dan: I think the phenomenon you’re describing is just the gender-flipped version of the Peter Pan syndrome. Women like that never grew out of their adolescent emotions, so they don’t want a husband, they want Daddy (just like men who want Mommy instead of a wife). In my experience, if both halves of the equation are relatively emotionally mature, the scenario you describe is much less likely. Pride and Prejudice is an excellent literary example of the two: Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are the immature relationship, while Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are equal partners.
Of course, your invocation of Eve kind of kicks the feet out from under your argument, because it places the blame for Adam’s actions on his wife. She didn’t hold a gun to his head to make him eat the apple. Are you saying that men are helpless victims of women’s influence?
