The Mistress
73What is a Mistress?
A mistress is the long time partner and lover of a man who is in a legal marriage to someone else. The mistress is the 'other woman'. The mistress will usually be supported wholly or in part by her lover and may bear and rear his children.
The mistress is not a prostitute in as much she is loyal to her supporter and is not usually 'available' to another man. She is in reality another wife, albeit unmarried and without legal redress.
The King's mistress's bed
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The term 'mistress' would not be applied to a girlfriend of short duration or a one night stand. A Mistress is a long term committment. The word has been loosely used for the procession of young women who had short term sexual liasons with the golfer Tiger Woods in return for infamy and gifts. Without the long term support these young women are best described using other words.
Lillie
Prior to the easing of divorce laws in the 20th Century the keeping of a mistress was extremely common by men who were in a position to maintain one. Many US Presidents have maintained one. Today the Western mistress is becoming something of a rarity. A man today is more like to divorce an re-marry than to maintain two women. High class courtesans and Rent A Dates are readily available to provide a sparkle to the love life if required. Some men, like Prince Charles of England do eventually marry their mistresses.
Within the West the word 'mistress' has changed its meaning in recent years and is now more popularily applied to those prostitutes who specialise in the dominatrix field.
In France, the Mistress is still an accepted norm and also in countries like Thailand (lesser wife 'Mia Noi'), the Philippines (where divorce is difficult) and China.
The Mistress is not going to go away in a hurry. It is possible for a man to love more than one woman and without wanting to hurt his wife, maintaining a mistress may seem like a solution to a very sticky problem.... and then it has worked successfully for thousands of years.
Venus
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Some Famous Mistresses
Ann Boleyn to Henry VIII of England
Lillie Langtry to Edward VII of England
Marilyn Monroe to John Kennedy
Gennifer Flowers to Bill Clinton
Wallis Simpson to Edward VIII of England
Alice Glass to Lyndon Johnson
There are hundreds of them.....
- Things Not To Say To Your Mistress
Sure, youve straightened everything out. You both know the score. Youve been totally honest you have no intention of leaving your wife and family, and your relationship with your mistress is just... - Mistress Confessions
A hub which provides advice and the true accounts of a woman who has been a Mistress for the better part of 20 years. This hub is designed as a NON-JUDGEMENTAL outlet for women who find themselves romantically involved with a married man. You will fi - How to be the perfect mistress
All characters are a figment of the writers imagination and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead is purely coincidental (not that he would admit it anyway). How to be the perfect mistress So... - confessions of an ex mistress that learned her lesson.
I decided to create a hub about one of my many mistakes with the male gender...the day I officially became a mistress. I have a strong personality, and I am never shy at voicing my disgust with the vast...
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CommentsLoading...
I agree Dohn divorce rates may plummet...but would they? Sex is a two way street. I wonder how the husband would feel about his wifes regular lover?
I agree with your remark in your comment. I am sure not 5 minutes. My ex-husband had a string of it. I don't think he maintained them but I am sure he gave them presents and now and then money which he withheld from me. When there is 'whatever you call it' the wife is always look at critical and critisized. Naturally 'the other one' put on all the charm and the idiots fall for it and think she is marvalous. Thank you for very interesting and intriguing hub.
Amazing hub from Peter. You are just so educated. I feel great to get those info so freely. All I have to do is to click on your page and I am smarter. Thank you Peter!
A timely hub, and interesting, for sure. Glad you recognize that marriage is a 2-way street, and in a progressive, egalitarian society, women won't tolerate mistresses any better than men will tolerate their wives having lovers. But rich and powerful men will always be able to get young mistresses. So can rich & famous women, if they want it.
It's amazing to me that some people still aren't sure Gennifer Flowers was telling the truth about an affair with Bill Clinton. Who would make up a 12 year affair? Other people would surely know about a 12 year affair, don't you think?
Very interesting.
LizzyBoo - Thank you. I wrote this hub really in answer to something I remarked upon in someone elses hub.
i scribble - It is amazing how many secret mistresses and lovers there were. I have been surprised more than once by people I thought I knew very well. You are right though. I am sure people do know but just don't spill the beans. True friends or those with some morals.
Cindy - Thanks
I don't know how they find the time.My wife keeps me busy in and out of the bedroom all the time.One wife one life is good enough for me.
During college I remember well the discussion, being the only female present, I sat in awe - there was a completely different "male standard". That was close to 30 years ago now and the media sadly has proved that discussion all too true. Would love to see a follow-up hub on the financial damages of mistresses - Clinton only escapes because of the timing of the Super Bowl but Tiger will be a legend not only in also in Divorce settlements. Very well done article. Sadly there are hundreds of examples...
Thanks Kelly - it is all down to biology in the end. I read today in a newspaper that a man thinks of sex thirteen times a day (the fact that it was only 13 times was a surprise) and a woman thinks of sex five times. We really are two different species ;-)
I didn't know the term was now associated with S&M. Great hub!!! I sent out a tweet about it. Really neat stuff.
Thanks IntimatEvolution - The S&M is probably just in the UK, but I could be wrong.
This was a really interesting read, thanks peter great effort! :)
reviewadon - thank you for reading.
good reading
Thank you eveconsult1
interesting read
Also many marriages were arranged so they didn't really love their spouse. They could, however, choose their lovers.
Since, like you say, people are allowed to get out of a loveless marriage it isn't necessary to keep a woman on the side.
Thanks Pamela. What you say is very true.
dohn121 Level 3 Commenter 2 years ago
Wow, Peter. I'm so glad that you mentioned Mia Nois as I was going to mention them if you didn't! Thanks for a well researched hub. I enjoyed reading it! I bet if more wives allowed "mistresses" the divorce rates would plummet!