Emily Tallis's Maternal Anxiety

Explores Emily Tallis's role as a mother, her migraines, and her failure to protect her children.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The invalid mother

The Migraine The Retreat Emily Tallis suffers from migraines that force her to lie in a darkened room. She is often absent from family life. Her illness is both real and a convenient escape from responsibility. The Sixth Sense From her bed, Emily can sense the tensions in the house. She knows that Briony's play is failing, that Lola is scheming, that something is wrong. But she cannot intervene. Her illness makes her a passive observer. The Guilt Emily feels guilty for her absence. She knows she should be more involved. But the fear of pain keeps her in bed. Her passivity contributes to the tragedy. If she had been more present, she might have prevented the false accusation.

The failure

The Complicity The Acceptance Emily accepts Briony's story without question. She believes Robbie is guilty. Her class prejudice and her desire to protect her family lead her to support the prosecution. She does not consider that her daughter might be lying. The Loss Emily loses Cecilia, who cuts herself off from the family. She also loses Briony, who becomes a nurse and distances herself. Her family is fractured. She is left alone with her migraines and her regrets. The Legacy Emily's failure as a mother is part of the tragedy. She was too ill, too passive, too prejudiced to see the truth. Her love for her children was real, but it was not enough to save them.

summer 1935

1935, after the arrest