Final answer:
Ellie's relationship with her husband is best characterized as inequitable, as her efforts are not reciprocated and there is an unfair distribution of resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ellie's relationship with her husband, where she is unusually attractive and intelligent, and works hard to please her husband without receiving affection or fair allocation of resources in return, can be described as inequitable. This is because an equitable relationship implies a fair and equal treatment or distribution of resources, and in Ellie's case, there is a clear lack of balance. Her efforts and contributions are not being reciprocated by her husband, who instead spends most of the family's resources on his own interests. According to Sternberg's theory of love, it can also be suggested that this relationship lacks the essential components of a healthy relationship such as intimacy, passion, and commitment, which are all needed for consummate love.