the beginning of her marriage. Whether or not this situation stays
unchanged over the years depends on whether the Aphrodite arche-
type is activated within the marriage.
MARRIAGE
The Hera woman considers her wedding day the most significant
in her life. On that day, she acquires a new name. (She never keeps
her own name—she considers it strictly her “maiden name.”) She
now becomes the wife, which fulfills a drive she has felt as long as
she can remember.
Middle America is a setting in which many Hera women thrive.
Husbands and wives spend weekends and vacations together. The
husband leaves for work and comes home for dinner at a regular
time. His friends are men, with whom he may spend time. He re-
spects his wife, expects her to do her job as wife well, and assumes
he is married for life. The routine, the togetherness of their social
life, and the roles each maintain contribute to the stability of the
marriage and to the satisfaction it provides a Hera woman.
Corporate life is another setting that can suit a Hera woman. She
can move up the corporate ladder with her husband, relocate geo-
graphically or go up another rung and easily leave behind those
whose ascent was not so swift. Because the bond to her husband is
her major source of meaning, and because her relationships with
others are weak, it is easy for her to relocate with him. In contrast,
women with strong friendship bonds suffer loss and loneliness with
each move, as do those women whose own work is important and
who must start anew at each relocation.
A Hera woman’s state of happiness depends on her husband’s
devotion to her, on the importance he places on the marriage, and
on his appreciation of her as his wife. But she is drawn toward suc-
cessful men, many of whom are successful because they are devoted
to work or wedded to the job. Therefore, she may find that she’s
unhappy in spite of being married and even if sexual infidelity
never arises. Marriage may not be fulfilling to a Hera woman when
it’s not very important to her husband.
A contemporary Zeus-like husband often uses marriage
Goddesses in Everywoman