“Husbands are chiefly good as lovers when they are betraying their wives.”
- June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962
- American
- Actress, Singer, Model, Pop Culture Icon
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Quote
“Husbands are chiefly good as lovers when they are betraying their wives.”
Explanation
This sharply cynical quote attributed to Marilyn Monroe delivers a bold critique of marital fidelity and the disillusionment often found within traditional relationships. The statement suggests that some men exhibit passion and romantic intensity not within their marriages, but outside of them, implying that the thrill of secrecy or forbidden love awakens their desire—a desire dulled by routine or obligation in married life.
Monroe’s perspective here likely draws on observations from her own life and the Hollywood culture around her, where affairs and betrayals were common and often public. Her words reflect a sense of bitterness and realism about love and male behavior, particularly within institutions that were supposed to be secure and sacred. By highlighting betrayal as a condition for romantic effectiveness, she exposes the emotional stagnation that can occur in conventional marriage, and the hypocrisy often buried beneath its respectable facade.
In today’s context, the quote continues to provoke thought about intimacy, authenticity, and the performance of romance in long-term relationships. It challenges idealized notions of marriage and forces us to consider how desire, novelty, and truth are managed—or distorted—within committed bonds. While stark in tone, Monroe’s remark invites a deeper conversation about how to keep love honest, passionate, and meaningful over time, rather than reliant on deception for vitality.
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