b th c ntc ted and reinforc d.

0

Wh n ne think
animal , a pia

fr

Burn tt de rib

th

fa gard en, n might im gm a

ar f patri ar h

i t ri an th ga rd n wa
a D ught

hi h the

[! r th

Vi c t ri a n a w man' r Ie in

111

il t n 7) . Pi er

n te th at " [ Ju h k y i ue
, and

r th e natural w rid c uld b pi a cd ut in th e relati ely harml e

n we r-

f th land

r

rea in gl a " battl egr und "

iet , p vvc r r lati n hip betvvc nth

aped ga rd n.. (74 1). ln gli , [I r e ampl e, ee th e ga rd en a

a pace in whi h w men' r le a m th er we r naturali7ed, in

w re dri

am way a

e

bed and hrubb ri e

hara t ri ti

ith !ant and

r t gard n; d pit thi inn c nt p r pti n f th gard n, h w

up n

ntr I

pa

mmun with natur , mu h th

r a pia

h w that[! r th !at

man

r n

far a th e inn ate

th at make a g od ga rd ener are th e ame" tr ng, glad, p

iti ve qu aliti e whi ch

n fr m the man· bu in s V\ rid and left to th tend er but pa i e care f th e

moth er ' (In gli Ill ).

imil arl y, Ril ey ee th e gard en a offerin g w men th e illu i n of

power; "th e garden i an artifi cial pl ace mad fro m th e rea l, an illu i n of th e wo rld . Wh at
better pl ace to give w men [ ... ] an illu ion f power without actu al p wer? Wh at better place
to keep them bu y with out th eir interfe rin g in thin g th at matt r?" (69). By co ntra t, critic ,
uch a Bil ton, Way, Page and mith, and Harri s view th e act of gardening a one of the
initi al subtl e way in which women were abl e to extend their acti viti e into th public phcre.
The ri e in gard ening literature,

p ciall y literature directed at the wo man gardener

( hambcrl ain and Dougla and Bil ston). ignifi e the increa e in w men' invo lv em nt in
gard ening ( inn y and Ril ey). Bil ton believe thi increa e d mon tra ted that wom n need
n t onl y " im ag in e th e way in whi ch th eir innu cn e c uld e tendo cr the citi?cn · of Britain
and the mpir but [th y] co uld

th impact o f their ac ti on legib l , dai ly, in their own

il " (2- ). ch lar hip in th hi tory or gardening lit ratu re ·ho

that in much the same

way that fl ri graph 10 and b tani allanguag 11 all wed .G r di cu i n f inap r pri at
ind li at t p1

gard ning lit ratur pr

ulti va ting gard n . " imultan

gam

192).

u I [taught] le

rdin g t Harri . , it v\ a th

tin g ri ght and

in th pa ag

t d at in tru ting w m n ab ut

n 1n ult ivatin g p w r" (llarri qtd . in
n that tr ngthened th ir d t rmin ati n t

e "I

f th nm tee nth amendm ent in 1920'' (qtd . in Way

192). In " ulti atin g P w r: 1 he anguag

1 70- 19_0,'

t in.G rm ati n n e ary .G r e t nding

ph r . it r tur dir

w m n' age nc be

Wa

id d a c

r ~ e mini m in W men

iann e Il arri argue th at thr ugh

'ard en Literature,

aminin g th ga rd enin g lit rature f th e tim e

" th garden pr vid d a li be ratin g en ir nm nt G r w men durin g an era th at wa
re tri cti e in

ial. e

n mi c, and p liti al term " ( I I ).

ga rd ening literature of th e tim

r

th erwi e

c rdin gly, I larr i be li eve th e

ho ed ''ga rdenin g a a defi ant a tivi ty, que ti nm g

cial

norm , and per vering in pite f adve r e circum tanc " ( I 17) de mon trated by the fac t
that by upervi ing the h lp hired t t nd to

m

f the heavier work in the gard n, a wo man

co uld be in a "pos iti on of auth ority ove r a man" (Harri 120).
If garden

pened up a space that could alternati vely be u ed to rein fo rce or chall eng

exi ting gender norm , it i becau e they were uch important pace fo r the d fi niti on of
middle-cia

id entity thr ugh th e late eighteenth and nineteenth centuri e . The Victori an

peri d aw a c ntinu ation of the ri e in verall importanc of ga rd en fo r a numb r of
rea on : the ri e in industri aliza tion, the enclo ure law , refu g fro m th na tine

of the

10 I ri graph y denote a c ded language in which each 1l w r ha · a pecific meaning.
Whil the id ea f fl ower a ymb I ha a long hi tory, th
i torian ga e thi . mbolism
th e name " fl ori graph y" and publi hed several b k vvith li . t f fl \\ Crs and their
meanmg . ne f th m t popul ar i Kate r enaway' h ok, Language o(Fimrers,
publi h din I 4, and till ava il abl e today (Robin on and I st).
11 In herb k, Bloom: Th , Botanical Vernacular in the English ewe/, m M. King
li cu e h w botani ca l t nn were u d a cod to di scus hu ma n '. u<I interactions 111 the
ighte nth and ninet nth nturi ( at 2004 ).
2

bu in

w rid, and a a tatu

ymb 1. Th n

a c

tabli h d in 177 all

, th r by limiting th a

d th imp rtanc

ngland, in

with it particular! in urban
ure law

in indu tri aliza ti n and the dirt that am

il abilit

th ir land an re trict

d pr

ert

f gr

n pace

public u

additi n, ther wa a tr ng b li f in th ga rde n' ab ilit t re t re ia " ph
r generati n" Pi rce 74 ). h nall ,

Vv ith man

f gr en pac . h

( inney). In
ica l and piritual

th r thin g th e garde n ignifi ed tatu ,

ri an (Ril

the

th natural vv ri d int th ir do me ti c ph er "(74 ).

i t ri an to brin g

m th ing

The e fac t r r ult d in th e nin ete nth

). Pi erce n t

th at ga rde n w rea "way ~ r

e peciall y am ng middl -c ia

ntur be in g "a n era fe n rm u change in garde n

de ign and garden practi e" ( B iI t n I ).
For Vi torian w m n, ga rd n n t onl y ffe red a "refug . . . fr m th e n i , g nm e,
and m ral decay f the increa ingly indu tri ali ed city," th y al

erved a "a protec ted

vantage p int ~ r engage ment vv ith th e wide r Vv rid and th e mea n of e pre ing one'

ki ll

and a piration to a large r audi ence th an th imm edi ate fa mil y circ le" (Page and mi th 1-2) .
A Page and mith dem n trate, ga rdenin g and it ace mpanyin g literature "pr vided
wo men with a new language and authority to neg ti ate between do me tic pace and the
larger wo rld " (2). Thi di course signifi ed an impo11ant hi ft in the r lati on hip between
w men and ga rden a their acti ve ngagem nt a gardener moved th m from b ing cen a
object to subj ect . According to Page and mith thi

hift can be

en in gardeni ng literatur"

of th e tim , which increa ingly focu d on " id nti fying wo men a agent , a gardener.
invo lved in the pr ce.
Oowcr or garden -

f growth " rath er th an en

urag ing -v men t regard "them ehe · a

bj e t to be admired whi l frc h and bloomi ng (2). imilarl , Harri ,

note that gard ning litcratur wa

ne of the r w r rum \ here\\ omen could "[a .. crt! th · ir

idea " ( 12 1) and make "the ga rden a r aim that, whil e 1art of the domestic sphere, ' Onnect ·d

rid be

men t th

part fth pl a ur
the b und

nd th pi k t D n " 12 1 . Park r

f ga rd ning [i r w men ha b

n ur

tatin g that " [i]ndeed ,

nth p rmi i nit pr

id d t tran gre

f ~ mininit , ( 5).
m n

111

rea. d parti ipati n in garde nin g wa mad p

" imp rtant t hn logical ad

n

" ( il t n I fr m th ava il abi lit

In larg part,

fac t r int th di
pp

iti n a

ell a th a

avail ability f gla
length ened th

111

nu

f agenc

rea ed the rang

ngli h ea

[i

t tmpr ved

u i n f th e gard n a a it of

r w m n thr ugh ga rd enin g. ir t, th

f pl ant th at c uld b gr wn a gr nh u e

n and all wed [i r e

of oppo iti n a gard n r d bat d the u e f e
pl ant or " naturaliz ing" (Bil ton I 0) .

f gla

ibl by

ti c pl ant . hi w uld bee me an th er ite
ti c pl ant ver u th e ri

in th e u e f nati ve

cc rding t Bil t n, many w men gard ener preferred

"to watch and nurture the gradual and ea a nal un fo ldin g of nati ve pl ant ., ( I 0) . ec ndl y,
improved t

1 all owed wom n to participate acti vely in di ggin g and gard nin g. ln th e

Victori an p riod, there wer typicall y three way that wo men were a ocia ted with
gardening. As pr viou ly di cu ed, women were ften een a orn ament t be counted
am ng the pretty fl ower that re ide in the gard en. Th

cond a

ciati n with gardening

was wo m n as li ght gard eners, abl e to perfonn li ght du tie , and with the adva ncement of
technology, mor ph ysical du tie . Finally, wo m n often to k on th ro le of ma tr nly
uperv1 or ver e ing the hir d gard ener who wa always a man.
Th improvement of gardening too l all owed [i r an e pan ion of the work in whi ' h a
w man coul participate by removing herd pen
u c f m chani c m ant that thew m n, on
remain "un
in

nee on men for all the ph

ical labour. The

thought t o frai l Cor di gging, coul i gard 'n, and

ed" (Parker 92) . Th cad an cmcnt all owed \\ omen to keep their fc mintnit

far a much fth di cu ion about we m n ga rde ning c 'ntred on "certain con sen ati\ e
4

ft

m n' u

publi h d by dith
m ntalit and r
t

I . Rath r ch

.

i d m n trat d in Th

e a h imp] m nt

ming man! ,

hamb rl ain and

p rt , th ere ar

combinati n f impr

edt

he n t th c nt mporary
r " ladi

"

paratel ; el ct it f dim en i n that y u can wi eld

in ol d ph , i al acti it , " in the e day
many

2.

m n " [b] n tp r uad dint bu in g littl t

men p r[i rming ph y ica l ac ti ity and

the c nc m
thu b

'entlewoman 's Book of ard nin

ugla in J

hamb rlain and Fann

mm nd

f th att nti n

" ( i I t n 5) . - iden

ntial d li

Viet rian idea ab ut Vv m n'

ugla r c gni ed th at whil e gard ning bvi u ly
f athl ti trainin g, when w men tak part in

ur I G w v.. h d not p

I and th gard en· un1qu e p

e

a mu

ul ar ba k" (2 0). The

iti n mea nt th at what w uld hav

typi ca ll y be co n idered a " [u]n thr do female behavi ur - wea ting, debating, elfmaking'' (Bil ton, 6) become a po ibility, D r a Bil t n not

the ga rden " i (a pparentl y) a

pace ut id e culture, and thu nonconD 1mi t acti vitie avo id acquirin g nonn ati ve

cia!

meanin g " (6). Thi change wa not with ut contr versy but " [t]h e ga rd en· claim t
' natural ' tatu wo rk to depoliticize the acti viti e of thew men v ho operat in it'' (Bil t n
6). Therefore eemingly operating within a ancti oned pace perD rming what app ared to be
innocu u work, women were abl e t unite th e "co m pi icated vi ion o f wom n' pr per role
and f the gard en' own compl e p iti on in Vi ctori an culture" (Bil t n 6) to qui tl y ad\anc
the ag nd a of female agency.
uch intere t we re ev ident in Burnell ' nonfi ti on b ok, i n rh

J

arden ( 192 ), in

whi h Burnell ' beli fth at w men ca n tak meaning ful a ti on a garden J" i connected to
th e p

. ion or pa . If " [ i]n y u hea rt or h art

O LJ r

all \\a nt a garden," . he in~tru t. '

"Y u can have ne. Y u an make it ourse lr ' (I - I t) . ll arri nc tc. that"[ tlhc call to · h~n c
yo ur own ga rd en"' ( I ~ I) wa

nc

r th e mo t

rt pc litical statement~ r und in the
5

gard ning lit ratur
ri ght

fth tim a thi tra t i

ard n I w uld ugg

er real pr p rt " (1 21). In Th

n 1 g I wn r hip and

mani[i t n t a a p liti alII cu
apart the c n pt f m th rh
rang

ft rep at d and app ar t be "a laim t th e

fr I

d

ntral t d m ti c id

w m npl aya nurtur r . iii

bring th e d m ti c p

'

t, u h c n ern are

ntr 1, but rath r a a way t pri e

1 gy by criti all y e a minin g th

upati n f th

rt ga rln fft ti ve ly

ut f th h u

and int th e liminal pace of th gard en, thu

rd en." Th p

iti n fth ga rd en a b th publi and pri va t

cr atin g an

ng I in th e"

pace cr at

limin alit a it b long neith r c mpl etely t th h me n r to th publi c world

but rather t both . Th
without a r

f it r main

cr t gard n, with it enclo ed wall , furth er enhance thi id ea a
p n to thew rld . Th fluidit y o f a pace th at i at nee both publi c

and private i an idea l plac t begin the mo em nt f moth ering ut id e the h me with ut
being o ert. The act of gard ening and mothering naturall y c ru1ect a b th ar gr und ed in
nurturing, centre around the dome tic, and ar c ncem ed with gr wth of pl ant and children
re pecti vely.
II. Moth erh od and th Language of Flower in The S ere/

arden

This section will exa mine the biol gica lm other in The ecret
Mrs.

arden: Mr . Lcnn

raven, and Mr . Sowerby. All are repre ented in way that draw attenti n t the

limitati on of conventi onal idea about mothering in th eir relati n to th garden a

pa c.

