Quotes about marriage

Men tend to put all their emotional eggs in the basket of their wives (or womenfriends), it is difficult for a man to communicate feelings of disappointment to his wife because, if she withdraws, it feels to him like his entire emotional support system has collapsed.

A man fears that conflict with his wife will lead to less intimacy, not more intimacy.

In more than thirty years of conducting workshops, no one has ever said to me, “Warren, I want a divorce – my partner understands me.”

"She says a wedding is one of the most lamentable spectacles on earth."

"You have been a very foolish boy, wasting your time dreaming of impossible things when you speak of Mr. Pontellier setting me free! I am no longer one of Mr. Pontelliere's possessions to dispose of or not. I give myself where I choose. If he were to say, 'here Robert, take her and be happy; she is yours,' I should laugh at you both"

Looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable piece of property which has suffered some damage.

Look, I'm going to find a way to be happy, and I'd really love to be happy with you, but if I can't be happy with you, then I'll find a way to be happy without you."

It’s like marriage. The race there is between total knowledge of each other and death. If death comes first, it’s considered a successful marriage.

In his view, the true deep human fantasy was the conviction of safety. Men believed their women were devoted; wives felt that their men were dependable. Both ignored contrary evidence.

Marrying her to prove I do not subscribe to an outdated convention of class would be just as foolish as refusing to marry her because I did.

True love is not the helpless desire to possess the cherished object of one's fervent affection; true love is the disciplined generosity we require of ourselves for the sake of another when we would rather be selfish; that, at least, is how I have taught myself to love my wife.

It is best to marry for purely selfish reasons.