Buzz
The phrase "better half" is often used as a term of affection for our loved ones. But in some situations, it perfectly describes a reality where one partner outshines the other with their accomplishments. This isn’t meant to diminish the success of the other partner, however. They too achieved greatness—it just happened that they fell in love with someone who was their true "better half."
10. Constance Wilde
Constance Mary Lloyd was born in Dublin on January 2, 1859. She married the famous playwright Oscar Wilde in 1884, and together, they became one of the most iconic couples of their time—a 19th-century Irish version of Brangelina. Often referred to as "Mrs. Oscar" in the media, Constance emerged as an activist, fighting for women's rights to serve in parliament. This stance alone was enough to draw the ire of traditionalists, but Constance’s involvement in the Rational Dress Society, which championed practical and comfortable clothing for women over the restrictive corsets of the Victorian era, was an even bolder move.
In the early years of their marriage, Constance and Oscar Wilde seemed to have a harmonious relationship, even welcoming two children into their family. The exact moment Oscar's affections turned toward young men is unclear, but by the early 1890s, his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas was no longer a secret.
While Oscar Wilde was clearly the literary talent in the family, Constance also found success with her book of children’s stories titled There Was Once. It’s difficult to determine whether she was aware of her husband’s extramarital affairs prior to his imprisonment, but she certainly discovered them in 1895 when Oscar was incarcerated for homosexuality. Following the scandal, Constance adopted the surname "Holland" and relocated to Italy, where she passed away under mysterious circumstances at the age of 39. It wasn't until recently that family letters pointed to undiagnosed multiple sclerosis as the probable cause of her death.
9. Anne Hunter
Anne Hunter, a poet of the 18th century, gained her greatest recognition as a lyricist. Despite her talents, Anne spent much of her life overshadowed by her husband, John Hunter, one of the most renowned surgeons in history. A fellow of the Royal Society, Hunter was an early advocate for the scientific method in medicine. Later in his career, he focused on teaching and established a medical museum that housed over 14,000 specimens from 500 different species. The Hunterian Museum, which remains operational today, featured many exotic creatures collected during James Cook’s expedition to Australia, including kangaroos.
Anne’s career was often sidelined by her family life. She first tasted success in 1765 with the publication of her songbooks but took a hiatus after marrying Hunter in 1771. Following his death in 1793, Anne revived her career by collaborating with the famous composer Joseph Haydn. She wrote English lyrics for many of his works, sparking rumors that she may have been either his muse or his secret lover.
8. Pierre Curie
Pierre Curie is undoubtedly well-known in the scientific world, but it’s clear that his wife’s name carries even more weight. Together, Pierre and Marie Curie were awarded the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering research on radioactivity, sharing the honor with Henri Becquerel. However, Marie Curie went on to achieve this remarkable feat once again in 1911 when she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In doing so, she became the first person, and only woman, to win two Nobel Prizes, as well as the only individual to win in two distinct fields. This legacy continued with their daughter, Irene, who earned a Nobel Prize of her own in 1935.
The Curie family legacy actually began with Pierre and his brother, Paul-Jacques. The two studied together as teenagers, concentrating on crystallography. Their collaborative work led to the discovery of piezoelectricity in 1880, a breakthrough that eventually earned Pierre a teaching position at the University of Paris, where he would meet Maria Sklodowska, who would later become Marie Curie.
Maria initially rejected Pierre's proposals, as she had plans to return to Poland and teach at Warsaw University. Unfortunately, the university refused to hire her simply because she was a woman. This setback led her back to Paris, where she became Marie Curie. The rest, as they say, is history. Had it not been for his tragic death in 1906 (28 years before Marie), Pierre’s legacy might have been just as celebrated as his wife’s.
7. Joy Davidman
Helen Joy Davidman, an American writer, was a child prodigy who quickly garnered attention for her remarkable talents, winning accolades for her first poetry book, Letter to a Comrade, in her early twenties. Her first marriage to fellow writer William Lindsay Gresham marked the beginning of a difficult and unhappy chapter in her life.
