The woman-in-love feels justified only by serving a demanding lover

Evidence

To achieve this union, the woman first wants to serve; she will feel necessary in responding to her lover’s demands; she will be integrated into his existence, she will be a part of his value, she will be justified; even mystics like to believe, according to Angelus Silesius, that God needs man, otherwise the gift they make of themselves would be in vain. The more demands the man makes, the more fulfilled the woman feels. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1861

Categorization

• XREF: The ‘God needs man’ reversal echoes the theodicy problem and connects to Feuerbach’s projection theory of religion. — connects to: A woman who exists only through love becomes nothing when love’s object departs. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1880; A woman’s total self-giving in love turns into total demand on her beloved — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1869; Woman’s love-religion seeks possession while paradoxically preserving the lover’s freedom. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1882 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• A woman’s total self-giving in love turns into total demand on her beloved #expands (0.90) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1869
• Women in love seek to be indispensable rather than merely wanted #expands (0.80)
• Woman’s love-religion seeks possession while paradoxically preserving the lover’s freedom. #expands (0.75) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1882
• Romantic love demands proof through the beloved’s willingness to violate morality for the lover #qualifies (0.70)