Mr. Welsch's Relationship In The Princess And The Goblin
545 Words3 Pages
While a nurse is not the biological parent of the children placed under their care, they act as an authoritative figure. In the case of Mr. Welsch and the King, both men are too preoccupied by their profession to engage with their children. Therefore, the assistance of a female caretaker is necessary. While Irene’s mother is dead, Mrs. Welsch simply does not care to attend to Harriet. Yet when Ole Golly’s announces her engagement, Mrs. Welsch wines, “But, Miss Golly, you can’t leave. What would we do without you?” (Fitzhugh, 128). The Welsch parents are so dependent upon their nurse that the notion of looking after their child is unfathomable. Mr. Welsch would rather focus on his paperwork and “have [his] drink,” than engage with Harriet (Fitzhugh, 60). They are ill-equipped as parent…show more content… Similarly the King in The Princess and the Goblin is more consumed with his monarchical duties. While playing, “[Irene] jumped up with a cry of joy, for she knew by that particular blast that her father was on his way to see her,” (MacDonald, 74). As a result of his constant trips, the King is often absent from Irene’s childhood. She is only granted fleeting opportunities to engage with her father and awaits the sound of his welcoming call. Furthermore, MacDonald writes, “It was a long time since he had been to see her and her little heart beat faster and faster as the shining troops approached, for she loved her king-papa very dearly and was nowhere so happy as in his arms,” (MacDonald, 74). To compensate for his absence, the King showers his daughter with affection. However, he is an inapt father. These texts suggest that men are primarily concerned with their occupations while older women appear to be natural nurturers. Furthermore, it shows how nurses, as a result of their availability, trump biological ties because they are present in the child’s