Discuss the love of a morther for her son, as expressed in the Epic of Sundiata - Personal Statement Example

Sogolon is the character in Sundiata that best shows just how much a mother can love her son. Sogolon is the mother of the hero, Sundiata. As with many heroes, Sundiata had a difficult beginning with many misfortunes. These misfortunes and experiences helped shape him into the great warrior that would reunite the land of Mali, but it was the love of his mother Sogolon that helped him through these difficult times. The first challenge that Sundiata faced was in his early childhood. He could not walk, even at age seven.

This made him the object of scorn and rejection. The soothsayers had predicted that he would be a great leader, a king of Mali. However, as the years passed, everyone forgot about the words of the soothsayers, except his mother and a few faithful friends. Sogolon endured the bitter teasing of the king’s first wife, Sassouma Berete. She held her peace and loved her son despite his disability. Only once did her frustrations boil over into anger. Sogolon had asked Sassouma Berete for some Baobab leaves to go with her meal.

She snidely replied that she could have all she wanted because she had a son who would be king, a son that could walk and could therefore fetch Baobab leaves for her. She said she was glad to share her leaves, seeing that Sundiata was crippled and would never walk. Sogolon was humiliated by these hurtful words. After this especially hateful experience with Sassouma Berete, Sogolon returned home to her disabled son and began shouting at him. She was even moved to strike him for the first time.

Not something a loving mother typically does, but it had the desired effect. The years she lovingly cared for Sundiata had built a great love in his heart for his mother. She told him that he must walk, and so he decided to do just that. He told his mother that he would furnish her with not only with Baobab leaves, but would bring the entire tree, roots and all to her hut. After using a magical iron rod to walk for the first time, the seven-year-old Sundiata tore the tree from the ground, carried it to his mother and planted it by her hut.

All this so her embarrassment would be washed away and so he could return the love she had shown him all of his life. An important point is brought out in the story that connects the character and love of the mother to the eventual character and nobility of Sundiata. Even though Sogolon was a princess, she was despised by many people. She was misshapen, with bulging eyes and a hump on her back. She was ill-treated after the death of her husband the king. She was forced to keep her own small garden for her living instead of having servants and fine things to wear.

Through all of this, she remained humble and grateful for her son, Sundiata. This humility and love of the mother is what made Sundiata a great leader. As the griot says,”…the more she [the mother] suffers for her child, the more valorous will the child be one day. Each is the child of his mother; the child is worth no more than the mother is worth.” This is shown in Sundiata by drawing a distinction between Sassouma Berete’s son Dankaran Touman and Sogolon’s son Sundiata. The first was an awful mother, using her child as a means of gaining favor and power over other people.

Therefore, when her son became king during the exile of Sundiata, he was a bland, uneven ruler. Sundiata, on the other hand was a might hunter and warrior, all because his mother loved him and sacrificed for him. A final example of a mother’s love in Sundiata is the role Sogolon played as her Sundiata’s educator and advisor when he was approaching manhood. Sogolon made sure that Sundiata had knowledge of the healing plants that a hunter and warrior would need. Her love for him propelled her to take time to teach him about the jinn and the spirits that could help or hurt him in the bush.

She also gave him advice that he did not want to hear, even though it was best for him. This is sometimes the greatest sign of love. Sogolon told Sundiata that he needed to leave Mali. This was the last thing he wanted to do because he knew he would someday be king of Mali. Sogolon’s love convinced him that it was best for him, as well as those he loved, including his brother and sisters. Sogolon’s love and concern for her son convinced him that doing things that were difficult were sometimes necessary in the short run in order to accomplish long term goals.

Had she not been such a loving mother, Sundiata might not have listened to her advice. The epic of Sundiata features many instances where being a good mother is equated with showing love for children. Sogolon is the character that best displays this characteristic. Her willingness to teach Sundiata, to sacrifice for him and to guide him when things were difficult are all evidences of her love for her son.