Ideal Marriage in "The Addams Family"

 

In “Authority and Autonomy in Marriage,” Marianne Weber defines an ideal marriage as one that is built on a passionate relationship with physical and emotional intensity. It works “only when, in both husband  and wife, the content of their  souls, the riches of their inner beings, remain in constant growth.” Although wives have historically been property to men, “voluntary subordination, devotion, which is offered as a free gift of love, is something different than compelled subordination.” Therefore, a husband and wife ideally choose to become subordinate to each other in a marriage rather than subjugate the wife to a distinctly subordinate role. It should be founded on mutual respect and devotion through shared intellectual pursuits; a true “companionship of partners.” 

In “The Addams Family,” Gomez and Morticia Addams, who are the father and mother of the family, represent an ideal relationship in the eyes of Marianne Weber. The two have clear physical intimacy, as Gomez is kissing Morticia on the hand and she is looking at him lovingly in the above image. It is clear they are devoted to each other as husband and wife. The two are also dressed similarly in all black and they are in their shared home of the same aesthetic, showing that they share intellectual values. Coming from a similar cultures, they share a passion not just for each other, but also for mutual interests that bond them. Neither is dominating the image by taking up more space than the other, as their relationship throughout the movie is respectful and seemingly equal. Although Gomez is kissing her hand, they remain within a similar frame in the image, one not appearing more prominent or in control than the other. Through all of these positive and equal attributes, Gomez and Morticia Addams represent an ideal marriage in the eyes of Marianne Weber.