DS9-Maternal Melodrama

[Joel_Kirk]

I'm in the process of doing a critical paper on the subject of the maternal melodrama; for those not familiar with the term or 'genre'....the internet is there for your usage.

I am looking at 'DS9' as a maternal melodrama: We have Ben Sisko, upset about the death of his wife doesn't really care what happens to him...but must take on the duties of not only father, but mother. Moreover, his son Jake (and to a lesser extent, being Emissary) is the reason he hasn't gone the way of 'the old ones'...

There are other shows and films I am thinking of, but I am looking for episodes (that I may or may not recall) that may have some specific 'maternal melodramatic' scenes....

 

[Leathco]

When I first saw this thread title, I thought you meant the drama between Kira and the O'Brians when they had to switch "carriers" for the child.

 

[ares93]

^ indeed. my first though was the same.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

Judging from the responses, I guess no one has heard of the term 'maternal melodrama' nor has believed it to be not entirely based around a female character....

Oh, well...

 

[Vulcan Princess]

Well, I'm not familiar with 'maternal melodrama' either, and I don't have time to read up on it. However, from your description in the OP, I think I might have some helpful episodes.

In Wrongs Darker than Death or Night, Kira uses the Orb of Time to travel back to DS9 during the Occupation. It turns out that instead of her mother dying like she had been told,

Spoiler: Kira's mom

she had become Gul Dukat's consort

. The episode revolves around her reaction to that revelation.

Some of the interactions between Odo and the Female Founder might qualify as well.

 

[CaptainStoner]

I'm in the process of doing a critical paper on the subject of the maternal melodrama; for those not familiar with the term or 'genre'....the internet is there for your usage.

You want us to give you ideas for your paper, and yet can't be bothered to write a sentence or two as to what the term means? Guess what. DS9 is there for you to watch. Get your own ideas.

 

[Tosk]

Curiosity got the better of me, so I looked it up. I can't for the life of me find one reference to the definition of 'maternal melodrama' that would allow for Ben and Jake to be the basis of a paper. The term seems to be quite restrictive from what I can tell. It's not even just the fact that it's about a woman or not; the circumstances of the story need to be of a certain type to apply.

1. "Fictional type of melodrama centered around a mother who will come into contact with her child after many years but has concealed her true identity for fear of that her past will harm the child. Often compelled by social pressure to give up the child at a young age, or because of the belief that a woman cannot raise a child herself, the child is unaware of his or her mother's true identity, although s/he usually comes to know her. Sometimes the separation is because the mother is guilty of a moral lapse, or because she has become involved in a scandal through no fault of her own. The overriding virtue of selfless motherhood becomes the goal to which all other desires or ambitions are sacrificed."

2. "The maternal melodrama derives from several late-nineteenth century and early-twentieth-century theatrical proto-types. Although there are many narrative variants, the basic plot concerns a mother who is suspected of adultery and expelled from her home, thereby becoming separated from her children. She suffers degradation, sometimes becoming a drug addict or a prostitute. After a long period of separation, she again encounters her children who do not recognize her."

 

[DevilEyes]

1. "Fictional type of melodrama centered around a mother who will come into contact with her child after many years but has concealed her true identity for fear of that her past will harm the child. Often compelled by social pressure to give up the child at a young age, or because of the belief that a woman cannot raise a child herself, the child is unaware of his or her mother's true identity, although s/he usually comes to know her. Sometimes the separation is because the mother is guilty of a moral lapse, or because she has become involved in a scandal through no fault of her own. The overriding virtue of selfless motherhood becomes the goal to which all other desires or ambitions are sacrificed."

Ah, I see - it's about Sisko and his Prophet Mom...

 

[DS9 Gal AZ]

I'm in the process of doing a critical paper on the subject of the maternal melodrama; for those not familiar with the term or 'genre'....the internet is there for your usage.

You want us to give you ideas for your paper, and yet can't be bothered to write a sentence or two as to what the term means? Guess what. DS9 is there for you to watch. Get your own ideas.

AMEN! Arrogant and entitle much, OP? Yeesh.