--- title: "The Mother of a Traitor: mother's dilemma" subject: "Communication English" chapter: 2 key: "semester_5/communication_english:mother-of-a-traitor-dilemma" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/mother-of-a-traitor-dilemma site: BCT Engineering --- # The Mother of a Traitor: mother's dilemma Communication English · Chapter 2: Extensive Reading - Asked in: 2073 Shrawan, 5 marks; 2076 Ashwin, 5 marks (asked 2 times) - Video: [Mother of a traitor | Mother of a traitor animated | Mother of a traitor summary | Mother of traitor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkStztAD450) — ETC Online (Easy Trick Classes) - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/mother-of-a-traitor-dilemma - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/communication_english/chapter-2 ## Question What was the mother's dilemma and how did she solve it? (The mother of A Traitor by Maxim Gorky) ## Short answer Her dilemma was the conflict between maternal love and duty to her city, whose people her traitor son threatened. She solved it by killing her sleeping son to save the city, then killing herself with the same knife to remain with him as a mother. ## Answer In "The Mother of a Traitor" by Maxim Gorky, the mother's dilemma was a conflict between two duties: her love as a mother for her son, and her duty to her city and its people. #### The dilemma - Her son had become a traitor. He had joined the enemy and was leading its forces against his own native city. - As a mother she loved him and could not easily think of harming him. - As a citizen she knew that his army would bring death and destruction to the people of the city, including many mothers like herself. - Whichever side she chose, she would lose something very dear: her son, or her city's trust and safety. Meanwhile the townspeople condemned her as "the mother of a traitor". #### How she solved it - She decided that the safety of the many outweighed the life of one, even her own child, and that a traitor should not be allowed to destroy his people. - She went to the enemy camp where her son was and, as he slept, killed him with her own hand. This ended the threat to the city: "As a citizen I have done for my country all I could." - She then honoured her duty as a mother as well. Saying "as a mother I remain with my son", she killed herself with the same knife. Her solution is tragic but heroic: she put duty to her country above personal love, yet stayed faithful to her son, and in this way served both duties. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What was the mother's dilemma? A. Whether to join the enemy or the townspeople B. Loving her son versus her duty to the city and its people C. Whether to leave the city or stay D. Whether to pay a ransom for her son Answer: B. Her son was leading the enemy against his native city, so her duties as mother and citizen conflicted. (Key point: The dilemma) 2. What reasoning led her to act against her son? A. Her son had insulted her personally B. The townspeople ordered her to do it C. She hoped to win a reward D. The safety of the many outweighed the life of one, even her child Answer: D. She decided a traitor must not be allowed to destroy his people. (Key point: Reasoning for her decision) 3. How did she solve the dilemma? A. She persuaded him to surrender peacefully B. She went to the enemy camp and killed him with her own hand C. She warned the city and left D. She handed him over to the townspeople Answer: B. Killing him ended the threat to the city; she accepted the consequences without seeking reward. (Key point: The solution) 4. What does her solution show? A. Hatred for her son B. Fear of the townspeople C. Loyalty to the enemy D. Duty to country was placed above personal love, tragically but heroically Answer: D. It was a painful act of loyalty to her people, not hatred. (Key point: Tragic heroism) ## Related in Communication English - [The Mother of a Traitor: "Is it she?"](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Ais-it-she-mother-of-traitor) — Communication English, chapter 2 - [The Mother of a Traitor: Monna Marinna](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Amonna-marinna-ideal-citizen-mother) — Communication English, chapter 2, asked 2× - [Lessons from The Mother of a Traitor](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Alessons-from-mother-of-a-traitor) — Communication English, chapter 2 - [Summary of The Mother of a Traitor](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Asummary-mother-of-a-traitor) — Communication English, chapter 2 - [Why the mother killed her son](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Awhy-mother-kill-her-son) — Communication English, chapter 2, asked 2×