Mr . ennox i the most conventi onal Victori an mother, up rfi cial and mat ria li tic; ·be
choo c her own " fri vo lity" ve r the need o f her child , ''wh II ncg l t[ ing]" Mary. Mr .
raven, by contra t, repre ent the idea l V ictorian moth er who

d ath in childbirth renders

her entirely piritu ali z d, but who e in abilit to ac t - t " mak a garden" in Burnett ·s '' ords,
on h r ow n b half - b li the hortcoming · or the
With ut her pr

ng ~ 1 in th ~ Hou ~ as a

nee, th ga rd n and the manor l~1 ll into disorder; Mr.

ictorian i ical.

rm en, grief-stricken

1a

the man rand hi

futur un

hild in th hand

rtain and th gard n i

w rking

m th r r pr

and Mr . ra

n Mr .

a r ult

f car tak r .

inall y, Mr .

a] d up and 1 ft t di

ti e m therh

il it

nt

i all ) in

w rb

1 ed

d.

w rby, a a
nlike Mr . enn
f

ith b th the pr c

uld ugge t that thr ugh Burnett'

it . I

m th ring and gard enin g thr ugh n

lin i ill and hi

d cripti n of the e thr

m th r , th e rem d

ca n b - [! und in ffec ti

m th rh

nece itate that Mr .

w rby b an acti v m th r and ga rd en r, but thi a ti n need t

tran cend cla

[! r th

ti lati n f famil y Ji[i and

ciety

d and thi ca n b [! und thr ugh acti n. H r cla

in order t b an ffccti

cure D r

cicty.

]though Mr . enno onl y make a bri ef appea ranc in th n vel, h pl ay a
ignifi cant r I in th t xt'

tory ab ut m th er . Tran pl anted fr m ngland t Indi a, he i

represented a an exotic £1 w r, wh o reca ll th e " hoth u e' metaph r of w men culti va t d t
be dec rative rath r than " tr ng and u eful '' th at i central to Mary Woll tonecraft '
Vindication of th e Rights of Women (74) . Thi type of wom an ( upcrfi cial and heJt red)
whose "flauntin g leave " are de igned onl y to " pl ea [ ] a fa tidi ou eye" are in apabl e of
acti on and their lack of ub tance make th em incompetent to educate r pr teet th eir
children (WoiJ tonecraft 74 ). Mr . Lennox p

e e the ornamental qu ality of a fl ow r;

Burn tt de cribe her a "a great beauty wh cared onl y to go t parti e and amu e h r elf
with gay pe pi e" (5). To Mary her m ther i al
and le

trangeJy e

ti c - beautiful but ra rely een

often interacted with . When referring to her m th r Mary call h r Mem ahib, a

formal Indi an term for an UJ p r-cla , woman m

t ften u ed b

that M ry r fer t h r moth r in the languag o f the

1

cr ant . Jt i significant

ant or nati ve, , indicating ho\\ she

hea r h r moth r addr , ed and demon trating th ' ir lac k of relati onship . Mrs. enno\. is
, p ifi all y a ociat d with th hibi 'cu , the bios ' Om , Mar is "pre tcn ling" to plant\\ hiic

37

iati n

watchin g h r m th r (6). h u
Mr . enn

and Mary,

fl ri graph , th hibi

th t

ith

rding t

d n t har a r al r lati n hip .

u r pre nt ' deli cate b aut " ( r enawa n.p.) and Mr .

nn

r pre ent d a b th d li ate and b auti ful:
[ ]he tar d m

t at h r m ther. h al

did thi wh n h had a chance t

h r, b cau e the M m ahi - Mary u d t
- wa

all h r that oft ner th an anyt hing

uch a tall , lim , prett p r n and wor

wa like curl

uch I

ilk and h h d a d li at littl e n e[,] whi ch

di daining thing , and h had larg laughing eye .
fl atin g. and Mary aid th ey we re "full

Iy cl the . H r hair
em d t be

Jl her cloth e w re thin and

f lace ... ( )

Mary' "chance·· ighting of her m th er emph a ize th e infrequ ency of th eir conn cti n, and
Mr . Lenno i de cribed a not wa nting a child : " [w] hen Mary wa b rn h hand d her
overt the care fa n

yah who wa made t und er tand th at if h wan t d to pl ea e the

Mem ahib he mu t keep th child out of ight a mu ch a po s ible" (5) . Whil e it wo uld
appear that he doe n t do thew rk of mothering, her behaviour i not enti r ly
unconventi nal. Durin g the Viet rian peri od, Thaden point out, th er wa a " long
ari stoc rati c traditi on ... whi ch held th at children we re 'an inconve ni ence th at hould be kep t
fro m interfering with the pl ea ure and intri gue of th eir moth r "(6). Where Mr . Lennox
" fa il " a a m th r, by Vi t ri an tand ard , i in her abdi ati on of her duty to und ertake th
m raJ educati n and reli giou in tructi on f her child . v n for that peri od , Mr . Lenno. ·
behav i ur 1 extreme in it di co nnecti on, and thu di tin ' tl y "unmoth erly."
By contra t, and e pit th fact that he ne

r ac tu al! mo ther

olin bee a us' she

di e during chi ldbirth , Mr . rav n app ar to b th e perfc ·t Victorian mother. In spite of her
ea rl y d ath and h r ab n e from th no ·1, Mr ·.

ra ·n rcpr ·scnts a \ ari et

or icton an

m th r imag :

piritualiz d b an arl and tra gi

uthful and inn c nt h i

iat d with th Iii , in t rm

dea th in hildbit1h. Mr . ilia

n1 a

lili

reena a _7) illu tratin g

repre ent

ee t nd inn

enl

ith th e lil thr ugh her name, h

al

iii

uthful.

nature, with d ath k
Whil Lilia

f Il ri graphy

n 1 o ertl a

r

iat d

ith r

iat d

thr ugh ut th n

meanmg dep nding up n th ir c I ur, th

I. Whil r e hav num r u

g n rail repr ent I

e in it m any D rm

fr m pa i n t fri nd hip ( reenaway 6 . B n Wea th r taff r m mb r how Mr .
lo ingly ca r d [! r h r r

e , and att mpt t k

p hi promi

ra ven

t take care f th em aft er her

aling up th ga rd en ( 9) . h y uthful and inn c nt m th er can

dea th de pite Mr.

raven

be found in th r

e Lilia pl ant aro und the tre in the centre of th

ecret ga rd en; a Ben

de cribe "a n· th er "'a an ld tr e Vv ith a branch b nt Iike a eat on it. An' he made r
grow over it an' h u ed to it there" (37) . Th

pace a de crib ed abov i a bower, w hi ch

denote enclo ure, however, it al ode cribe a feminine pace, often u ed to d crib a
female bedroom pac . ven out ide the gard en, Mr .
ro e-colour d cu11ain hid e th p rtrait of her that hang

raven 1 a oc iated w ith r

e ,a

lin ' roo m.

Mrs. raven wo uld appear to be the id eal mother that Dever believe haunt the
Victorian n vel, and her early death effec tively remove th e t n i n cau ed by th e mother·
phy ica lity in terms f

xuality r childbirth . Ind ed, h r death ffe ti vely allow Lilia to

occup y an in-between tate where our hope and drea m of motherhood r ide. Thi, s --n, c of
urrea li m i evident in th " magic" c ntain ed w ithin th ga rd en. Mr . ' ra en is deep!
conn ct d t the e r t gard n, o much o that
(" ' ard en " ),

il ver, and

numb . . r of riti c , su · h a , Bi . ler

arcy, argu that th ga rd n is her p --rsonification .

ther · beli e\ e

that h r pirit remain within th gard n (Wat r and Kn o ' I ll ma ·her) and is the " !\ 1ag ic .. o f

9

m nt (Kn

the gard n guiding th children thr ugh th ir d
gard n wa h r b 1

Ilmach r) . h

n aft r h r d ath , wh r it c ntinu

d pa e and r main

n. h n ti n fth id al m th r manife t it elfin

th p
wh

gh

t

il

r

r b li

lin, hi m th r 1 \ at hin g
w rid . The ha e t
her et u t

t h ld

ilia ,

i th magi d crib din th gard en.

er him ," am a allm ther d wh en th e ' re t

k ut ' th '

ba k, tha ' ee . !I appen he' been in th e ga rd n an' happen it wa

rk. an' t ld u t brin g him h r " ( I

Di k n beli e e that Mr . ra
m th r' I e at Y\ rk thr ugh

).

t nl d e thi pa ag
lin , but al

n till h ld

i k n' ability t c mfort

e en though her e ence ho er in the ga rd en, th
Th ugh very dif~ rent, Mr . Lenn

it h w hi

olin . H w

howth e
wn

er, without a b dy,

piritu ali zed Mr . raven i unabl e t act.

and Mr .

ra ven hare a imil ar rol e in

cunn g

patriarchal dominati n a both perform th cultural work f th ir parti cul ar ocietal rol

m

furth erin g the imperial agenda . Tran pl anted t India a th e wife of a Briti h offi cer, Mr..
Lennox repre ent the work don by wom en awa y from

ngland . Mr . raven, who act a

the Angel in the Hou e, i a pas ive emblem f ngland ' dome ti c \ orthine

thu

c nfirming th e patriarchal , colonial notion of the moral uperi ority of th Briti h middl ecia s.

In co ntra t to the tw middl e-cia

m ther , Mr . Lenno and Mr . ra

n, Mr .

owerb y i both a very acti ve mother and an ac ti e ga rd ner; ind eed, in her charac t r the two
acti viti e ar fund am ntally intertwin d. Wherea the gard en in Indi a and th e ccret gard 'n
hare an rnamental qu ality, the

w rb y ga rd en i pra tica l - Cull f "po tatoe and

ca bbage. , turnip and ca rr t , and herb ... and pan i

an I thing · . . . '' ho. 'roots \\Ould

bl o m each pring and pr ad in time into Cin e lump, " ( 175) . The SO\\ crby hou~chold
w ul n t hav manag d to ~ d all th ir -hildren without th' help or this gard ·n MotTO\ cr,

0

it i in thi gard n that
t nl

m th r.

e

tr atm ent ~ r Mar and
by c

ertl

hildr n' a ti it t hi

k nr

al th

ret garden and th

b li

that

rking and pl aying in th
he a]

lin ' ailm nt

uppl ing th 111

famil , I im ited m an . hi

cr t ga rd n 1 th b t

beg in c n piring a! ng with th children

ith bun and mil k - a trem nd u

acrific

n id ring her

wn children ffectivcly

h vv th at h n t

but that indir ctl y, thr ugh h r wn hildren, h a]

111

th r M r and

lin .

turning t

ffa mil y li ~''( ll 2) durin g

ln gli , b li ef that Burnett en ed "th e ppr

latin

th

f th ill ffi ct

fth middl e-cia

lin a a " h p ch ndri ac hy t ri c" who

hara trtllth e

ictri anprid , Marya nd

Victorian famil y.
tal

vv ritin g

lin ar mnifi tatin

f"a rea l c n eq uen e and a m taph or fi r the di t rti n wr ught by Viet ri an famil y

li fe" ( 11 2) and writin g Mary a a mal-adju ted, ill -temp red child , lngli beli ev
tryin g to draw att nti n t a probl em. Burnett rem
then a an antid te Burnett writ

e both

Burnett i

lin and Mary' parent and

for " th e children an id ea l mother in Mr . owe rby,

in tin ctively agaci ou , upri ght, c mpa ionate" ( I 12). Echoin g thi

entiment,

lm nd

ugge t that with the " kn ow ledge of what children n ed t be hea lth y" (490), M r . OY\erby
act a a therapi t to the children ffering maternal upport to b th

olin and 1ary a we ll a

her ow n children.
Wh erea Mrs. enn x and Mr .

raven are a ociated with ornamental now r , Mr .

werb y i a ociated with the moor - a pace ut ide the c n tructed garden. here arc
numer u r ference linking Mr . owerb y to th mo r. Mat1ha t II Mary that h r me th r
beli ve that h althy childr n need fr h air an I

rcts ; ind ed Mr . owerby 's children

" tumbl about nth ' moo r an' pi a th ere all da , an m th ' r a) . th ' air of th' m )Or fatten s
' m. ' he

y

he b li eve they ca t th ' gra

amc a th ' wi ld ponie do" ( ~ 5) . Furthermore.

