I think there always was some pressure on the Kennedy women to “put up with” their husbands’ affairs for the sake of the family. You know Jackie, Ethel and Joan did with their men, at least until Joan finally had enough. Jackie dealt with it by going shopping.
I guess having to maintain this veneer of respectability — that nothing is wrong with the marriage and so on — can age anyone.
Maria should have beaten Arnold with the nearest heavy cast iron skillet. There comes a point when you have to think of yourself, not pleasing others.
Well, yeah, she’s a Kennedy and a liberal but I always thought of her as a decent person. And I don’t particularly want to criticize her looks - she can’t do any more about them than most of the rest of us can do about ours. If she were fat or something, well that’s self induced - but she’s done the best she can with what God gave her.
Just today I read a blub about Frank Sinatra’s last wife who was told by Lee Anneberg to “look the other way” when her husband was up to no good. Wives of powerful - and not so powerful - men have been doing this for centuries. There had to be lots of social, religious and family pressures on Maria to “look the other way”.
I would imagine that no one is questioning Maria’s tolerance of Arnold more than Maria.