We don't know if he was having a mental breakdown or not.
The focus of the class I had was sociology. Sociology differs from psychology. Psychology focuses on our behaviour based on our hormones, genes, depression, upbringin, reward system, etc. Sociology looks at a person's behaviour as being shaped by the groups's expections around us. I found sociology very enlightening after being a JW.
When it comes to beating a woman - perhaps this guy was a loon, had bad hormone levels, learned it from his father his whole life, etc. This is the perspective of a psychologist.
Sociology looks at the worldwide problem of women being beaten & killed, and looks for the common factors in all these societies. We see men beating & killing women everywhere. Do they have anger control issues? A sociologist would say, "No." A sociologist would say that men act normal in public - even to stressful events like getting a ticket, being yelled at by boss ...we don't see men beating up police officers or bosses. Why? The men can't beat up police officers or bosses. They would be ostracized by society, including male peers.
Yet, when some men get within 4 walls - they change into Mr. Hyde monsters to their wives. Why? No one is looking. Society is gone. They learn to beat the women where the bruises don't show (head, scalp). They bully their wives. It's the "dirty, little secret", and the women accept it as their fate.
Compound wife beating with an authoritative society that condones wife beating, and we get mercy killings.
We are beginning to change our views. But, we still see wife beating. OJ & others have long arrest records...
So sad.
Isn't marraige supposed to be "Christ-like", with the man at the helm & the woman as the church? Didn't Jesus wash the apostles feet? The greatest leaders & men serve those around, are not afraid to do the most menial tasts, and pitch in as needed. In return, these are the men that are adored by women. This is "What women want." Women want to honor an honorable man.
Skeeter