Yes, but things are different now.  Back then, men didn’t leave their wives for the other woman very often, even if they fell in love with her.  Society frowned on it, and to a lot of men, women weren’t equals anyway, and even if the man had feelings for the OW, he would still look down on her as a lesser person because she wasn’t “honorable”.  Women couldn’t work then, and it was the man’s responsibility to provide for his wife.  I don’t think that was a better time.  I think it’s much better that women are seen as equals, and have the ability to leave marriages that are bad.  However, this means that women/wives don’t have the same protections as they once did.  Her husband isn’t guaranteed to stay with her if he decides he likes the OW better.  She might think he will, but it’s really based on his own whim whether he thinks it’s worth staying in the marriage.