Mr . ow rby p rform a numb r o f moth ring c ·ti ons on the mm r. It is on th , moor that
41

Mr .

rb bu

ha

t her pia

kipping r p fl rMar b li

th

(

an 2 1). It i

a hi ld an

f Mr .

ar

t nd " b y nd her

w rb '

rb appr

r wh r Mr .

he Mr.

n famil "

rav n t

h r ra th er b ld t
he t 11 Mar , " I th ught
w

. . . [ ] he i a r p c tabI

m n.

ut f d

u like" (

r a mu h a

e dem n trating that

ntl , thi i th fir t gift Mar

n the m

ad ice ab

n ib le tt

ut in th fre h air kippin ' nd ' it'l l tret h h r leg an' arm an' give h r

me trength " (5 4) . ignifi
th g ner u natur

mg ' liJt' th'

en

I ha

o

u I think h

aid

ffer
nth m or

n ibl e thing . Pl ay

erb ' m th rin g i not c nfin ed t a ga rd en

). Mr .

th n, but i all nc mpa ing, li k th e pe n n ir nm nt f the mo r. In Burn tt '
de cripti on f Th
there i a m

ecret

n

ard 11 to her publi her, he n te :

rl and ottage w man wh

1

a

11

f Mad nna with twelve

children - a wann bo omed, ane, wi e, impl e M ther thing. Yo u nl y

her

fl r a moment at th end of the b ok but he i the chi ef figure in it rea ll y.

'' Mother'' baking and wa hing in h r cottage on th e York hire M
thing happen merely b cau e he i . (qtd . in
Mrs. S werb y i , a Burnett de crib

r mak

all

erzina 262)

her, ane, wi e, and impl e, relyin g up n natural

element , fr h air and exerci e, rather th an rnamental fea ture . Moreover, de pit a lack of
ocial tanding Mr . Sowerb y gain the r pec t and r c gnition of Mr.

ra en and Mr .

Medl ck. Mr . ow rb y' influence i boundl e

lik th e moor, and in taking up the int r

f Mary and

n, her po ition a a m ther cr

lin, and in approachin g Mr.

b und ari e . Mr . owerby' abi Iity t cr
th co n traint co mm n t middl e-c ia

ra

b und ari e

ugge t that he i working ouL ide

Vi tori an oc iety at th time. Mrs. ow 'rby app --a rs

t be th mo t natural f all th moth r demon trating a practi ca l and wcJl - hont.~ j 'Cnse of'
what i b t forth chi ld.

r all the g rd n

and fl ower ' ii ·usscd in the no\ 'L th '
2

m

r 1 al

n at

pa

the m

t natural.

, th m

ri b

n tru t d gar

nlik th

nd hum an c n tr 1; it i natu r at it m

Burn tt im u

h p d t " r c n il
Bun1ett

pp

fa t that Mr .

ith wa

rb

Mr .

iti n and tran

w rb y I t n ith r Ia

beli e e i ri ght [! r th

t p w r f u1,

ne f th

ubtl e way that he

rm th em into a pirati n " Fran i and He ter I 0).

a an altern ati v t the

t up Mr .

n publi c and

p n t th public.

unham er d b th pri at , and c
he ag n

n ituat d b tw

ngel in th e H u e model de pit th

n r pat ri archy tand in th e way f d ing w hat he
n t full y tran cend th cia s tru cture th at i

hild ; h we er h d

r 1 ant to the Vi et ri an peri d. Burn tt hint at th n ed [! r m th erh

d t cr

b undarie when Mr .

ffe r m th ring

advic about Mary.

werb y appr ach

Mr.

rave n n the m

lin , and

ick n and th

relation hip between Mary and Martha d n te what Bi xler (" arde n ")

e a "a c rtain

unea me

dditi onall y the fri end hip betw

about a patri archal cla

n Mary,

rt

cia

y tern·· (7). Hov.

r, " Burnett '

ub eq uent p rtraya l of

olin and hi fath er, who fin all y return to take charg of hi neg lected hei r and e tate"
(Bi ler " arden "7) how that Burnett ha not full y re olved thi i ue. Rath r, th
fri endship b tween the thre children ugge t that thi i the wo rk f th future generati on.
A a future mother fi gure, it i up to Mary to take the le on leam ed and move th m
forward . olin and Mr.
Angel in th e Hou

rave n' return t th e manor furth er empha ize th fl aw in th

ideo I gy, in th at Mr . ra

n ha not undertaken th e work of moral

guid ance th at wo uld all ow Mr. raven to can yo n a an effe ti e father to
f th e tate in her ab ence. Jt i n t uffi ci nt to ' impl y repre cnt a

olin and mast r

t of id 'als (culti\ ate

oc1 ty and gard n ) but ra th r the moth r n ed t act in ord er for the c ideal , to take root.
With re ~ renee to The ecret Cu rd en, I· ra n i
a matemal pae wh rc both

tate th at "l b] making the secret garden

olin and Mary beco m what the arc,
4

urnctt rccon ' il cs

gardening with

cret maternal kn wl dge cl

imp rtant u ltural a t '' ("

mini C ).

wa a pia

wh r wmn

er abl t m

[

hang . Thi m

m nt

ag nt

gard enin g t

a

ur with p nn

pit it mn

, w men and children with

nt p r epti n th

fr m being m am ntaJ by- tand r t b in g

ubtl and ft n c uched in th e inno u u langua ge of

t . In refl cting up n th e p mn g qu tati n by ran i and I-I

ga rd n 1 a pia e t " re

n il

pp

ict rian gard n

ter, that the

iti n and tran G rm th em int [an] a pirati [n] ,'' i it

Burn tt ' int nt t u e th e e ret ga rd en r Th , , ·ret ,arden a a way to repre nt the
cuJTent tate f m th rh
c mparin g th

d a flaw d in th e h

rnamental quality f m th erh
Burnett doe

e

f imagining an impr ved m del?

d e n in Mr .

y

nn x and Mr . rav n wi th

that of th a ti v Mr .

werb

ac ti on but her m

ubtle. Lik the language f fl rigraphy and b tani al language,

Burnett covertly u e metaphor to ugge t

h w u that ffecti e moth rh

d require

mething more - an in piration of wha t

motherhood could look lik . With the ecr t gard n, lik all ga rd n , "there i th e h pe that
the world will be mad e better by it" ( ranci and li e t r I 0).

44

y

RY, H W
HRH

PR D

1 ng a

n h

a gard n n ha a futur ; and a I ng a on ha a future ne

Burn t1 "In th

ali
,, £1

R

7

ard 'n" 2

nl fl uri h right! in th g rd n f

m

them."

ne wh I

(Ru kin I 0 ).
a gard ning nthu ia t, Burnett kn w th p w r f gard en a
and tran ~ rm ati n. Burn tt' r pre entati n f ga rd ning a a pro e
power f the gard n to

r~

t

ial hang but al

int a new kind of mother fi gure. In The
link Mary to the

pac

[ gr wth

not nl y ugg t th

it ability t aid in Mary' d v lopm ent

ere! Garden, Burnett pec ificall y and uniqu ely

cret garden - but t what end . Wh at i th e me age he i try ing to

convey throu gh thi ? What r le d

Mary pl ay a a gard ener and a a moth er? The lac k of

nurturing Mary r ceive and her contrary natur

e mt

tand in tark contra t t th pure,

nurturin g moth r that the Victorian id eali zed. Thu far, I have exa mined th e definiti on f
motherhood, placed it within th e context of the Victori an peri od, and th en c mpar d thi to
the repr entation [mother character within The Secret Garden. We have e n how the
garden act a a metaph r for women and motherhood. Additi onall y, I have e amined how
the garden prov id ed a pace for the form ati on o f agency during the Viet ri an period. In thi
fin al chapter, I will e amine how Mary fi gur
h p for th e n

into the r pre ntati n of m thcrhood, a. the

t generati on. Mary' contrary nature make her uniquely qualified as a n '~

model for motherhood, I argu . Moreover, th ga rd en i th idea l place lor thi ne\\' idea of
moth rho d t beg in t tak

hap . Burn ' tt and Mar litcra ll and figurati\ el open up spa ·c

for a new m d I of m thering. Finall y, I will how how th wide! debated final scene or th '

45

n

th n

el n ith r pr

thi

pp

I. The

iti n and a k r ader t ch
nt nded

t di agreeabl e-!
r li

p

e fl r th m el

ard n

t th e n v I'
m

I a a patriarchal r ~ mini t but rath r

pcnin g, Mar i th un wa nted hild .
kin g hi ld" wh by th ag

f i ' '" a a tyrann i a! and cl fi h a I ittl e

i u I ,

urn tt attribute thi t th e fa ct that Mary'

di

d" (5) .

u.

m th er had n t wanted a child , a

d pr

uch he ha n

uperfi iall y, a ignin g th at r p n ibility to an
keep Mary out f ight a much a p
give in to Mary' e

p n meetin g her, Mar i " th e

r ngag d in Mary'

arc even

ya h. Mary' moth er rd er th e Ayah t

ibl . In an ffl rt t k ep Mcm ahib happ y, th e

ya h

r d mand in rder to keep her qui et; m reo er, a a G reign ub titute

for a moth er, Mary' Aya h doe n t engage in th e m ral r r li giou in tru cti n Vi et ri an
b lieved wa nece ary for the pr per ociali zati n of middle- and upper-cia

V iet ri an

children. Bum tt demon trate through th n vel th at thi c mbinati n f lack f proper
maternal attenti on and indul gence by the Aya h and oth er ervant re ult in the mo t contra ry
of children.
vans beli ev

that in the openin g eene of the novel, Mary attemptin g to make a

ga rden in clo e pro imity to her m ther i a mani fe tati on of Mar ' " ro~ und I n Iine~ .
and sen e of ali enati on" whi ch are a direct r ult f "th lo
moth er" (20-2 1). In thi

pening c ne, we witne

of relati on hip " ith [her]

Mar · fir t ga rdeni ng cxperienc

ccurnng a th hou e i thrown into chao in th mid t o f a chol ra ou tbreak. Mar)· . routine
i di rupt d and a u ual Mary i an aft rthought, I [t on her ow n and unattended . The
ab nc o f her Aya h fu r1hcr in ten ifi

th ciT ct o f th .. cholera outbreak on Mar and her

4

n rmally

ntrar natur

rupt int ang r. H r in th e mid t f thi

ha

unatt nd ed and

general! un anted , Mar attempt t gard n b " pr t nd[in g] that h wa makin g aIl w rbed , and ... [ ti kin g] bi g

arl t hibi

u bl

m int

litt le h ap

f earth , all th e tim

gr win g m r and m re angr " ( ). M r pret ndin g t mak a n we rbed with hibi cu
bl

m c mbin d with th dir

t

nn cti n f hibi cu

nw

Mary' attempt t crea te a c nn cti n t h r m th r wher n n
f the few pe pi e in the hou ch ld

ho d

Mr .

ignifi

nn

lth ugh Mary i

n t c ntra t h I ra, h i what

n

raft n re ~ r

t a '' ill at ea " ( I 09) r "di -ea d" ( I II ). If we vi " Mar ' ga rd enin g e peri en e a a
way t ga in agency, th en, not nl d e thi initi al gard enin g e p ri nee provid e Mary with a
r whi ch t

erci e c ntr I, it a! o all ow her to ac t ut her fru trati on and

ub equent aggre ion towa rd her parent . We ee Mary "gr win g m re and more angry" (6)
directing into the oil the fru trati n and ub equ nt anger h cannot dir ct toward her
mother. Kn epflmacher, who refer t Mary a " ind

tru tibl e," evid enced in part by the fac t

th at he i not affected by cholera, and a "gard en-build er fr m th ve ry tart" (22), ee her
agg re ion a her " ole defen e again t th e d pri va ti on

h ha long uffered by be in g ' kept

out of th e way"' (22). Tuan note th at ft en for children " [t]he ange r th at cann t be dir cted
again t adult can be direct d aga in t mud and water" with the difference be in g that. h
be li eve ''b th maki ng thin g and destroyin g them give a child a en e of povver" ( 19) . While
Mary' gardenin g attempt refl ct a way t

eek age ncy in and power through her int raction

with the oil , they areal o focu cd on crea ti n rather than d tructi n. Wh il e w can se ,
fr m the tart th at Mary ha th e nece ary ingr di ent for grow th - anger and tenacit
lacks th under tandin g needed to make ei ther a producti e garden or a h --althy : elf.

