The interesting thing was that the wife is 30 years (yes, thirty!) her husband's junior. She met him while traveling at the age of 22 and he was 52 and an American (I think). She left her own country, her CAREER, her family and friends to marry this man and to travel around the world with him, living in primitive circumstances and cooking food over the open fire.
The husband said to the reporter that he is a gypsy at heart and simply can't settle down. His wife (who, by the way, still looks great after 3 children and is in an excellent physical condition) appears to be very much in love with him.
While watching this surprisingly traditional program, I caught myself thinking that this is the western way of life: not gathering harems and locking your women up, but pair-bonding and the wife as a companion, following the man she loves to the end of the world, if necessary.
Now our television is very liberal and they probably only showed this couple because they live like hippies but probably unknowingly to themselves they stumbled upon something much bigger than their intention.
The heart of a man to the heart of a maid -- Light of my tents, be fleet. Morning waits at the end of the world, And the world is all at our feet!
Interesting. Isn't it silly, how usually in modern world you are not supposed to make any "sacrifices" for your husband? If you cannot keep both the man and the job, the man can go, because there is plenty of fish in the sea...
ReplyDeleteThey attack the very thing that can make a woman truly great, her devotion to her husband. All the famous love stories of old feature this female devotion till some degree (think Penelope, for instance). A modern woman is supposed to be totally devoted to her career instead.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you! The true love this woman showed in the movie was sacrificial - she gave up a lot and followed her husband. They were a pair - too often especially in these days, there are two individuals living in the same house but really not there for each other; as much as for themselves.
ReplyDelete"They attack the very thing that can make a woman truly great, her devotion to her husband."
ReplyDeleteThat was SO beautifully said! Amen to that.
BTW, this is the one thing that has always bothered me in "Jane Eyre": now I love Jane and she is my role model in many ways. But she is so eager to work and be independent. She claims that she will work and "earn" her own living even after she marries mr. Rochester. Of course she had to work when she was alone and poor, but why in earth would any woman want her husband to pay wage for her, when providing for her should be his duty and priviledge? Why stay as a governess when you can be mistress? And I do not mean the other kind of mistress mr. Rochester suggested later, when she found out he is already married... ;)
But even Jane truly devoted herself to mr. Rochester in the end.
Of course, Jane Eyre has long been promoted as feminist fiction, exactly because of her `declaration of independence`:) But as you say, in the end she did devote herself to Mr. Rochester. I think it´s a dream of every man, to have a wife who will sacrifice everything to be with him.
ReplyDeletehttp://athriftyhomemaker.blogspot.nl/2014/04/men-behind-new-world-order.html
Here is a real life example of a true wifely devotion.
Maybe in Carrera's case it was actually easier to be devoted to him when he was absent most of the time? :)
ReplyDeleteThey both came from the upper class yet she spent most of her married life in poverty. I guess she could have gone back to her family but she was content to stay where he made his home and spend years waiting and raising his children alone while he was hanging around. It must have been a hard life. I guess women just used to be raised differently and took "for better for worse" more seriously than they do now.
ReplyDeleteFor better or worse are just words but they are an oath and should be taken seriously. The marriage contract is just that a legal contract too. Under God. People seem to just follow their hearts and not their whole mind.
ReplyDeleteI saw a show on tv recently. A couple in their 30s at least had a baby together in marriage. She had I take it a Very good job. After she had the baby her contract with that company ended and she was out of work. Her husband is angry now cause now it is His responsibility to play the bills when it sounds like she had the better paying job. He is highly angry really. Like it is her fault and she made it happen. She truly wants to be able to stay home with her daughter for even a short time and this makes him even more angry. She says she will go back to work but at this moment has no job. Seriously it would sound to me If I was her, from what he is saying that he married her just cause of her high income. How sad to hear him yell at her. The baby is only a month or so old...if that. He looks like a total jerk but I doubt he sees it like that.
I have had neighbors tell me I should not 'cater' to my own husband. Like ask him if he would like some tea or make sure I am home and dinner is ready when he gets home from work. By the way through the years all these neighbors have gotten divorced. I am only following the patterns I saw growing up by other women in happy marriages. It worked for generations and seems so natural to me to act so. My husband appreciates it and is kind to me likewise. Why do so many women make marriage a battle and one they intend to win. It is not them verses us..is is just us. As God said the two shall be like one. After 46 years I am content to stay as we are..happy. :)
It is so good to be able to come here and listen to sound advice. Sarah
Thank you, Sarah, for your kind words! Isn't it interesting that when the wife stays home and takes care of her husband, it's apparently humiliating yet when the husband insists she get a job she is supposed to listen to him?
ReplyDelete