ABSTRACT
It is no surprise that the relationships women have with their fathers exert a
powerful influence on the sort of men they choose as their lovers and husbands,
and the kinds of relationships they have with them. Usually the first man to
feature prominently in their life, a father can set a precedent that women may want
to pursue, or avoid. Even if fathers have been mainly absent from the family, they
represent men and masculinity in a way that does not leave their daughters
untouched. It may be thought that women look for men who show the qualities
they admire in their fathers, and try to avoid those who have his most unlikeable
characteristics, but this is far too simple. The men that women are attracted to
may combine all sorts of qualities, and a woman may be attracted to different
types of men at different points in her life. Fathers and daughters themselves have
a complex relationship and a father may influence different parts of his daughter’s
personality, and this in turn can affect her reaction to the men she meets. They
may spark off very differing responses and needs in her, so for instance, one man’s
personality may bring out her dependence and another her independence or her
competitiveness. Different men may engage with different areas of her personality.
