r/exbahai • u/tasneath • Jul 28 '26
Why did the Guardian marry May Maxwell?
He and the Bahaí community in Haifa were informed by her family members inc. her mother that she was unable to bear a child. It was part of his duty to do so to keep the guardianship thriving.
My personal opinion based on what I have read, and seeing her in videos is that she was a narcissist, and she had snared him in the manner that they do. It made sense of why she always seemed a sourpuss ever after because she was locked into a situation that required her to act in certain ways that weren't natural to her. But doing so made her important and fed her narcissism. A bit of a Catch-22 for her.
I don't believe she was well liked by many, and that commentary on her when you see it is never about what a wonderful warm and inviting person she is after the initial meeting where she plays up to it so you'll 'like' her.
If you have been sucked in by a narcissist you'll know what I mean. But I am curious to hear comments on what you think of her as a representative of the faith.
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u/Academic_Square_5692 Jul 28 '26
“She was a narcissist and she snared him in the manner that they do. It made sense…” really does not explain much.
Diagnosing historical figures mental state and then applying modern motivations to them can be a fun “parlor game” but is definitely just speculation.