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Gardner’s marriage to Shaw, despite her dreams, was fraught with issues, just like her previous. In reality, despite their seeming differences, the two men shared much in their attitudes toward women. Gardner later spoke out about how Shaw emotionally abused her, a sentiment shared by Lana Turner, another of Shaw’s ex-wives. This had an impact on Gardner, who was still relatively new to the industry. She also felt insecure about the relationship. Shaw and his pals were intellectuals, and she felt inferior to them. She even stated that at the time, the only novels she had read were Gone With the Wind and the Bible. She felt out of place and unworthy.
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Gardner Made an Effort
Shaw’s mistreatment of Gardner was deplorable, but in some ways, their relationship was beneficial to her since it motivated her to pursue an education. She became serious about reading books and took time off from acting to study at the University of California. While an education is usually beneficial, Gardner was going through a difficult mental stage during which she believed she was never good enough for her spouse. He constantly put her down, and no matter how hard she worked, she thought she would never be on the same level as Shaw and his colleagues.
Gardner Made An Effort