Jane Austen's "mothers"

[ladyramkin2001]

I am posting on this list, as the subject seems to be wandering way 
off H.P.  Betsy came out with the sweeping statement "Jane Austen was 
all about unhealthy relationships...Some of Austen's mothers are 
downright villainous". To which Alla replied "Molly has plenty 
positive qualities....while Jane Austen's "mother" characters have 
none"
Agreed certainly that Mrs. Benett (Pride and Prejudice) and Lady 
Bertram and Mrs. Price (Mansfield Park) don't exactly shine as 
mothers, but villainous!!  And what about Mrs. Dashwood, who so 
bravely and cheerfully buckles down to losing home and fortune and 
whose whole care is for her daughters' happiness (though she might 
have been a bit stricter with Marianne)  Mrs. Morland in Northanger 
Abbey is a lovely mother, kind and understanding, and allowing 
Catherine considerable liberty without being in any way neglectful.
Emma hasn't got a mother, but she had her governess, Miss Taylor, who 
filled the place of a mother and was kind and loving.  Emma couldn't 
have been an easy child to deal with.  Anne Elliot's mother is also 
dead, but she sounds nice and too good for her silly husband
To finish this little rant: Some of the Juvenalia may be described 
as "novellas" but the six main novels are just that:  Real grown-uo 
novels.
Sylvia
..