--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man who marries his mistress leaves a…" description: "\"A man who marries his mistress leaves a vacancy in that position.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/oscar-wilde-16_marriage_a-man-who-marries-his-mistress-leaves-a_2294808.jpg" --- # A man who marries his mistress leaves a vacancy in that… ![“A man who marries his mistress leaves a vacancy in that position.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/oscar-wilde-16_marriage_a-man-who-marries-his-mistress-leaves-a_2294808.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/oscar-wilde-16_marriage_a-man-who-marries-his-mistress-leaves-a_2294808.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f88/oscar-wilde-16_marriage_a-man-who-marries-his-mistress-leaves-a_2294808.jpg) > “A man who marries his mistress leaves a vacancy in that position.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marrying someone you already have an affair with creates a paradoxical vacancy, highlighting the absurdity of duplicity. **In simple terms:** Cheating leads to empty roles. Key Takeaway Avoid duplicity. Themes infidelity paradox relationships Mood wry critical Type satirical humorous When to use this quote - Romantic entanglements - personal ethics - social expectations Key Concepts Moral irony social satire Questions to Reflect On - What deeper needs drive someone to maintain both relationships? - Can honesty ever truly be reconciled with desire? A Different Perspective The situation assumes both parties accept the deception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Leaves Vacancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaves-vacancy-5406585/) [Man Marries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-marries-438444/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Marries Mistress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marries-mistress-438441/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mistress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistress/) [Mistress Leaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistress-leaves-438442/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Vacancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacancy/) ## Related quotes > [When a man marries his mistress, then that leaves that position open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-man-marries-his-mistress-then-that-leaves-that-position-open/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When a man marries his mistress it creates a job opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-goldsmith/when-a-man-marries-his-mistress-it-creates-a-job-opportunity/) [James Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-goldsmith/) > [A man who marries without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/a-man-who-marries-without-knowing-bunbury-has-a-very-tedious-time-of/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [When you marry your mistress, you create a job vacancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-goldsmith/when-you-marry-your-mistress-you-create-a-job-vacancy/) [James Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-goldsmith/) > [You must appreciate that love is the last reason for which a man marries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobsha-learner/you-must-appreciate-that-love-is-the-last-reason-for-which-a-man/) [Tobsha Learner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobsha-learner/) > [An old man who marries a young wife grows younger but she grows older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-old-man-who-marries-a-young-wife-grows-younger-but-she-grows-older/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What a man marries for's hard to tell ... an' what a woman marries for's past findin' out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/what-a-man-marries-for-s-hard-to-tell-an-what-a-woman-marries-for-s/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [A man marries the most gorgeous girl he can find because It's human nature to want the best of anything. If other men admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-macmurray/a-man-marries-the-most-gorgeous-girl-he-can-find-because-it-s-human/) [Fred MacMurray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-macmurray/) > [A happy man marries the girl he loves; a happier man loves the girl he marries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-happy-man-marries-the-girl-he-loves-a-happier-man-loves-the-girl-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A poor man who marries a rich woman is not his wife, but a ruler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-poor-man-who-marries-a-rich-woman-is-not-his-wife-but-a-ruler/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A man marries to have a home, but also because he doesn't want to be bothered with sex and all that sort of thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-marries-to-have-a-home-but-also-because-he-doesn-t-want-to-be/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [When a man marries a woman, they become one-the trouble starts when they try to decide which one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/croft-m-pentz/when-a-man-marries-a-woman-they-become-one-the-trouble-starts-when/) [Croft M. Pentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/croft-m-pentz/) > [“A man marries by accident, a woman by design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/a-man-marries-by-accident-a-woman-by-design/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [Nobody works as hard for his money as the man who marries it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kin-hubbard/nobody-works-as-hard-for-his-money-as-the-man-who-marries-it/) [Kin Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kin-hubbard/) > [A man marries one woman to escape from many others, and then chases many others to forget he's married to one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-rowland/a-man-marries-one-woman-to-escape-from-many-others-and-then-chases/) [Helen Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-rowland/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Marriage quotes > [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/) [John Whiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whiting/) > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. 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Keeping his clothes in order is your job; encouraging him to look his best, and admiring him when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-baker/take-an-interest-in-his-appearance-keeping-his-clothes-in-order-is/) [Ellen Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-baker/) > [Females always say, you can't turn a hoe into a house wife, but steady be trying to turn a dog into a faithful man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/females-always-say-you-can-t-turn-a-hoe-into-a-house-wife-but-steady/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. 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