A mistress is a man's sexual mate and a companion. If we look back into history, we see that a mistress was a high class courtesan or a "kept woman" who demanded a lavish life style in exchange of the sexual pleasure she gave to her wealthy mate. Mistresses were not just kept by kings and nobles but by anyone who could afford to spend money on them. One of the best known mistresses was Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV of France. It was also possible for the mistress to command a superior position in status and finance compared to her lover. For instance, Catherine the Great was known to be a mistress of many men during her rule. Inspite of being a widow, she did not choose to marry a man because she did not want to share her power with a man. So she just shared physical intimacy with her amours to satiate her urges or to use them for her queen-size ambitions.
There is a difference between a prostitute and a mistress though most people try to relate both of them to the same meaning. History has shown that many of the mistresses began their life as a prostitute or ended as one. Though both professions traded sex for money, a mistress keeps herself exclusive for a man just like a wife. She provides him with companionship and in return demands an extravagant life-style.
In today's times, the term mistress means a woman who is having an intimate relationship with a married man. The relationship of this nature is such that the couple does not live together openly. However in most situations, a mistress is a secret which a man keeps tucked away from the eyes of his wife. In present times, not all mistresses are compulsorily dependent on their men for money. She has a job and status of her own, and can manage her lifestyle on her own but rely on her man for companionship and emotional support. However there are some men who flaunt their mistresses as a blatant show of their obscene wealth and machoism. There are some men who even acknowledge the children borne by their mistresses
A mistress can also mean a woman schoolteacher in UK English. A woman who is in charge of a project is also called as a mistress. However these two meanings are not used as much as the aforementioned explanation on mistress.
There is a difference between a prostitute and a mistress though most people try to relate both of them to the same meaning. History has shown that many of the mistresses began their life as a prostitute or ended as one. Though both professions traded sex for money, a mistress keeps herself exclusive for a man just like a wife. She provides him with companionship and in return demands an extravagant life-style.
In today's times, the term mistress means a woman who is having an intimate relationship with a married man. The relationship of this nature is such that the couple does not live together openly. However in most situations, a mistress is a secret which a man keeps tucked away from the eyes of his wife. In present times, not all mistresses are compulsorily dependent on their men for money. She has a job and status of her own, and can manage her lifestyle on her own but rely on her man for companionship and emotional support. However there are some men who flaunt their mistresses as a blatant show of their obscene wealth and machoism. There are some men who even acknowledge the children borne by their mistresses
A mistress can also mean a woman schoolteacher in UK English. A woman who is in charge of a project is also called as a mistress. However these two meanings are not used as much as the aforementioned explanation on mistress.
