Possessiveness in marriage is the desire to dominate or control every aspect of a spouse’s life. It may be about friendships and relationships, jobs, hobbies or even programmes that can be watched on TV. It can lead to coercive control of the other person, making the victim afraid to oppose such behaviour or do what they want to do. Possessiveness is commonly attributed to men, but many women also like to keep their husbands in a vice-like grip. Probably the term ‘hen-pecked’ reflects this attitude.
The Possessive Marriage
A marriage was arranged between a smart and sprightly young pharmacist and an officer in a private bank. Though his features were distorted by Bell’s palsy, the parents thought nothing of it. He had a steady job with a good income and this ensured the security of their daughter. Within a few months, the girl turned into a sad, morose and distracted woman. Her husband was possessive to the extent that she had to give him an hour-by-hour account of her behaviour at work. He obstructed her progress professionally in different ways.