47

she

Mar '

nd att mpt at gard n 111 g 1 t th
partin g ~ r ~ n g l a nd .

aft r h r par nt ' d

raY~~ rd h

h

u e

raw~ rd h

h br i n

tay

u e 1 an th r cha tic

n ir nm nt:
he kn ew th at h wa n t g in g t
he wa tak n at fir t.
and h had fi

he did n t

ta

t th e :-ngli h I rgyman ' h u e wh r

ant t

ta.,.

hildren near! all th

h -- ngli h cl rgyman wa p

am ag and they w r

r

habby cl th e

and w r alw ay qu arr lling and nat bin g t y fr m eac h th er. Mary hated their
untid y bun ga l w and wa

di agreea bl t them th at after th e fir t day n b dy

wo uld pl ay with her. ( I 0)

With h r parent dead and her futur un ertain , tayin g in a trange, chaoti c h u e, and
o traciz d fr m the oth er children, Mary in tincti vely eek t exerci e control thr ugh her
interaction with natu re again and for a ec nd tim e by crea ting rath er than de troying.

h

find a pot and attempt to ga rd en, '' makin g heap of ea rth an d path fo r a ga rde n" ( I 0).
When the children try t j in her in ga rd enin g, her temper ca u e th e children t t a e h r,
Mary, quite co ntrary I How doe you r ga rd n

makin g fa e , laughin g and in gin g, " Mi tre

grow? I With ilver bell and cockl e hell , I and mari gold all in a r w 12 " ( I 0- 1 I). Here we
ee th e pattern of excl usion and gardening rep a ted.
he tim e pent at th e raw ford hou e al o hi ghl ight Mr . Lenn x' lack or
1n v lve ment in Mary'

oc ializa ti n and it efTe t . Mary' beha iour i con trar to that

The . fo rd l i ·tionwy (~/ ursery Rhy mes note a variety or end ings for this nurser
rh yme n ne of whi h includ reference tc "a nd mari go ld. all in a rO\\" that Bum 'tt us'S .
The m t c mm n ending i "a nd pretty maid all in a rc w" \Vhic h has heen said to rcll;r to
th Virgin Mary with m id r pres nting nuns or to Mar , ue 'n of ·ots with the maids
r ~ rrin g to h r ladi e in wa iting.
12

4

t ri n girl ,

p ct d f midd l - and upp r-cla
b dient and w

t. Mr .

ra

~ rd

h id all y w r gentl , d ~ mur ,

iD , r mark

th pa t r'

ntrar in e

n Mary'

tating " [p] rhap if h r m th r had arr ied her prett fa ce and pr tt mann r
th nur er Mar mi ght ha e learn ed
n

r, it i n t

h r1 f c n enti n, h

m th er'

" ( II). A a pa t r' wife, Mr .

nti na l b li [: and h ld a p iti n th at traditi nall y w uld hav

command dan element f auth rit and r p
fall

t

me pr tt

ften r int

t durin g th e

ict n an p ri od.

!though Mary

urn ett' intent th at Mary h uld r pli ca te her

uperfi ial g nd ered m d I, but rath r th at he call attenti n t thi ab ence a th e

ground f p

ibility up n whi ch Mary ca n di till a dif~ rent m d I f mothering thr ugh

ac ti ve invo lve ment in the hild ' li fe. Mary' lac k f guid an e I a e her un culti va ted and
th refore in a p iti on t ch

e

Mary' introducti on t
111

mething n w.
ngland ee m a i olated a her ex peri ence in Indi a. Arri v ing

ngland , Mary ha - to bono w th chara teri za ti on of Ingli - eti olated a a r ult of

impro per cultiva tion by her moth r.

ti olati on 13 de cribe th e proce

by whi ch n werin g

plant are grown in parti al or complete ab enc of li ght. Thi re ult in pl ant of a pale
colour, often yell ow, with long wea k tem and small er, par er leave due to longer
int rn ode . The narrator de cribe how Mary' "b lack dre

made her I

k ye ll ov. er than

ever, and her limp li ght hair traggl d from und r her blac k crepe hat" ( I ). Mar ' ) Cli o\
kin i a ymptom of ti olati on - the Jac k of light tra n latin g to a lack of nurturing - the li ght
of ca re and c tt nti on. Her limp hair ec hoc th
ti olati n in pl ant . The ab ve d

par e lea e that arc

mptomatic of

ription of Mary i o n ~ of the many that remark on h ' r as

yell wa nd . i kl y. Wh en Mr . Mcdl ck meets Mary, the narra tor b. cr c. , " l\1ar) did not

13

R fer to [i

tn t on page 27 .
4

like h rat all , but a

b id
n tew rthy that in
Mr . M dl

he

ry

ld m liked p

pl th r wa n thin g r markable in that;

id ntMr . M dl

kdidn tthinkmu h fher'' ( l 2). 1t i

ith th e ffi er' "'iG wh a

mpan 1 Mary t

ngland

k r mark that Mar i quite plain and n cd impr ve ment, addin g " ther '

n thing lik I t 1mpr

e hi ldr n at M i elthv. aite" ( 12).

Mar ' intr ducti n t Mi clth\ ail Man r 1 imi lar t h r initi al e pen enc
ngland . Her uncle, Mr. ra en, d

n t wa nt t

f

ee her and Mr . M dl ck make it clear

that Mary
mu tn ' t e. pect th at there will be pc pi c to talk t y u. You' ll have to pl ay ab ut
and loo k after y ur If. Y u 'II be t ld what r

m yo u can g int and ""h at

ro m yo u' re to k ep out of. Th ere' ga rd en en ugh.

ut when yo u' re in th e

hou e don' t g wand erin g and p kin g ab ut. Mr. ' rave n wo n' t have it. ( 15- 16)

Mary' entrance into th e man or emph a ize her alone-ness: a she wa lk through th e hu g
"entrance doo r ... mad e of ma ive, curi ously haped panel of oak tudd ed with big ir n
nail s and bound with great iron bars," and tandin g on the tone n oo r he " lo ked a v ry
mall , dd littl e bl ack fi gure, and he fe lt a

ma ll and lo t and odd a

he lo ked" ( 19). In

contra t to th ma nor with it ma iv d or, bi g iro n nail , and grea t iron bar , Mary i
dim inutive. Alone in a trang land without anything fa mili ar, Mar ' e ·clu ion i complete .
I Iere Mary"' ill n e t draw upon th e aggre i ene
de fen e" (22) in rder to tran form and
mod I G r a n w repr

th at Kno pnm a her e

If-ac tualize. If Bumctt i

a her "sole

tting Mary up a,' a

ntati n of m th rhood, Ma ry fir t ha. t ha e a developed sense or

If, rath er than findin g h r whole id entity in moth ~rin g .

50

II. Th

d

f

lf-h

d

nth fir t m rnin g at Mi

lthwait Man r, Mar '

th fir t tim . Marth a re p nd t Mar ' d mand t b dre

ntrar natur i addre ed G r
db

impl r fu in g t dr

h r p inting ut that her br th r and i t r , wh are oun g r than Mary, are eapabl
dre ing them el e .

n ted ab ve, at Mi

ther

ern

1

n nur e r g

lth\ aite Man r, M r ' e

f

lu i n is c mpl te:

t a t a a primary caregi er, and "" hi le Marth a i "a igncd"

t help her Mary i th re p n ibility f n

ne.

t thi p int Mary i r p n ibl e [I r her

ntim ent expr sed in In the Garden regardin g
one' de ire t ha e a ga rd en, if " [ iJn y ur hea rt f hea rt y u rea ll y wa nt a ga rd en. You ca n
ha eo n . You can make it our elf' ( I - 19) . In rd er t

m ove~

rwa rd and be ucce ful ,

Mary will need to " make" her elf.
De pite hav ing no primary caregiver or v rt care at Mi elthwai te, th er are a
number of character and elem nt , including Marth a, Ben Weath er taff, and the ecret
gard en, who ubtl y help Mary on her j ourn ey of elf-ac tu alization. For exampl e, in th ir fir t
c nver ation Martha introduce Mary t the my tery of th e ecret gard n by th e mere
mention of a gard en that ha been locked up for ten yea r :
" Iftha ' goe round that way tha ' ll co me t th ' ga rden," he aid, pointing to a
gate in a wa ll of hrubbery. "Th ere' lot o' nowe r in umm er-tim e, but th ere·
nothin ' bl o min ' n w." h

eemed t he itate a . ccond b r re she added," ne

of th ' garden i loc ked up . N ha been in it for ten ca r ." (_7)

Marth a'

b erva ti on th at th re i nothin g current! bl oo ming appli e , equall to the garden

and t Mary, but a!

hint at h pe for what i, po, ' ibl in the lutu r ' . Martha is litera II

p inting Mary in the right dir cti n. h id a that n
Mar

ial d

Jj[i ) (

an and

n ha b n in it [i r t n y ar r Il ct

I pm nt, V\hi h ha b n with ut int r enti n [i r t n y ar (h er wh le
r n i '' ~e mini t" . Martha ' m nti n fth " I ked up" garde n mak

Mary w nd r " wh " ( ~ 7) t whi ch Martha

pi in , "" Mr.

wife d i d o ud den . He w n ' t I t n

1n

n g

du g a h le and buried th ' k ,,, (2 7).

rav n had it hut up when hi

id c. It w a h r ga rd n. II

t n I i th k

eked th ' d

t th ga rd en buri d but al

ran '
th e key

t Mary' de el pm ent.
Martha '

n

r ati on with Mar

intere t in eating, e pi ring, m eting

ntinu t a t a a atal

t , ignitin g Mary'

ick n, and findin g th e ec ret gard en. In her matter-

f-fact way, Martha tell Mary:
"You' ll go by yo ur elf," she an we red. "You' ll have t I arn t pl ay lik e oth er
children doe when th ey ha ve n' t got i ter
th ' m

r by him elf an' pi a

r brother .

ur

ickon g e off n

for hour . That' how he made fri end with th '

pony. He, got h ep on th ' moo r th at kn ow him , an' bird a co me an' ea t out
of hi hand . However littl e there i t eat, he alway

ave a bit o' hi brea d to

c ax hi pet ." (26-27)

his de cripti on of Di ckon pl ants a eed of intere tin Mary, for. " [i]t wa rea ll y thi mention
of

ickon whi h made Mary d cid e to go ut, th ugh he wa not awa re of it" (27).
In her e pi rati n of th e Manor' gro und , Mary meet Ben W ather 'tafT, another

ca taly t a Mary als b gin to recogni se in W ather tafT aver ion of the ontrarine s that
h her, elf proj ct . Wh n w fir t me t Wea th r taff, w 'e' a surl h 'ad garden 'r '' ho
eli pl ay
tnc

ev ral f th

am

harac tcri , ti c a Mary. W eathersta!T is k' in the narrati' ,

y mirro ring a imil ar di po ' iti on t Mar

h ' enab le her to s 'e h 'rsclf as others io

B y nd imp I r n tin g Mar '

d

ea

fter W ath r taff.

pm nt.

ir t h n d t

the futur p

ntrarin

lem nt

urn tt'

ar

[I r Mar '

h r tru c ntrary natur and th n he n ed t glimp

'

ibilit

in aJJ w

r hi int ra ti n with th r
'

,h w

Ll

f th e r bin i

pring and th e r bit1h f the arth . P

ign ifi ca nt in thi r p

iti n d in th n

I at thi point,

t a it ymb lize
urn tt i

ignaling

the beg innin g f Mar ' r newa l.
In many r p t Mar i a ymb li r bin in th at he atTiv
the change c ming ~ r

in th e pring and ignifi e

lin and th e man r. During ne of th ir initi al m ting , Mary

n ti ce th littl e r bin and i amazed h w th r bin an wer t W eath r ·tafr whi tl .
two di cu

th

their mutu al fri end , th r bin, Mary fee l an odd en ati n at hearing th e robin '

"che rful, fri endl y littl e whi ti e" - "a pi a ed D elin g" (29) . Th littl e bird "br ught a lo k
into her our littl e face whi ch wa aim

t a mil ·· (29) . Thi

Mary, who never fee l cheerful or plea ed, and pre age Mary' r birth . Later when Mary
encounter Weather taff again, he noti ce that th e littl e bird i al

abl e to ch er him .

