This study analyzes the mother figures in Theodor Fontane novels Effi Briest, DiePoggenpuhls and Frau Jenny Treibel and the mothers` relation to their children. The mothersact differently from what modern society expects from mothers today. In one of the novels amother forces her daughter to marry the mothers` former admirer whom she had beenattached to. Another one forbids her son to marry a young woman because the young womanhas a lower rank than the son. The setting of the novels is placed in Germanys highersocieties in the late 19th century. Theodor Fontane is known for hidden criticism of societywhich makes it very interesting to study his work. He criticizes different ways of living andbeing by writing novels and placing the characters in special situations that makes thecircumstances obvious. The objective of this study is to find out if the mothers are caring andwant the best for their children or if they are the opposite, uncaring mothers who force theirchildren to do things that certainly will make them unhappy. On the background of the 19thcentury society rules, the women rights and the expectations that every woman and motherhad on themselves in the 1890s in Germany, the mothers from the novels will be studied andcompared to each other.