ABSTRACT
Traditionally for a man of south and east Asia, the marital bond is subordinate to the bond with his agnates, particularly his mother, while in rural southeast Asia, the bond between a woman and her children, especially her daughters, is of primary affective significance. Despite the improvement in marital relations, a survey of middle-class women in Seoul showed that the majority considered most fortunate a woman whose children had grown up and were successful; an amicable relationship with one's husband was of secondary importance. If marital harmony is disturbed by a husband transferring his sexual attentions outside the home, peace may be restored by the wife taking a maternal role in relation to her husband. The younger generation seeks a new relationship in marriage in which each partner must be able to share aspirations and interests with the other.