Weather taff admit to Mary th at he i fri endl e s except fo r the ro bin, to whi ch Mary r pli
that she ha never had any fri end . He then addre es the imil arl y between the tw :
"Tha' an' meareag

dbit alike," he aid . " Wev.a wove utof th ' amec l th .

We'r neither of u good-1 kin ' an' we 're b th f u a

our a \ e I ok. We' e

got th e arn e na ty temper , both f u , I' II wa rrant. "

hi wa pl ain peaking, and Mary
her If in her life. Na ti v

nn

had never h ard th tru th about

erva nt alway

alaa m d and ·ubmitted to ou ,

what ver y u did . he ha I n 'ver thought much about her looks, but ·he
wo nd red ir she wa a unattra ti e a

en W 'c th ersta IT, and she aL o \\'Ondcrcd

if h l

ur a h had I

k da

nd r al

t

m . h

a " na t -t mp red." he ~ It un o m~ rtab l

if h

he di

mD 11 Mary

p n n e

[! r th

fir t tim , h r

gn1 z

h r.

th r bin

an c

tually

gan

2)

ar ingredi nt in h r u

thi a pec t [ h r per nalit and r fl ct up n how oth r

mp unding thi m m nt [ , elf-r c gniti n

ab ut h r per nalit rath er th an " ubmit[in g]" t h r.

t II her th truth
nlikc th e tauntin g fth e

ra w~ rd

children, Weath er taff i ·'pl ain pea kin g" t Mar ab ut how he appear . ven th ugh
W ath r taff i c nveying th

ame m

ag a th

tell Mary the truth about her If and th r for hi
pa age, Mary al

raw ford childr n, he i th e fir t adult t
pini n hold m re auth rity. In thi

recogni ze th chang in Weather taff wh n th e robin approache thu

reinforcing the id ea that chan ge i po ibl .

a garden r, he pl ant within h r th e e d of

el[-actualization .
The rol e f gard ner further connect Mary and Weather taff - a well a Bum tt. It
clear that as a gardener, Burnett und er tood the power f garden to gro w and tran fonn . In
her e ay, In th e

arden, Burnett de cribe her own e perience a a gard ener:

I love it all. I love to di g. I I ve to kn eel dow n on th e gra

at the edge of a fl ower

bed and pull out weed fi ercely and throw them int a heap by my id e. I I veto
fi ght with th

e who can pring up again alm

t in a night and taunt m . I tear

them up by th root aga in and aga in , and when at la t aft er man day , p rh <p ,
it seem a if I had bea ten th m for a time at lea t, I go awa fi cling lik .. an am1
with bann r . (20)

4

H r Bum tt m ha i
u

t

that gard ning r quir

w rk which h metaph ri all y

acti n ~ r it i a pr ce

nn ct t th

n

that r quir

nti nall y rna culin

hard ,

ph re f

"an arm ." Th re~ re rath er than th e empha i

n nurtur ing that i an a umpti n [

gard nin g, th ir c ntrar and d t nnin d p r

naJiti e mak Mary and Weath r taffuniqu ly

quali fi d t carry ut thi w rk a b th ha e th t nac ity and tr ngth t id nti fy and pull ut
th unwant d in rd r t make r

m ~ r what i I [t t fl uri h. Wh en Weath r taff o f~ r

Mary ad ice ab ut h r per nality, thi i
that Mary d e a imil ar thing with
remo al can mak r
determin ati n
and

m t r the p

ith whi ch

a tl y what he i d in g. We will ee furth er n

lin , identi fy in g hi un wa nt d charac t ri ti c

o th 1r

iti v charact ri ti c t fl uri h.The re ili n e and

urn ett attac k th ew ed in her ga rd en re fl ect Mary' d termin ed

urage u but often co ntrary per nality. Kn

pflm ac her ac tuall y co mpare Ma ry'

often " a vag " beha iour t Burnett ' trea tm nt f weed in th above pa age (24 ). Th
"feroc ity" with whi ch Mary face life i remini ce nt of Burnett · "determined pullin g of
w ed th at prin g up" ni ghtl y (Kn epflm ac her 24). In thi re peel, Mary co ntra t th e
traditional Victorian beli ef th at wo m n and girl were akin t wiltin g fl ower .
Kn oepflm ac her beli eve " Burnett impli es th at growth , wheth er of pl ant or of littl e girl ,
inv lve bo th h althy anger and hea lth y nurturance" (24 ). Burn ett ' de cripti n of the need
to wo rk thro ugh hard hip and overco me ob ta le to create a beauti fu l gard en mulat the
ob tacle Mary mu t overcome t develop fuJJ y a a per on.
Along with Martha' and Weath er tafr

ub tl e nudgi ng

r Mar in the right

dir cti n, even b fore findin g the ecret garden, natu re al o b gi n to work upon Mar ,
aiding in her return to hea lth :

Th re wa n d ubt that th fr h, tr ng pure air fr m th m
t d with it. Ju t a it had gi
th

n h r an app tit , and fi ghting th wind had tirred

am thing had tirr d h r mind . In Indi a[] h had alway

h r bl

d

b en t

h t and languid and w ak t c r ab ut anything, but in thi pi a e h
ar and t wa nt t d n w thing . ( J)

wa b ginning t

Rai d in th Indi an un a
d

r had a gr at deal

rati e, in ffe ti

rt [ c I ni al h thou

th at ali gn with h r m ther a a

m th r) Mary i pal and ickl y. H wev r, aft r pendin g tim m

mi ty ngland n th e m

r whi ch ali gn h r with th " naturaliLcd pl ant" M r . ow rb y, he

begin to ga in co l ur. Whil e thi

eem c ntrary, that th e unl e , wet weath er f ngland

w uld be where Mary ga in co l ur (and , bye ten ion, that by leav in g Indi a, he ga in
hea lth) it offer an indirect comm entary ab ut c I ni ali za ti n.
Moth r

untry, th en perhap

nsid ering ngland a the

ngland ' attempt to 'c lin -ize' Indi a play out in th e ill

health of olin and Mary. Wh eth er intenti onal or not, Burnett ' u e f th e name

olin.

all ow for a play on th ew rd co loni z . Both the mother of th e e ill children, Mr .
and Mr . Lennox, represent the r le wom n pl ayed in th

rav n

ecuring of patri archal

d min ation. Mrs. raven perpetuate th e patriarchal ideo! gy [ th e h me fro nt in England
and Mr . Lenn

, the wife of a Briti h offi cer, w ith her

ya h and ervant , e tend th i.

ideology in the c loni e . A we will ee, the ecret gard n r ver e thi traj ctor : rc toring
the health of the tw children by c nn ectin g th em to th model of " nati e" motheri ng
as ociated with Mr .

we rb y.

e cribed a unh ea lth y when he arri ve in Fngland. 1ar") ·s

wo rk in the gard en and harm ny with nature i ultimately re ponsibl ' for both C o l in '~ and
Mary' . return t hea lth .

rafton· wo rk hi ghli ght an "empha i. l n th e unhealthy a s p ec t ~ or

non-rural en ir nm ent " in turn -of-the- ntur

hildren' t , t , in ·lu di ng /'h e ecn:t Garden,

5

hi h ar
en

urag d' (I 12- 11 ). T thi p int, w b gin t

thr ugh h r a
th

begun in 'pia e

unt rp int db h aling pr

iati n with th

her gr wth i delib rate!

th r t rati n f Mary' h alth
r, und rt king the nee

utd

r t gard en will t a h Mar h w t pr

ary care t r

id care [! r h r elf, and thu return b th h r If

and the gard n t h al th .
Ill.

inding th

ret

arden

p n nt rin g th e ec ret ga rd n

n

f th fir t thing Mary ee in th c ntre f th e

rgr wn with r e bu he . h

gard n 1

ymbi ti c nature f th e entangled r c and

tr e branche act a a m taph r [! r the relati n hip th e intim acy b tween m th er and child
that Mary ha been lackin g. Th e tate of the branche mirr r the tat
relati n hip not onl y a th yare intertwined, m re
were neither leave nor ro

f th m th er-child

er, but al o by th eir d rm ancy: "th ere

on them now, and Mary did n t know whether th ey were dead

or ali ve" (5 8). Thi id a of dorm anc y i repeated a fe\ lin e furth er n a Mary de. ribe
movin g car full y through th gard en;" teppin g o ftl y a if he we re afraid of awa k ning
orn e one" and in peakin g of the fl ower

he qu e ti on wheth er "th ey are all quite dead[?]

... is it all a quit dead garden? I wi hit wa n' t" (5 9). Thi qu e ti n pro mpt an intere ting
revelati n for Mary, who i not in th lea t concern ed about peopl e to thi p int, becau e he
h w a di tin ct en iti vity to th e plant , " teppin g o rtl y" a not to wake th em and c n crncd
th at the fl ower "are quite dead ". II w d yo u e ' pl ain th e difference in attitude? I wou ld
argue that in thew rid f pcopl , Mary i , never abl e to m a ure up to th demands or proper
Vi et ri an ociety, wh er a within the gard n th ere arc no uch e pec tation , placed upc n h ~r.
ing th

ecr t gard n for the fir t tin , Mar in stincti ely begins to garden b

makin g " ni ce littl e clea r pia c ar und" th e" haq littl ~ pa l e points" (60) or the llm\cr bulb"

57

Mar ' att mpt t gard n in India ha

r ac hin g ut f th

gard n h r att mpt at gard ening uc
'' n thi ng i t

mal l t gr

. If a

rding t Burn tt, n

~ rtile," wh

an

d . In h r b
er - n thing i t

il i a I t au

cr t

ard n, Burn tt wri t

and y t b enrich d and mad ferti le"

but nl y need t b "enri h d and mad

d Mar ' initi al att mpt at ga rd ning fail . I think it i imp rtant her t think

n t nl y f Mary a th ga rd n r but al
with Vi et ri an w men and girl
full y awar

k In th

fai l d, in th

a th il wer, which wa a c mm n anal gy made

an a ti c, pub] i h d ga rd ner, Bumctt w uld have been

f th gard ening trend and lit ratur

f thi p ri d and i deliberately pl ayin g

up n the c nn cti n between gard nin g, m thcrh
peri d, amateur w men gard n r
childr n. Maud Mar

more ' in fa vo ur with

urin g th e Vi et ri an

ft en t ok a maternal t n in de cribing their il wer a

n · b ok. I Imt· the

h pe gardener attach t the ac t f

d, and w m n/girl .

arden

rew, pub Ii hed in 1900, hi ghli ght the

wrng e d that her pl ant "w uld yea rl y grow m re and

od and man'" and how thi hop i c mparabl e t the xpectati n a

mother attache to h r children. However, in the ame way th at th e bi logica l act of giv in g
birth i onl y one element of motherhood, ow ing

ed i onl y one aspect of becoming a

gardener. Maryon' ex pre i n of hope th at her fl ower "w uld yea rl y grow mor and more
'i n favo ur with

od and man"' (qtd . in Bi I ton 10) connect the n ed [i r nur1uring with the

m ral and reli gi u education ca n·ied out by Viet rian mother with their child ren.
Maryon demonstrate , the Victori an ideo logy wa that both uccc ful children and
ucce ful gard ens require c n tant ca re but th at car did not nece. ari ly come onl fr m or
prim aril y fr m the mother.
In additi n to the anal gy f Maud Mar
rein fore mcnt in th c nn cti n b ~ twc n Mar

n · no,, r. a

hi ldrcn, further

nd the ll w ~rs can b ~seen in the trend of

Viet ri an ga rd ner. toward " th e 'return ' o r nati e pl ant · anu natural planting schemes""
5

h n t abl t bl

n id r Mar a an

(Bil t n 10). If

and t b enrich d and mad G rtil '' ( 15), what c n titute

Burn tt tat

" n thin g i to

the dif~ r n

b tw en th Indian

w rk h r .

