Mother Courage

letters from mothers in poverty at the end of the century

Plot

In 1915 a ground-breaking collection of letters was published by the Women's Co-operative Guild. A unique record of the lives of contemporary women as they raised their children in poverty and difficult circumstances, it became a landmark book. Now Mother Courage gives a voice to women of the l99Os. Beset by a range of problems, mothers are still subject to very low incomes, inadequate childcare facilities, sexism and discriminatory attitudes, a failing health service and, in some cases, domestic violence.Many of the women find the joys of motherhood outweigh these problems, but all of them are struggling to have their needs met by a system that can be both unfair and uncaring. Direct, personal and often moving, these letters bring together the personal anal political issues surrounding maternal poverty and present a powerful case for social change.