Amid the struggles of her troubled marriage, Davidman turned to the writings of C.S. Lewis, finding them so moving that they prompted a dramatic shift in her beliefs, converting her from atheism to Christianity. This newfound faith gave her the courage to leave her abusive relationship behind. After years of only corresponding with Lewis, Davidman eventually traveled to England, where they met, fell in love, and married. By then, Lewis had already achieved widespread success with his seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia series.
Although Davidman inspired some of Lewis’s later works, her own career came to an abrupt halt after their marriage. She passed away from cancer in 1960, just four years after they wed. Their time together was later immortalized in the BAFTA-winning TV movie Shadowlands, which was subsequently adapted into a successful Broadway play and later made into a film starring Anthony Hopkins.
6. Frank Butler
Annie Oakley stands as one of the most legendary figures of the Old West. Her remarkable sharpshooting abilities earned her fame, especially when she became a star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. What’s often overlooked, however, is the fact that her husband, Frank E. Butler, was with her every step of the way.
Butler was also a skilled marksman who performed in variety shows. Part of his act involved challenging audience members to compete against him, with him usually emerging victorious. But on one memorable occasion in Cincinnati, Ohio, his opponent was a small, 15-year-old girl named Annie Oakley. The two squared off, with 25 targets and 25 shots. Annie scored a perfect 25-for-25, while Butler missed his final shot. Instead of feeling embarrassed, he became immediately captivated by Annie and began courting her. They eventually married sometime between 1876 and 1882, although the exact year is unclear due to missing records.
Initially, Frank Butler was the primary performer in the family, while Annie Oakley played a supporting role. However, one evening, when his regular partner fell ill, Annie stepped in and captivated the audience, earning loud applause. Recognizing the potential of their act, the Butlers became a dynamic duo, eventually securing a place in Buffalo Bill’s famous Wild West show. By this time, Annie had become the star of the act, so Frank shifted to a managerial position. The couple passed away in 1926, just 18 days apart. Legend has it that Frank, devastated by Annie’s death, refused to eat and died of starvation soon after.
5. Lee Krasner
Lee Krasner enjoyed a flourishing career as an artist spanning over six decades. Many of her works are still showcased in major galleries, particularly the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. Despite her achievements, her name is less widely known compared to that of her husband, Jackson Pollock, who became an iconic figure in 20th-century art.
One reason why Lee Krasner’s work was overshadowed by her husband was because their careers followed such a similar trajectory. Both were painters and both embraced abstract expressionism as their style. Despite Krasner’s significant influence on her own artwork, it was Pollock who became the face of the movement, creating what is arguably the most famous abstract expressionist piece, titled No.5. This painting also set a record price when it was sold in 2006.
Unlike many of the other spouses on this list, Krasner’s artistic journey did not falter after she married Pollock in 1942. The two often collaborated, though they maintained separate studios for their individual work. In the 1950s, their relationship faced challenges, largely due to Pollock’s struggles with alcoholism. However, it was tragically cut short in 1956 when Pollock died in a car accident. After his passing, Krasner dedicated herself to preserving Pollock’s legacy while also embarking on her own creative journey, producing what most critics regard as her most mature and memorable work.
4. Mileva Maric
Mileva Maric remains one of the most debated figures on this list. Even to this day, people continue to argue about how much of an influence she had on the work of her husband, Albert Einstein.
The debate specifically centers around Einstein’s Annus Mirabilis papers, which include groundbreaking work on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, and special relativity. These four papers earned him the Nobel Prize and solidified his place as one of the most significant figures in history.
Einstein published these papers in 1905, two years after marrying Mileva Maric. Since then, there has been much speculation about her role in his research. Like Einstein, she was a physicist, having attended the Zurich Polytechnic School, where the two met. However, there is little solid evidence suggesting that she contributed significantly to his work, beyond being a supportive partner. A few letters hint at their collaboration, with Einstein referring to “our work” instead of “my work.” Still, Mileva never claimed credit for anything published under Einstein’s name.
