Paper short abstract:

In the Romanian society there is a rich and complex imaginary that especially reflects the difficult relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. The paper suggests an analysis of how this relationship was reflected in the new context triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic in visual forms.

Paper long abstract:

It`s said about Romanians that they have humor no matter what. A Romanian saying reflects this feature through the expression `grin and bear it`. This paper suggests the analysis of the new context of COVID-19 pandemic and its effect upon the imagination of social actors in Romania. The analysis insists especially upon the relationship between parents-in-laws/mother-in-law – daughter-in-law and the way in which this was humouredly reflected in visual forms (caricatures and memes) which could be seen on different on line and social media. Marriage for Romanian society represents a social phenomenon with multiple affective, legally, social, cultural and economic repercussions. Marriage is invested with the power to build and strengthen the new kinship ties. From the relationship established between the two spouses derives another kinship relationship, that one between the wife and the husband`s parents and the one between the husband and the wife`s parents. So, through marriage, each of the two spouses enters into kinship/ affinity with the relatives of the other spouse. The word parents-in-law (mother-in-law and father-in-law) is used for this new kind of relationship. In the Romanian society there is a rich and complex imaginary that especially reflects the difficult relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. The paper suggests an analysis of how this relationship was reflected in the new context triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic in visual forms (caricatures and memes).

Key-words: marriage, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, pandemic, visual forms, Romanian society