ir tl y lndi a Ia ked th n

ar

Her rn th r' pre ccupati n with parti

and

re ult d in a child with ut an r
pr

il and th

t . Whil th

id d n thing t n uri h Mar

a a f1 wer r y ung pl ant, herr turn t
Arri ing fr m India, wher
of the tim e h

pend

min India . If, a

ngli h

il .

h r ar a number f fa t r at
nn h Mary'

t

il r ~ undati n.

iali z in g re ult din a D rrn fm thering that
ya h I

k d after Mar ' prac ti al ne d , he
ndl y, when we c n ider Mary

ial devc l pm ent.

ngland can be viewed a a r -naturali zin g pr ce .

he ha n t thri v d, Mary begin t thri v in

ut id e in th e gard en.

ngland , a a re ult

t nl can Mary' repatri ati on be een in

terms of naturalizing pl ant by ga rd ener but ali gn with Burnett · phi I oph y of a ti v
mothering and the need D r m th ering to return to a more natural tate, wh re rn th er
acti vely parti cipate in th ca re of their children. Burnett u

Mr . owerb y a the e ampl e of

thi and a th e counterpoint to Mr . Lenn x and Mr . raven.

how n in the previ u

chapter, both Mrs. Lennox and Mr . raven, each for diffe rent rea on , are un wi lling r
unable to mother their children, even to the limited ext nt of the inv lv rn ent e pected of
traditional middl e-cl ass Victori an m ther . Thu , Mr . L nnox and Mr . raven illu trate the
effects that n ue when that care i left up to other . The children f the e " hoth u e ,.
mother ca nnot ucce full y nav iga te the wo rld in th ir ab cncc. By co ntra t, the owerb
children, pecifi ca ll y

ickon and Martha, h w how ac ti ve motherin g re ult in uc ·e lui

children. Mr . , wc rby' hand -on appr ach re ult in Martha, who i abl e no t onl to \\ Ork
out id e th h m

but al

to in truct Mary in mann r. , and return h o m ~ on her da ofT to

help her m th r with h r sibling . imilarl y,

ickon a , a r ' suit of the nurturing and ca re of

hi moth r i abl e t tak ' ca r of himsel r on th ~ mo( r and t ) nu1iur ~ motherless crea ture:

Mary
already in pia
and he
in th

p n n

th

r t gard n in a hi ghly p r nal way cultivatin g what i

n h r ft r t

it, h

uld c me thr ugh th e d

ann t b Ii

r und er th i

h

an tim e" ( 9). With thi fir t

ccr t gard en, Mary i 1 aming t gard en. In tincti

plant n ed pa

t gr w nd b gin

pale p int " ( 0 but a tim g e

' insid th w nd rfu l gard n,

ly

I arin g " a th d bri

pen ence

m t kn w th at th
r m ar und th e" harp littl e

n and he return t th ga rd en, Mary

ek advi e fr m

Wea th er taff and Di ko n. Whil e, Mar ' conn ecti n with th e ec ret g rd en i alm o t
in tantan

u , thi b nd i

parti cipati n i th e nee

trength n d with ac h vi it to th e ga rd en. Her ac ti ve, ph y ica l
ar element t th e ga rde n' and h r

e id ent in h w th garden pi a

'A- ll regenerati

n. hi i

a bigge r and bigger role in Mary' deve lopm ent, c ntinu all y

r vea ling new thing to her. M rgan r fer to thi a th e c ncept of "en vir nm ntal or
territ ri al range," in whi ch childr n " pre
pl ace and en ironm ental e pen en e

beyo nd imp

d b undari e in ea rch for new

e pandin g their " pati al rea lm of ex peri en e''

all ow in g th em to "e pl or[ ], manipul ate[e), and tran fo rm .. . new ly acqu ired terri tory o

r

tim e'' (93-94 ). At Mi elthwaite, Mary ha clea r bound aries abo ut where he can and cann t
go and know that the ecret gard en i out id e th ose bound arie a

h admit to Di ckon:

'T ve tolen a gard en," he aid ve ry fa t. " It i n' t min . It i n' t anybod ' .
No body wa nt it, n body care fo r it, nobody ever go

into it. P rhap everything

is dead in it already; I d n' t know."

he began to ~ el hot and a contrary a

he had ever fe lt in her life.

" I don' t care, I d n' t care! No body has any ri ght to take it from me wh ~ n I care
about it and th y d( n' t. They' re letting it di e, all shut in b it elL" . he ended

60

r h r fa

pa i nately and h thr w h r a1m
little Mi tr

Mary. (74)

h wn in th ab

e pa age, Mar ·

in th fir t la e, i th
di regard the rul
ucce

tubb rnn e , v.hi h all

d her t find th e gard en

h r t aband n

n enti nal bound arie and

arn e qu alit that all

m rd r t make th e ga rd n her o n.

in tran [! rn1ing th

arl y, Burn tt i linking Mary'

ecr t gard en t Mar · tenac it . Thi p

and it c nn cti n n t nl y t thri ing butt

age a centu ate care

urv1 in g. Mary' di tre ed e clamati n t

ick n h v. the hi ft fr m Mar · typ ica ll y
or omethin g el

and bur t ut crying- p or

lfi h per. pec ti ve to that f carin g for

me ne

and are e id en e o f what Derr re ~ r to a " learnin g ca re" (qtd . in M rga n

96) in 'vY hi ch children "deve lop a en e f re pon ibility, re p ct. and empath y towa rd oth er
li vin g thing "( 96).

hro ugh a ti v ly ga rd ening, nurturing th e ga rd n, and hel ping it develop,

we witnes a Mary devel p r pon ibility, re pect, and empath y, and it i th e devel pm nt
of the e qu aliti e that all ow for her elf-developm ent. No t onl y i Mary learning care fort h
garden, he i lea rning car for her elf. Within the e re t ga rden, Mary' attempt at
gardening yield re ult . Mary di cov r th at with orn e w rk, sh can regenerate the garden.
In the word of Ru skin , "fl ower [w iII] ... fl o uri h ... in th e ga rd en of orn e on [ ic] who
I ve th em" ( I 03 ).

In additi n to th e new e peri nee of learning ca re, the
all ow Mary t po e

omethin g th at b I ng

cret nature of the garden

olely to her a within the

cret garden ", he

felt a if he had found a wo rld all her own" (59). The id ea o f owner hi1 vcr thi . little space
per onali z

th e ex peri enc for Mary, and contro lling know ledge or and a· ·ess to the secret

ga rd n height n it per onali za ti on fc r Mar . In li ght or Bu rne tt' . hildhood e p ·rien ·es
with natur , I b li eve thi ·pace i hi ghl y p ~r, onal to
61

urne tt as V\ ell, sup ·rimposmg h ·r

m m ne
b th

n Mar '

urnett '

childh

in th b

p n n

hi ldh

d

n

).

man, Mill

urn tt ' birth h r famil

he h u e th r backed nt fi ld
den"'

that

ting

ripti n f Mar and Mar ' rclati n hip with th e e ret

an , ran i H n

H dg

a ed n

p n n e f th natural w rid and h r n tal gia [! r h r wn

d gard n innu en e herd

gard n ( arcy

k.

n t uch a

rzin a n te ,

and Pemb rt n).
111

v dt

uk ' T rra

t.

n

, Manch e t r.

th ught f a" ein g inth e' bac k gard en

hi h r n

un g age. Burn tt G und a Iifel ng

nn e ti n with gard en

e m d a pia e f ga rd en and p rpetua l umm er, where he

pa e .

could li e b n ath th tree , ignoring the indu tri al city th at urr und ed thi
and air. It wa here that her de
dirt of citi " ( 13). 14 H re

uburb fli ght

ti n t gard en b ga n and her di c mfit with th e ru h and

rzin a capture the pa toral

fo r Burnett. Rec gnizing th r le that childh

ence f gard en and natural pace

d pace pl ay in our li ve even a we beco me

adult , critic , uch a Mark ranci a ert that childhood memori e of gard en and the
natural world impact u

o directl y and d epl y th at we ca rry them through adole cence into

adulth od thu s hapin g "adult images and attitude of land ca pe " (F ran i , "Fem ini C 1 3 ).
Additi onall y, a

ibl ey note , " it i diffi cult to enter th e child ' wo rld once we have left it

behind"(" hildren' "270). Ba ed upon the e ob ervati ons, we can ee how the land cape
o f children's novel are often built around no talgia for th e pl ace o f th auth or' OV\ n
childhood and how the secret ga rden i refl ecti e of Burnett '

0\\ n childh ood garden.

Building n thew rk of Hat1, Honeyman, futih rmorc, note th at no ·talgia "bridg[ e ] a ga~
betwee n child and adult ubj ecti viti " (n .p.) an wering th e uni er_a l bas ic urge "to surround

14

ibl y (" Famili e '') concur noting that much o f hi work co mes fro m recollections from
hi own childh o d and outlin the inh rent probl em with usin g mcmot'). stating "it is
diffi cult t ent r a hild ' w rk on V\ e have le ft it b hind " making "much of the childhood
e p n enc f pi a and . pa e" (~ 70) elu. i 'a nd m _talgi in nature.

62

r

ur

with a kn wn , and h n

diffi ult " (qtd . in H n

aD

pa

whi ch w can r treat in time

t

man n.p.. In 7'h

ard n,

and familiar t cr at a imilar pac D r Mar . H w
ntimentali z d and inacti
cr at

urn tt return t what i kn wn

r, rath r than th e v rly

attitud c mm n with th e pa t ral and n

tal gic,

a c ntrar char t r and an at-fir t glanc an inh abitabl e pa e. In d ing
rk the id a f th e pa t ral, ter

purp
it th centr

fa cti n and pr du ti n in th n

[dang r r

typi ca ll y an id ylli c,
I thu

urnett,
, Burn ett

r ne pac , by makin g

mph a izin g th need [! r ac ti on in

life.
R tun1ing t the ecret natur

fth gard en D r a m ment, I w uld argue that not onl y

i the ecr t gard en imp rtant a a lit rary devic but al
b tw

n ecrecy, privacy, and elf-development (

addition, Burnett i c nv ying a me age about th e r

ugge t a trong conn ecti on

den ugh, tahl , and Wall ace) . In
f gard enin g in chall engin g n01m m

a covert manner. In Th e Secret Garden, th e ecret nature f the gard en i an important
element in the children' developm ent.

pea kin g pec ificall y of th e role of ec recy in The

Secret Garden, Almond beli eve the gard en initially n ed to remain hidd en a it repre ent

"to child reader , an id ea li zed and n t yet attained part of th e elf th at will emerge through
"culti vati on" a part of th e ego idea l" (492) . Within th e ecurity of th e ecret ga rde n' v.a ll
Mary can "begin th e unfolding of elf' (M rgan 88). Morgan beli eve th at "wa ll and
fence. " ra th r than barri er are
pri va y and a

en " po iti

ly, affording th e preadole cent much-need --d

n e of e urity" (89). Water ' hi t ry of ga rd en , for exa mple, describ 'S

how Victori an ga rd ener u ed wa ll ed ga rden prec i ely for th e de el )pm nt of oung pl ants
In th s cr t ga rden, th e children are rrc fro m a iult survc ill an · ,and this freedom aiiO\\ s
th em to b come trul y them lv ·. Morga n bcli

6

c that b cventuall including D1 ck.on and

f th gard n, th

lin in th

c - p rati e r lati n hip

ial d

I pan und r tanding f, and

ith, natur , with ea h th rand with th ir wn inn r imaginative

life" ( 9). While th initial in
t ward

hildr n ar ab l t "d

tm nt fm aning int the ga rden ignifie a han g in Mary

el pm nt, haring th

pace with

ick n and

cial event d v I p kill , ~ rm and r -form enterpri
v n further

cial gr wth fre fr m g nd r and Ia

away fr m th

m ffectual adult int ra ti n , fr

" ( 54 )

lin , a a plac t "act ut
pand the apacit G r

p ctati n . he ecret ga rd en hidd en
th e children t d th e nece ary w rk on

their wn.
The id a that th gard en i
Mary, and eventually

ecret i an unp rtant in gredi ent in th e developm ent of

lin . tahl n te that ther i a direct relation hip b tween e ret and

the idea of agency, a "[ ]ecrecy i

ft n the child' meth od of declaring and devel opi ng hi

or her individuality and independence" (39). In Th e ecret Garden, Mary declare thi '
individuality and ind epend ence by I oking b r, findin g, and continuing to return to, the ecr t
garden de pite knowing that the gard en is forbidd en. tahl believes that po e sing thi
"b rbidden " knowled ge hei ghten th e en

of ind epend ence and individuality exp rienced

by Mary ( tahl 40) . In a imilar way, th e children hid e

olin' re torat i n t health from the

adu lt in the book . Morgan beli eve that Mary' initial cro ing of the thre hold into th
garden require "courage and inqui itivene "(88) and it i the e "characteri tic that dri\c
her per onal development" (88) and I would contend empower her to keep the garden secret
and d clare her individuality and develop her independenc ~.
Mary' effort to bring th e garde n back to hea lth arc two I' Id. Not on I doc , her\\ ork
re. tore the gard n to it hea lthful state but the physi 'a l activit that constitutes the \\Ork
restores her own hea lth . Within the garden's V\ ail s Mar find self-love and empathy through
64

gard mng.

