Lucy McDonald (King’s College London): ‘Power and Romantic Relationships’

Abstract: Romantic relationships with significant power imbalances are often considered defective. Charlotte Brontë seems to share such intuitions; in Jane Eyre, the romantic relationship between the novel’s eponymous heroine and Edward Rochester is initially hampered by its power asymmetries. Jane, a poor orphan with no social standing, falls in love with her employer, Edward, a rich, well-connected, significantly older man in a patriarchal society. After faltering repeatedly, their relationship flourishes only when these power imbalances are attenuated. Jane discovers family connections and inherits considerable wealth, whilst Edward loses his property and social standing, and is badly injured, requiring constant care from Jane. Only after this levelling, Brontë suggests, can the relationship achieve its full potential.

In this talk, I’ll explore how power dynamics can structure, and sometimes deform, romantic relationships, and I’ll ask whether Brontë is right that relationships must aim at equality of power. I’ll taxonomise the different kinds of power that can shape our relationships, including power that develops within the relationship and power that exists outside of it. I’ll also consider whether and when romantic relationships involving power imbalances can be morally wrong, or at the very least morally hazardous.

Lucy McDonald is a Lecturer in Philosophy at King’s College London.

This event will take place in person on LSE’s campus. However, those unable to attend in person will have the option of taking part online.

To join online just follow these instructions:

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• Register in advance for this meeting: https://lse.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlf-2srzgpH9ZXW41OR-Vu-a4wQJXJSeza

Please note that these events are routinely recorded, with the edited footage being made publicly available on our website and YouTube channel. We will only record the audio, the slides and the speaker and will not include the Q&A section. However, any question asked during the talk itself will feature in the final edit.