O sentido do comportamento materno diante da morte do filho

Abstract

This work is a phenomenological study with the objective of analysing the behavior of mothers who have lived though the experience of the death of a son or daughter. Experiences shared with me dnring my pcrsonal and professional life by mothers tho had lots theirs offspring, obliged me to research their behavioral reactions to such events. Therefore, this study has as its objetive, the understanting, in the light of Heidegger’s hermeneuties, the behavior of mothers in relation to the death of an offspring, eonsidering the verbal aceounts of those who have had such an experience. From the significance attributed to the death of their sons or daughtcrs, wc have been able to uncover the manner of being of the mothers who were interviewed. The ontological fenomenological hermeneutic of Martin Heidegger as presented in Keing and Time was the guiding element in this analysis as well as being the basis for its comprchensive interpretation. Ontologicallv the being-mother emerges as a presence who shows a darlv obsession for continuous talking saying wliat everybody already knows, as well as being tied to the memory of her son or daughter as an entity which realeses itself from the being to death of this son or daughter. In her inner self, by an anticipatory decision, she feels the anguish of lhe death of her offspring. Ilowever, in the act of its happening she is brought back to daily reality. Alienated from herself, she feels the hurt and gives the death a false significance and worries about the future of her other offspring. The research also enables us to offer some considcrations in relation to the posture of Health professionals when plaeed before the events of death or dying, and shows the existing kicunae in their acadeinic formation regarding these subjects. Regarding phenomenology as a method that may be applied to teaching, nursing and research in these fields, it showed its possibility to understanding the human person in its singularity.