In Pan's Labyrinth the role of the mother, Carmen, is one of the rational adult.
Carmen is heavily pregnant when she travels with Ofelia to the location of Captain Vidal, her second husband and the father of her unborn child. Although it is questionable if she loves him or not, she certainly wants Ofelia to respect him and treat him as her father, and she acts completely complacent to his demands. Throughout the movie she is seen as steadily weakening, until she dies giving birth to her son.
Although short, Carmen's role is poignant. She is the rational, obedient adult, doing what must be done in order to survive. She does not love Captain Vidal, but marries him because she knows he will be a good provider for herself and her daughter (granted she is beneficial to him - producing a son/heir). Knowing his disposition, she tries to get Ofelia to be as submissive as she is; Carmen realizes what could happen to them without the benefit of his protection. Her actions are completely calculated; she does what is best for her family.
However, Carmen's fault is that she has no sense of the imagination. She gives her daughter books, but notes that she's getting too old for such stories; Carmen lives in a realistic, harsh world (the result of her life) and does now allow the fantastical to appear. The prime example for this is when she throws the mandrake root into the fire; although Ofelia tells her this is what has been healing her, she sees such a thing as nonsensical (plus it upsets the Captain). Because of her lack of imagination, she is not spared, though she makes an appearance in the end, as the Queen.
Therefore, Carmen is the logical, rational adult - the opposite of Ofelia's creative childish nature. She tries her hardest to please everyone, as to not get into trouble, but because she has had such a rough life, has lost all creativity, for which she dies.
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Carmen's role in Pan's Labyrinth was the equivalent of a human shield. Even ailing through her last days of pregnancy, she still acted as the protector of herself, her unborn son, Ophelia, and her husband.
Carmen tried to form a bond between her daughter and husband. She needed this family to work, having been widowed and left to fend for both herself and Ophelia after her first husband -- Ophelia's father -- died. Now, being the Captain's wife, she wanted to revel in the simple pleasures she struggled for as a widow.
Carmen went out of her way to make Ophelia feel comfortable within the new family unit. She tried to steer her daughter away from her fairytale beliefs. She guided Ophelia with real life lessons while also allowing her to explore and think on her own. Interestingly enough, the fairytales she chided her daughter away from, were the same ones that not only helped her get well, but also caused her demise.
For her unborn son, she subjected herself to a long trip. It's hard enough fighting pregnancy induced nausea without being on a roadtrip along an uneven road. She was willing to take whatever remedy the doctor prescribed without asking too many questions about side effects for her or the baby. It seemed she was so miserable she was willing to try almost anything to relieve her discomfort.
Her relationship with the Captain seemed cold and forced. Actually, it was the Captain who was cold towards her. Although Carmen went out of her way to be the dutiful wife, her efforts went unappreciated. Captain's main interest was having his unborn son carry on his family name. His disdain for Ophelia was evident even in the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her and completely ignored her presence. Carmen acted as the pillow between Captain's rock and Ophelia's hard place. When she was gone there was no longer any cushion between them until Mercedes stepped in.
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