Final answer:
The good wife justifies her number of spouses by referencing historical examples and societal norms, such as Cato's value of family life, and the practice of wealthy men in polygamous societies having multiple wives for support and status.
Step-by-step explanation:
The good wife uses examples from history and different societal norms to rationalize her number of spouses. The historical example of Cato who valued a good wife from an honorable family and saw the role of a husband as more praiseworthy than that of a senator aligns with the notion of the intrinsic value of family life.
In contrast, polygamous societies often had wealthy and high-status men with multiple wives, justified by their capacity to support them, as noted in the context of the Negev Bedouin men.
Additionally, the societal expectations of children being integral to the identity of Roman citizenship, as well as the emotional view expressed in Mark Twain's account, highlight the ways in which multiple spouses were viewed as a matter of practicality, charity, or societal status.