The main source of the controversy comes from Russian physicist Abram Ioffe, who reportedly saw the original papers written by Albert, which were signed as “Einstein-Marity” (a Hungarian term for “Maric”). Whether this was a reference to both of them or simply how Einstein signed his name at the time remains unclear. Unfortunately, they never became a partnership like the Curies, as Einstein later divorced Mileva to pursue a relationship with his cousin.
3. George Putnam
George Putnam led a life filled with excitement and adventure, though he is mostly remembered as the husband and promoter of the legendary aviator Amelia Earhart. Earhart made history as the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. However, in 1937, she disappeared during another flight, sparking a mystery that continues to captivate people to this day. This enigma has only fueled the public’s interest in her, cementing Earhart’s status as one of the most iconic aviators of all time. Yet, without Putnam’s support, her story may have turned out very differently.
Putnam played a key role in organizing Earhart’s historic flight. In his previous career as a publisher, he had worked on the autobiography of another famed aviator, Charles Lindbergh. Due to his experience in the field, Putnam was approached by Amy Guest, a wealthy socialite, who sought to sponsor the first flight by a woman across the Atlantic. Putnam suggested the then-unknown Amelia Earhart, and the two soon fell in love while working together on Earhart’s book, 20 Hrs., 40 Min.
However, Putnam’s own adventurous spirit long predated his partnership with Amelia Earhart. After serving in World War I, he became an explorer sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History. He led successful expeditions to the Arctic and Baffin Island. In 1911, he married Dorothy Binney, the daughter of the inventor of Crayola crayons. In 1927, he was honored as one of the first “Honorary Scouts” by the Boy Scouts of America.
2. Emilie Pelzl
Before 1993, Emilie Pelzl was largely unknown to the public, but that year, a film brought attention to the heroic actions of her husband, Oskar Schindler, who saved over 1,000 Jews during World War II. The movie highlighted Schindler’s efforts as a member of the Nazi Party who used his factory to protect Jews from the horrors of concentration camps, earning him widespread recognition.
The film depicted Emilie as a devoted wife who backed her husband’s mission, even though it eventually led them to financial ruin. However, Emilie herself believed the movie downplayed her own role to focus on Oskar. According to her biographer, Erika Rosenberg, Emilie’s contributions were just as significant as her husband’s. She was responsible for securing food for the Jewish workers and devoted herself to nursing the sick back to health. On one memorable occasion, she successfully prevented a train carrying 120 Jews from being sent to Auschwitz.
After the war, the Schindlers resided in Argentina until 1957, when Oskar went back to Germany to claim compensation from the government. He didn’t succeed, and Schindler stayed in Germany until his death in Frankfurt in 1974. Emilie never saw him again, except when she visited his grave in Jerusalem in 1993, a poignant scene depicted in Schindler’s List. For her part in the efforts to save lives, Emilie was honored with the Righteous Among the Nations Award from Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial.
1. Akhenaten
While it’s typical for the spouses of renowned rulers to gain fame in their own right, it’s unusual for the wife to eclipse her husband. However, this is exactly what occurred with the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten. His queen, Nefertiti, has become far more famous today, arguably only outshined by Cleopatra among female Egyptian monarchs.
Akhenaten was also eclipsed by his son, Tutankhamun, who became the most famous pharaoh in history. However, Tut’s reign was relatively brief and uneventful, while Akhenaten initiated a startling religious revolution by forsaking Egypt’s traditional pantheon of gods in favor of a singular Sun God, Aten. This is a key reason why Akhenaten is largely forgotten today. After his passing, his monotheistic beliefs were largely abandoned, and the Egyptians made significant efforts (and nearly succeeded) in erasing Akhenaten from history.
This still doesn’t fully clarify why Nefertiti remains so much more widely recognized. Her time as queen is enveloped in mystery. It seems she held significant power, as she is depicted in reliefs carrying out pharaoh-like duties, such as wearing his crown and smiting enemies in battle. But after 12 years, she simply vanishes from the historical record. While some historians believe she passed away, others suggest she assumed the title of co-regent under the name Neferneferuaten. Still, the primary reason Nefertiti outshines her husband lies in her iconic bust, which was discovered in remarkable condition and has since become one of Ancient Egypt’s most famous artifacts.
