Love and Duty: Exploring Motherhood and Spirituality in Grazia Deledda's The Mother

Abstract Grazia Deledda’s The Mother (1920) is a poignant narrative that delves into the complexities of maternal devotion, religious strife, and psychological depth, set against the backdrop of a remote Sardinian village. The novel centers on Maria Maddalena, a widowed mother whose life is devoted to her son Paul, a priest struggling with his sacred obligations and his illicit love for Agnes. This study examines how Deledda integrates psychological realism and regionalist elements to portray the tension between individual desires and societal expectations, with a particular focus on themes of motherhood and faith. Through an analysis of narrative techniques, character interactions, and cultural context, this paper highlights Deledda’s synthesis of verismo’s emotional intensity with modernist introspection. Employing feminist and psychoanalytic perspectives, it underscores the novel’s exploration of sacrifice, guilt, and the interplay of religion and superstition, affirming Deledda’s significant contribution to Italian literature.