Definitions HQ

Marriage (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠largely a repetition of relationships with parents patterns from childhood.

Marriage (n.) made ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠too early is dreamt as tickets booked in a hurry for a theatre that turned out half empty — 'I could have had one a hundred times better if I had waited.'

Marriage (n.) dreams ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠itself as an arrest for a shy bachelor: 'I'll come back,' he tells his table-mates, and they smile, 'That's what they all say.'

Marriage (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the fairy-tale lesson that, since man and wife are one, the third wish must undo the second.

Marriage (n.) was ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the real complaint of the man who blamed his breakdown on the cotton market and wrote “that d—d frigid wife; there isn't even any seed.”

Marriage (n.) showed ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in a tram ticket: happily engaged and alone on the tram, he asked for two; six months married and regretting it, with his wife beside him, he asked for one.

Marriage (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠repeat a daughter's history: the husband first inherits the father's place, then the mother's grudge, and the second half of life is spent fighting him as the first was spent rebelling against her.

Marriage (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be sad but true: asked if he was married, the former rake showed his wedding ring and said "Trauring but true".

Marriage (n.) offered ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠at last after years of living together made her go to pieces — neglecting the house she was to rule, imagining persecution by the family welcoming her.

Marriage (n.) cannot ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠repay the restrictions that came before it; morality follows the couple into the bedroom, and disillusion arrives within a few years.

Marriage (n.) means, ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠as children picture it, some shameless shared pleasure, and that picture later feeds neurotic symptoms and games.