Mme de Warens (Mama)

Character Analysis

Rousseau's Lady Love

No one is more influential on Rousseau than Mama. Even though their relationship isn't as maternal as her nickname suggests, Mama provides support in all areas of Rousseau's young life: professional, personal, and (ahem) extremely personal. Most importantly, Rousseau sees her as the source of his happiest times and the cause of his greatest sin: "I should never finish were I to describe in detail all the follies which the memory of my dear Mama caused me to commit when I was out of her sight" (3.2.16). In short, Rousseau needs Mama's guidance in order to stick to the straight and narrow path.

Not All Sunshine and Gumdrops

Although we get a pretty limited perspective on what Mama's feeling and thinking, we get the sense that her time with Rousseau isn't always happy. Rousseau says it himself: "With Mama my pleasure was always troubled by a feeling of sadness; by a secret oppression at the heart that I had a difficulty overcoming" (6.1.13). Mama's always flitting from relationship to relationship, balancing between Claude Anet, Rousseau, and some other nameless dude who replaces Rousseau. That definitely doesn't mean she's sad, but Rousseau thinks it shows her tendency towards discontent.

Independent Woman

Just when Rousseau is madly in love with Mama, it all crumbles: "Alas, my most lasting happiness was in a dream" (3.2.16). Mama may be the love of Rousseau's life, but she's got no problem moving on to the next one.

Is it possible that Mama suspects Rousseau of financial mismanagement? Rousseau never hints at Mama's mistrust, but she might be less gullible than she initially lets on. While Rousseau is traipsing the countryside, spending Mama's money with wild abandon, she's having a jolly good time with Rousseau 2.0.

Bonafide Bluestocking

When Mme de Menthon comments that Mama is "no more than a blue-stocking, that she had no taste, that she dressed badly and kept her bosom covered like a tradesman's wife," we're pretty sure she means it as an insult (5.1.25). But Mama's wealth and education mean that she has an all-access pass to an elite club made up of the smartest folks in eighteenth-century Europe.

Mama may not have been an original member of the Bluestocking Society. By today's standards, getting lumped in with this group is a total compliment. These are smart ladies who aren't afraid to strut their stuff. Unfortunately, haters occasionally called the Bluestockings out for wearing frumpy clothes (see: Mme de Menthon). Then again, independent ladies like Mama inspire plenty of jealousy.