c

rding t

lizab th Franci

thr ugh gardenin g " Mar un arth a c mple
f nut1uring and gr wth

and m th rh

cr t ga rd n

d and th

ith it

ncl

mmonly link gard n

d r und wall i n

cepti n. Th

ga rd nand th w mb har in the bi I gi a! fun ti n f regcnc rati n and birth, r in Mary'
a , "rebit1h ." R in[i r ing it
a mall d

mb-lik natur , th

r I ading int th r und garden

of critic n t th

nn cti n b tween th

ntran

mpl etely cncl

t th

cr t ga rd n 1 through

d by th

t newaJJ .

cr t ga rd n and a w mb . ""'v an n te th w mb-

like nature fthe ga rd n f[i r th e" n e f n I ure, ec lu. ion and
"e entia! to th e pr ce

number

cret labo r" th at i

wh r b th e girl find meanin g and va lu e in life thr ugh cl e

contact with nature" (_0).

riti c ha e ften likened th e h m t a womb.

achelard , D r

exa mpl e, ee th home a a " re torati e. anchor in g, pr tecti c and in ul atin g hell " (q td . in
ibl ey, "Fa mili es'' 130). H wever, in The Seer I

arden, th h me i dy functi nal. A

Par on argue , although the manor hare many of th e a me trai t that make the gard n
womb-like, the gard n ha the p wert regen rate, wherea the hou e imped
dev I pm ent of Mr.

raven,

olin, and Mary. In t rm of gend r n rrn during the Victorian

peri d, the absence fMr . rav n, the id ealized mother wh embod ied th e
House, ha left Mr.

the

ngel in th

raven unprepared to d a] with her ab enc and t properly run the

household or par nt his chi ld .

ter and immon

imil arly argue that the ecret garden

"prote ted from the un een (ma le) threat" ( 18~). I find thi reading

mewhat problematic a.

olin and Dickon do j in Mary in the ccr t garden; therefore, I would uggest rath 'r than
offering prote ti n fr m the "(male) threat," Burnett LLe the garden pace not only to
cha ll nge gend r n rm but a an an tidote to the ill of th pri at

1 h 'r ~ .

sa further

halleng to gender norm , it i Mary who I ad the work and pla v ithin the secret garden
moving women/girl fr m a ub ' I i nt 1 o ·iti( n to that of an ~qual or lead 'r. fhe secret

gard n 1 a pl ac wh er
Mar

b und ari

urn tt cr

by bringin g t g ther femal e and mal

lin and Di ck n - nd th 1 w r-, middl -, and upper-cia

t geth r f th n t nl the childr n but Wea th er taff, Mr .

P rhap
ga rd n

t igni fi anti , th w rk Mar d
f a tu al ph

t

r

mmg

w rby, and Mr.

ra en.

h alth t h r If and th e

i al I b ur . F r th ga rd n. th e impl e a t f !ca rin g " ni

littl e" pi a e ar und th " harp littl e pale p int "(60) lead t weedin g, di gg in g and J runing.
How

r, th ph y ic lity of thew rk al

re ult in Mary rece iving th e erci e, fre h air,

and un hin that rc tore her hea lth. By nurturin g th e bud , Mary i ph y ica ll y takin g th eir
car and her wn int h r wn hand . When th i i vi wed in r lati on t the ga rde n'
c nnection t m th rh

d, Bum tt i p inting to th e idea th at m th erh

d i a pr ce , like

the re t rati on of th gard en, and require ac ti ve parti cipati on. Reca llin g Burn ett '
autobi graphi cal weeding pa age, Kno pflmach r ac tu all y co mpare Mary'

ften " avag ''

behavi ur t Burn tt' treatm ent f 'Aeed (24 ). The "fer city" wi th which Mary fa e I ife i
remini cent of Burnett' "determin ed pullin g of weed that pring up" nightl y
(Kno pflmac her 24). In thi re p ct, Mary contra t th e traditi onal Victoria n beli ef that
wo men and gi rl we re akin t wiltin g fl owe r . Kn oe pflm ac her be li e

" Burnett imp I ie th at

growth , whether of plant or of littl e girl , invo lve both hea lthy ang r and hea lthy
nurturance" (24). Through the e de cripti ons, Burnett i advoca ting th e need to work through
hard hip and vercome ob tacl

and he ha given Mary the ten a ity nee

ar to achie\ e

thi .
I loweve r, a Kn ocpflm ac her note th e arn e " [d] cpri ati on [th at] has made [ 1ar)]
t ugh" and give n her tena ity "has made her co u in ' olin

o ft" (~ ). Mar

's "s'toad,~"

pr pel h r toward phy i ·a I and emoti nal deve loJ m ' nt, v her 'as th' anlucnt men 111 th,
book (

lin and Mr.

ra ' n) need th e ai I of a W( man to h ' lp them O\ ercom' their struggks

66

- £r

lin it i Mar ' h lp and D r Mr.

c m

in handy in her treatm nt f

th wh le h u e with hi
h i " I mg n hi fa
ice" tart!

lin int

Hi fa

ra

n it i Mr .

w rb ' . Mar ' aggre

lin a illu trat d in th 1 a ag wh r

r aming in a fit f ang r. M r mar he int
bea tin g hi pill w

ith hi hand " ( 1 ~5).

tar ·

1

n

lin wak
lin ' r

UJ

m, where

wn ' furi u littl

pp1n g:

k d dr adful ,

hite and red and wo ll cn, and he wa ga pin g and

h king; but avagc littl Mary did not ca re an atom.

" If

u

rea m an th r cream," he aid , 'Til crea m t

louder th an y u can and I' ll fri ghten

- and 1 ca n crea m

u. I' ll fri ghten y u!"

He actu all y had topped creaming beca u e he had tartl cd him o. Th

crea m

which had been c ming alm o t choked him . Th e tear we re trea ming dow n hi
face and he hook all ver.

" I can' t top! " he ga ped and obbed. " I can' t - I can' t!"

"You ca n! " houted Mary. " Half th at aiI yo u i hy te ric and te mper - j u t
hyste ric - hy teri c !"and he tamped eac h ti me he aid it. ( I 25- 126)

By acting in the same manner a he doe , Mary fo rce
much th

olin to ee him elf a other do -

arne way th at Weath er taff ha pre iou ly mirro red Mar ' behav iour back to her.

A Kn oepnmac her tate Mary' " hostility nO\v ·crve. a purpo e" (2 ) forcing

olin to ~cc

him elf in omeone I e. Burnett n te in the no cl that " [i] t \\a not until artcn\ard that
Mary rca li z d th at th thing had b ~en fu nn y a · well a · dreadful - that it was Iunny that all the
grown-up peopl w r so fri ghtened that they ca me to a littl -- girl just because they gu ~ss ~d

67

h wa aim

Iin him

t a bad a

If ' ( 12 . hi pa ag d m n trat
full

Mary i ab l t achi

Kn
c ntr 1

lin. I w uld argu that thi pa ag al

tr ngth and c ntrarin
p wert m d I a ne

, far fr m b in g th d mur ,
id ea f m th rh

dem n trating th effect

v ke a ter

lin a a ter

century - di

a d,

f gr wn-u1

ann t -

Mary, b ca u e of her

et, ideal Viet rian girl , ha the

ict ri an m th e rho d in

Iin and

typi al Vi et ri an w men' ailment

typi ca l w man. ranc1 c ncur

female figure a w man wri t r

h

tren gth that

d gr und ed in trength and acti n. In additi n to

[ middl - and upp r-cla

Mar , the referen
po iti oning

d m n trat

th

tating th at

frequ ntl y c nce ived them el

lin r pre ent 'a

in th nin eteenth

nfined, whi te, pa i e, hy terical, m n tr u and ~ aring the

mon tro ity of a hump on hi bac k"(" ~ e mini t" 9). Franci

Mary wi th havi ng the

power to "demy tify[y] the stere type that make him ill " ("Fe mini t" 9). Ace rding to
Franci , Burnett free "th e auth or ity potent in female harac ter and act , t conceive garden
pace in b th pa toral and mat rn a! t rm "("Femini t" 9) . By creati ng a fema le protagoni t
with agency, as Mary i once h begin her tran formation , and pairin g it with th mat mal
pace of th e ga rd en, Burnett invoke th e pa toral a a cure for "th e mon tr

itie " ( Franci ,

" Femini t" 9) that plague the " male and female charac ter "(9) f th book . Reading thi
pa sage in thi way, we ee the "new" active mother, ne that can cure the problem of the
feminized man . While I agree with ranci that

umett i purpo ely pairing the gard en, a

typically pa t raJ space, with moth rh od, I would argue that [i r Burnett the pa,' toral i , not
the stereotypical inactive p ce; rather, the gard n i a place of acti c parti cipation . tahl tll so
sees the children' u e ofthe garden a "cathartic" a the garden i . non)mou s " not on!)
with growth in nature and of per
b nd

f

nalit but with liberation from adult r ' straints and inner

If-pit and defeat" ( I) particular! the ecret garden . Within the ga rden. 1an i'>
6

fr

t

ugly in natur and

b c me I

Mr . M dl

k and th d

aband n d pa

). In t nn

t r d fin him elf away fr m th

y

,. { ard 11 a the "tran ~ rrnati n f

m

[

int a gard n f h pe and hea lin g" ( 175) . Mill furth er id ntifi e Mary a
chi ld" (1 2 and n t

th at redcmpti ninth n v l i n t imp ly

hildren but tran ~ rm th wh lc h u h ld rc ultin g in " indi vidua l

tran ~ rm ati n f th - ari u
(1

Th

t r. Mi II

th "tr pe o fth redempti
dir cted at th

lin i fr

r and th n tran · ~ rrn ati n of th entir c mrnunity"

f th e tran II nn ati n f th e wh I c mmunity, I w uld in clude th e gard en not

onl y a the pac in whi ch the tr n II nn ati n t
the c hildre n~ r M rga n note th e abilit
th ro ugh th age nc

k pl ace but al

~ r "p ia e

a a pace tran form ed by

th em el e [t J b equ all y tran ~ rm ed

f children" (4 ). Whil e I agrc th at Mary ha th p w r t tran II rm th e

whole hou eh ld , even th whole co mmunity in cluding the ga rd en, I w uld argue that Mary
i le

"th e rcdempti e child " and more what Burn tt envi ion a th e new m del of an ac ti ve

motherhood ro l
IV . In Bloom
As the children work in the gard en, all three h w th e benefit

f nurturing. The

phy ica l act of creati on. in thi ca e. creatin g th e gard en, pro m te "phy ica l, moti naL
psychologica l, and piritu al hea lth" (Darcy 2 16) . Franci al

b li eve that acti e

pa rtic ipation is the key to attaining a "deeper ignifi ance and mea nin g" wh n chi ldren mm c
fro m bein g pa ive ob erver to engag in g ph y ica ll "a ga rd n r or farmers··
(" hil dhood' " 187) . A "th

entral hea lin g metaph or" in th nove l the ecret gard en

reprc cnt ~ "gr wth, de elopm ent, andre ·tituti n fl o ·· ( Im md 49_) and th ese things arc
attained thro ugh th eir intcrac ti n with natur in the · cret gard ' n. he gard en blooms The
change in th childr n arc rcmc rkcd on in c era! d

69

·ripti ons. Mar loses her cont rarincs.· .

ha ing d

el p d

iall ; he i d

rib d a "d wnri ght pr lt

urI

k' ' ( I

lin find phy i al h alth , r gain hi ability t walk,

and finally b li

ing he

ill li

hi hy t ri al t mperament ( 1 2). Darcy

relianc and c

p rati n in making

I t h r ugl littl e

attain' thr ugh th ir int rac ti n
imilarly

m thing [a J irtu

~

h ' filled ut and

th at Mary and

e ' [ ]elf-

lin painfully

ith n tur and ach th r in the

lm nd ee th "c ulti ati n

ideal , and the apacit

m

r fri nd hip with it

r har d purp

n e

r loya lty and altrui m ... [a ] th e fruit

and

fthe hildr n' lab ur"

( 492) .

