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The Mother, by Grazia Deledda Essay

Decent Essays

There is perhaps no greater joy in life than finding one’s soul mate. Once found, there is possibly no greater torment than being forced to live without them. This is the conflict that Paul faces from the moment he falls in love with Agnes. His devotion to the church and ultimately God are thrown into the cross hairs with the only possible outcome being one of agonizing humiliation. Grazia Deledda’s The Mother presents the classic dilemma of having to choose between what is morally right and being true to one’s own heart. Paul’s inability to choose one over the other consumes his life and everyone in it. Paul’s infatuation with Agnes seems to have caught his mother by complete surprise. Their seven years in the village seemed to only …show more content…

This is just a shield from Paul’s true hankering which is to “get away from his own thoughts” (Deledda 102) which Agnes dominates. Paul admits to himself that the meeting with Antiochus’ mother is beyond him because he is struggling with his own future and cannot really help someone else with theirs (Deledda 166). It does seem to do Paul some good in realizing that Antiochus will have the support of his family in doing whatever he chooses however. He himself was not given that option as his mother “already looked on herself as the mother of a priest” (Deledda 35) when he was too young to understand the sacrifices the priesthood would require. Paul does not only use Antiochus to obscure his true intentions of trying to forget Agnes, but also the young Nina Masia. Nina Masia was believed to be possessed by the devil and her mother took her to the presbytery so that the priest could drive the devil out of her. Paul read from his Testament and touched Nina Masia on the forehead in his attempt to exorcise the demons. After the girl grew silent Paul admits to himself “that he had been reading the Gospel without belief” because he did not really believe the girl was possessed (Deledda 120). However, while reading the scripture there “had been a moment when he had felt nearer to God” (Deledda 120). Nevertheless he refuses the widow mother’s praise because he felt he was acting in malice and did not deserve the affection he

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