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Judith Wallerstein and Sandra Blakeslee have informed us of the consequences of divorce.1Now, in the pursuit of further understanding of what leads to divorce, they examine the factors that keep people together in a good marriage. They note our tendency to investigate pathology, suggesting that there is much to be learned from those situations in which a more positive situation prevails.
This is not as large, comprehensive, or extensive a study as the book on divorce. It is a beginning. Fifty couples of varying ages within a circumscribed socioeconomic community were interviewed. There are also Wallerstein's personal reflections on her own and her children's experiences. While maintaining that marriages do not fit neatly into categories, she does establish four types of marriage: romantic, rescue, companionate, and traditional.
The book is divided into sections, with one section devoted to each of these categories. Each has its own kind of closeness between partners and its own view of male and female roles. The romantic marriage is centered around a passionate sexual relationship; the rescue marriage around the healing of early trauma. The companionate couple focuses on equality between partners and balancing investment in work with investment in family. In the traditional marriage there is a clear division of roles. Each type has its advantages and potential problem areas. Throughout, Wallerstein stresses the importance of flexibility, growth, and change.