By th

nd f th b

k

lin and Mary, are happ y, hea lthy children who pend their

day playing in and tending to th ga rd en with
that confr nt Mr.

raven upon hi return i pr

ick n and hi w

dl and crea ture . The cene

f of th e c mpl ted dev lopm ntal pr ce ,

[t]he [garden] wa a wildeme s f autumn gold and purpl and viol t blue and
flamin g carlet, and on every ide were heave of late lilie

tanding together-

lilie which were white or white and rub y. He rememb red well when the fir t of
them had been planted that ju t at thi
reveal themselves. Late ro

ea on in the year their late glorie

h uld

climb d and hun g and clu tered and th e un hine

deepening the hue of the yellowing tree made one feel that one tood in an
embowered temple of go ld . h newcomer tood . ilent ju t a the chi ldren had
don when they came into it greyne . H lo ked round and round.
' I thought it w uld be dead,' h

aid .

'Mary th ught oat fir t,' . aid

olin. 'But it came ali c.' (.... 09)

hi final imag or the garden how its radian · --; the arra or colours bursts ofT the page and
ev ryon kn w the gard n i, full

li c.

h ref r n · to lilic: allude. to the force\\ 1thin

70

the gard n, m therh

d, b ca ll ing t mind Lilia

ra en

li

n radi ating thr ugh th r n w d g rd n and childr n. h gard n, lik the children,

ha

me int th ir

thr

c mpl t , th ga rd en i brilli ant in it ali

n. "th ir lat gl ri

., r

h d pit Mr.

r ~rene t

in g' it

ra

n' a umpti n

alin g th em el

. Th de el pm ent ~ r all

n

b c me b autiful in id e

, Mary h

lin ha a hi v d ph y ica l hea lth nd i rcunit d with hi fath er.

Thi fin al
wheth r r n t

ali gn vvith Li lia ,

n. Mr.

b li

and ut, and

uld b dead " al

ra

ne [ th b

urn ett' n

k ha b n th t pi

el re in ~ rce

r ub

Va ri ati n : Wh at Fe mini t Theo r Kn ow ab ut

f much d bate in th

rt patriarc hal

ch lar hip on

iety. In " ~ n ig m a

hildren' Literature," Li a Paul refer to

the garden a " ultim ate! th e place o f Mary' de feat" with a number f th er criti c agree in g
that the fin al cene

f the tory repr ent a lo

while

raven return t th e manor. They ee Mary, having et the ga rd en t

olin and Mr.

for Mary, wh i I ft b hind in the gard n,

ri ght and thu tran D nn ed the h u e back into it ri ghtful tate wi th a hea lthy

o lin and Mr.

Crave n' return , ubju gated by Vi ctori an patri archal va lu e . Pierc e n te thi i

ften th e fate

of the fe male gardener who "when he reac he th at pinnac le of fe male ach ieve ment, heal.
di cover th at it hold no powe r" (75 I).

onve r ely, a num ber of other critic (Franci ,

" Femini C , lngli , and Par on ) co ncur th at th e garden, and th u Mary' po ition in it centre
i the " rea l power" ( un th er 160) . In "The Secret Garden Revi itcd,"

drian

unthcr argue
'-

that the ti e r retum of power to the manor i dep ndcnt on the gard en, furth er arguin g that
Mary h w furi her 1 ro gre

in th e "path of clf-d i over) than olin" demon trating a

"tran ·ccnd cn e o f cg " ( 160) and th erefo re "we ca nn ot help bu t e.· pc ricncc her as more
imporiant" ( 160) . In e

nee, Mary is o full y dev lo1 ed a a person that , he ca n set as ide her

wn interest and . hare in ' olin ' . happin c. at the a ·hie emcnt of' the thin g he has \\ ~lil ted
mo t

th e love o f hi father. I Wl uld agree that Th , ecret Gan len ca n b ' read both\\ a):
71

d p nding up n wh r y u b li
purp

th p w r li

.H w

ful and that it d e n t matt r h w th criti

li~ " ( 11 2) and I b li

u ing th fi gure fa child , Mary, t

that thi i

read the nding but rath r h w y u read

th ending. In th pre i u chapter In t d that Ingli b li
"etoilati n f famil

er I w uld pr po

cd that

um tt aw th

e th at lhr ugh The

h w u th p

ibility ~ r th e futur . It i up t u t

tay

in the gard n and pur ue a n w r le ~ r m th rh od r imply t g back up int the Man r
with

lin and Mr.

manor it li

ra

n.

111

enc , th p wer d e n tli e within th ga rd en or th e

within each f u

72

L

h rtly aft r I b gan w rk n my th e i , my m m pa
ha e b n a r fl
what mak

ti

J urne

a m th r,

p

n m th rh

iall y a g

my per nalliD a w II. I b li

d ~ r me - what

aft r l in g her

p rhap m r

at tim

c mpli ca ting them, at tim e

la t ~ w y ar

h

a tly m th erh

d m an and

d m th r - n t nl y forth wo rk of thi th

that ranee 11 dg n

th ught

d away.

i but in

urn ett grappl d with th e arne

n - gri ef t nd t

hang th way w

implifyin g th em - and th at p rhap Th

7

ee thin g ,

ecret

ard '/n

wa her e pi rati n f thi t p1 c.
In The Maternal Voice in Victorian Fiction: R eHTiting the Patriarcha l Famizv,
Thaden argue that th

ngel in th e H u e wa an id ea l toward whic h Victorian

ciety

trived. The reality wa quite different. I b li eve th at thr ugh The ecret Carden, Burn tt wa
attem pting t neg tiate a pace betw een th e id ea l and what he, a a mother, aw a the
reality. I think that a hundred yea r later, ociety i still engaged in that negotiation. What
make a good mother?

an we trip away all the tereotype , caricature , and mi conception

to find her . Is she the idea lized, spirituali zed Mr . rav n - t o good to be true? he
certainly cannot be the elf-centred, fri ol u , di intere ted Mr . Lennox.

n the ther hand,

mu t you give up all of your elf t become Mr . owerby, generou , nurturing, and wi e, but
dev id of y ur intere t ? Through The ecret

arden, Burnett attempt to writ th future of

motherhood in Mary and while Mary' work within the garden and v ith

lin hint at the

need for active mothering, w n ver ee thi full realiz:ed within th book. Burnett lea\ e, the
ending up to u .

n of the thing that int 'rest -d me most from my first rending of The ecr<!f Can/en
wa iL comp li at d nature.

sa hildren's novel, 'ecmingl) innocUl us, it e ammes a
7

c mp licat d ubj ct - m th rh

d - in a

mp lica t d wa . Bun1 tt i n t telling a m ral

t ry r b in g did a ti in n b 1 u wa rath r he i e p ing th e bin ri , tere typ , and
can ature

f m th rh

h I b li

that th n

will find what th

ar I

th t pi

di cu

d and ubtl y ugge ting th at

iety need an alt rnati v . hi

I can b r ad a b th ubv rting and nfl rcin g patri ar hy. R ad r
king fl r in th t

f patri arch

ing th language f meta ph r,

t.

ict ri an id ea l , m th rh

urn ett

d in a c ded languag . he

u e metaph r - the gard en and ga rd ening a a m taph r fo r m th erh

d - in the ame way

th Viet rian u ed 0 ri graph y b tanica l language, and v n gardenin g lit ratur t
om thing inn cu u whil at th
The ecr t

ame tim meaning

ay

mething o ertl y p liti ca l. Through

arden, Burn tt pull togeth er a numb r of elem nt that im ilarly can be read in

a numb er fway , uch a the gard n, whi ch it both within th e do me ti c rea lm and out id e
- priva te and public pac . imil arl y, th e ubj ect of m therh od a demon trated by Marjori e
Me ormi ck' reminder that m th erh ood i at nee "b r ad ly p litica l [and] inten ely
per onal" (x iii ).
Ther i no question that The Secret Garden i a book about m therhood . The ubject
of mo th rhood i alm
continue

t uni ver al in the cholar hip on the no el. How ver, the deba te

ver who repre ent th id eal mothe r with mo t cholar ch

ing either Mr .

raven or Mrs . owerb y. I do n t ee either of the e a th idea l m ther, nor i it Mary or the
garden, but rath r th e nov I wo rk to break dow n the notion of the idea l mother creating
in, t ad a more open vi ion for thi ro le. Burnett remo ', the t r a typica l fair godmother
and evil t pmother attributed t Mr. . ra en and Mr -.

enn o, , re ' pec ti\ ~1 , and

d m n trate that neith r or thcs moth erhood ro le , ar, cfTec ti e c r ideal.
the

he rcmtn al or

two moth r charact ' rs op ns space for a more ari -d represen tation or motherhood

74

th w rk f m th rh

d, u h a Mar '

m th r within ur 1 e a Mary d

Martha) , and e
i

f thi n

yah and Martha

w rby th

, and th gard nit elf.

g nd r (a with

r pre ntati n

anal

wh d

with nurturing qualiti

m luding th

h

pac t find th

m therh

n and W ath r taff) , cia

d
yah and

n pati al b und ari e in th ga rd n it elf. It wa my h p , that thr ugh the
el and th ace mpan mg r

cial id entity f m th rh

arch, that th e und r tandin g f th e gend red

d w uld be nri ch d and e pand ed in an attempt t di plac th e

implifi d iew f an id ea l m th r and r pl ac it with a m r c mpli ca ted and di ver e
haracter.

n th ugh th e repre entati n f m therh

d peak to th e oc i tal need of th e

time, thi s per1ain to th e role of motherho d, not th e per n. Lik the novel and th e gard en,
thi i another ite f pp

er u the m ther a a p r on wa th

ition, th m th rh

truggle for the Vi ctori an , for Burnett, and ~ r femini t t day - how d y u repre ent
motherho d a the compli cated ocial c n truction that it i , with ut 1 mg ight of p r n
behind the mother r le? I tarted out thi thes i with th e hypo th e i th at Burnett, like mo t
middl e-cia

wo rking mother in th late Vi ctori an period tru ggled t find their vo ice and

make a pace for them elves that r c gnized oc iety' expectati ons and limitati n 'v\ hil e
be in g tru e to their genuin e elve and de ires. Readin g Burnett ' bi graph y, I ce riainl y had
the sen e that she tru ggled to b a mother, to feed her de ir fo r writing, and balance the
other aspect of her life.

ne hundred y ar later, I think that m ther

I know that I have - how t li ve up to thee pectati n of
re arch, 1 came to und er 'tand th

till truggle with thi s.

ciety, famil y, and my If. In m

uiTocating id eo logy f the

ng I in th e Hou 'C and

s parate 'Ph res, and whil w app ar to have w n that battl e, I be lieve -v e ha\ e crea ted a
new on

attempting to do nd have it all a ' mothers . I d not be lieveth<t the pressure rs any

, simpl y di f~ rent.
7

In chapt r n

I

ught t d fin and

hi t ri al anal

i , [! undati nal II mini t th

m th rh

uld e h w

mpa
m therh

d, I

nt

d. Pulling fr m

ry, and arch typal reading

f m th r and

d in Th "

ard "17 to

urn tt had tructur d moth rh

a numb r f difii r nt pe pl and vcn a pa e and h w h r repr entati n f
d br ke a a fr m th binari e

f ra e, g nd r, cla , and again even pac . I

n G r thi i th at m th rh
all int

tualize m th rh

di

o

mpli at d that it i ' diffi cult t fit it

n p r n. hapt r tw e am111e th e id ea l m th er and h w

f her within th n

el furth r trengthen th e n d II r an altern ati

Vi et ri an id ol g . Final! , in hapter three, I I

kat

urn ett' rep re entati n
t the dominant

ar ' r le in then ve l. I believe th at

po iti ned a a child and uniqu ely linked t the ecret ga rd n, Burnett p it Mary a the
future of m th rh

d - an ac ti ve m ther who i unafraid f g ttin g her hand dirty wi th th e

work of mothering. The much-debated end of the novel, in whi ch Mary i Jeft in th e ga rd en,
whil e Mr. raven and

olin retum to the manor, d e not enforce, r ubvert patriarchy;

rather it whi per of the p

ibiliti e of th future . It leave it open for the reader to choo

76

W RK

m

r it Pr

2.

a

lum 4 .

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