There’s no denying that Yellowstone’s Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) is quite a complicated character. Her viciousness, inability to hold a normal family conversation, and overall vengeful demeanor set her apart as one of the show’s most layered and controversial Duttons (which is saying something when you consider most of her kin are pretty devious themselves). But where does Beth’s erratic behavior come from? While many assume it stems from her soapy conflicts with Jamie (Wes Bentley), it actually goes back even further than that, all the way to her toxic relationship with her mother, Evelyn Dutton (Gretchen Mol).
Beth’s Relationship With Her Mother Is Revealed in Flashbacks on ‘Yellowstone’
Only appearing twice in the series via Season 1 flashbacks, Evelyn Dutton was a tough woman just like her daughter became. She didn’t mince words, did the same work as her husband (played by Josh Lucas in the ’90s flashbacks), and raised their children to be as tough as nails. The first time we ever see Evelyn (chronologically speaking, anyway) is on Christmas Day 1996, the first time Beth gets her period. While we don’t see much of Beth’s relationship with her mother prior to this event, it’s implied that they had a much softer and more traditional mother/daughter relationship beforehand. But that all changes here.
“I’m gonna tell you something my mother told me, and you’re not gonna like it,” Evelyn tells a young Beth (Kylie Rogers) in the flashback in “A Monster Is Among Us.” “I have to turn you into the man most men will never be, and I’m sorry in advance for doing it, because you’re going to hate it, sweetheart.” Evelyn’s monologue reveals that her mother did the same thing to her, and in turn, Evelyn was going to be sure that her own daughter could rival any of her brothers. Of course, the Dutton matriarch justifies her horrible comments and condescending attitude towards Beth as all being a part of this training and blames the need for it on the men of the world who will look at her differently because she’s a woman, seemingly ignorant to the fact that she’s doing the same to Beth.
“It was the best gift she ever gave me,” Evelyn further reveals. “And now I have to give it to you.” This “gift,” of course, is the rigorous and disciplined training Evelyn puts Beth through to become a mini-version of her, and in some ways, she becomes even worse. “My standard is my mother,” Beth eventually tells her father (Kevin Costner) decades later, emphasizing the fact that Beth traces all her own actions back to what Evelyn taught her. In some ways, Evelyn’s “gift” proves that she doesn’t hate her daughter, as she gives lip service to the fact that it’s seemingly out of love that she gets harder on Beth. Whether that’s true or just some warped justification for treating her child poorly is up for debate, but there seems to possibly be another reason for Evelyn’s actions.
Why Was Beth’s Mother So Tough on Her in ‘Yellowstone’?
The strange relationship between John Dutton and his adult daughter has been a subject of controversy in the past. Many find it odd and even off-putting that Beth continues to call her father “daddy” well into her thirties and forties, depending on how old she actually is. Additionally, Beth’s frequent meltdowns concerning John’s love life––most notably against Summer Higgins (Piper Perabo), which is fair given they’re about the same age––point to the fact that Beth sees herself, in some ways, as her mother’s replacement within the family. While this, thankfully, doesn’t extend to anything romantic or incestuous (she’s got a husband of her own, after all), flashbacks to her teenage years seem to imply that she and John have always had a special bond.
The relationship between a father and a daughter is a wondrous thing, but for someone like Evelyn Dutton who can make a big deal out of nothing (such as Beth’s struggle to ride a horse), it’s possible that there was some jealousy involved. Admittedly, Yellowstone never reveals if Evelyn was ever jealous of her daughter. We never see that on screen, nor does anyone ever reference that as a possibility. However, Beth’s blind allegiance to her father and the strangeness surrounding their relationship is something that, if it had existed prior to Evelyn’s death, might also explain some of her mother’s irritation and harshness toward her. If Evelyn thought that John focused too much on Beth rather than her, well, that could’ve easily caused some real conflict within the Dutton household.
Evelyn Blames Her Death on Beth in ‘Yellowstone’
In the two flashbacks we see Evelyn Dutton in (both of which occur in the first season), there’s a stark contrast between the first and second. The first happens in “No Good Horses,” which chronicles Evelyn’s last moments, while “A Monster Is Among Us” reveals the instance between Beth and her mother when everything changes. It’s easy to see how strained their relationship has gotten over that time. What’s even sadder is that not much time has passed between these two events at all. Between the date of Beth’s first period, December 25, 1996, and the time that Evelyn died, March 30, 1997, only three full months have passed.
In the final few months of Evelyn’s life, she goes from possibly having a decent relationship with her teenage daughter to being so tough on her that it changes her personality entirely. “You’re scared of everything, now he is too,” Evelyn tells a young Beth just seconds before the accident that leads to her death, which she then blames Beth for. Additionally, there’s a strange juxtaposition between how Evelyn talks to Beth after her fall and a young Kayce (Rhys Alterman), whom she treats like any mother should talk to their child in those last moments. The contrast is heartbreaking and further emphasizes the fractured relationship between mother and daughter.
Beth Dutton’s Behavior on ‘Yellowstone’ Is the Result of Evelyn’s Teachings
In many ways, it seems that Beth learned the lesson her mother was trying to teach her. Sure, she was still a pretty terrible horse rider in the show’s early years, but she became an even tougher force to reckon with than Evelyn probably ever intended. As John Dutton says in Season 1, “She can be evil,” and that’s largely because of the way her mother raised her. Evelyn’s example (among other things such as her sterilization as a teenager) hardened Beth into the woman she eventually became, and it’s not until she gets back together with Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) in her later years that she learns to soften up a bit.
Just as Evelyn didn’t take a second thought to “ruining” her daughter’s life, neither does Beth when she goes up against people like Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston) or Roarke Morris (Josh Holloway). And that’s not even to mention the ways she screws over companies like Market Equities. The toughness that Evelyn branded into her daughter has manifested itself in some seriously questionable ways over the years, but it’s likely one of the qualities that has kept the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch around as long as it has. Without Beth, the Dutton empire would undoubtedly crumble, and in that sense (and possibly that sense alone), Evelyn Dutton did her job. Her mothering skills may have left a lot to be desired, but there’s no denying that Beth became the woman she is today because of her.
‘Yellowstone’s Dutton Women Aren’t All Like Beth
In many ways, women like Beth and Evelyn are the outliers in the overall Dutton lineage. Their vicious and hardened attitudes toward life may work for them, but others found different ways to show their strength as the Dutton matriarchs. Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren) from 1923, for example, is the pillar that holds the family together after many Duttons are killed early on in the prequel. Even her husband Jacob (Harrison Ford) is gravely injured, and as a result, she promptly takes over his duties and commands the ranch hands herself. She does all of this without the slightest hint of Beth’s troubled personality or erratic behavior.
Likewise, though 1883’s Margaret Dutton (Faith Hill) arguably shares some similarities with Evelyn, her strength lies in her persistent nature. Her relationship with her own daughter, Elsa (Isabel May) is a lot less strained than Evelyn and Beth’s, largely because, though she sometimes butts heads with her daughter, she ultimately empathizes with her free-spirited nature. We can’t forget about Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille) either, who (though her characterization might leave a lot to be desired in the writing department), also shows strength through perseverance and a genuine love for her children. Evelyn could’ve learned a thing or two about parenting from these Dutton ladies, all of whom carry the family name and legacy with honor.
Yellowstone is available for streaming exclusively on Peacock.