Marriage

Marriage: A Universal Yet Varied Institution

Imagine a world where every couple walks down an aisle adorned with flowers and vows to love each other until death do them part. But what if that world isn’t as uniform as it seems? Marriage, this sacred bond, varies widely across cultures, religions, and even within the same society. Let’s dive into the intricate tapestry of marriage, exploring its diverse forms and the reasons behind these differences.

The Evolution of Marriage

Marriage has come a long way since its early days when it was often seen as a means to secure alliances or property. The word ‘marriage’ itself appeared around 1300, borrowed from Old French and Latin. Over time, the definition of marriage has expanded to include equal rights for women, interfaith unions, interracial marriages, and same-sex partnerships. These changes reflect broader societal shifts towards equality and inclusivity.

Forms of Marriage

Marriage isn’t just about two people; it’s a complex web of legal, social, and personal obligations. It can be recognized by states, organizations, religious authorities, or local communities. A religious marriage ceremony recognizes the intrinsic rights and duties within that religion. The legitimacy-based definition of marriage is often criticized for being circular, but it remains an important aspect in many societies.

From monogamy to polygamy, the number of spouses can vary widely. Monogamy, where one person has only one spouse at a time, is common in Western countries but leads to high divorce rates. Polygamy, with more than two spouses, includes polygyny (one husband and multiple wives) and polyandry (multiple husbands and one wife). These practices have historical roots and are still prevalent in some parts of the world.

The Global Landscape

Marriage practices vary globally. Some cultures allow arranged marriages or group marriages, while others outlaw them to protect human rights. Female age at marriage has been used as an indicator for female autonomy in economic history research. The legitimacy-based definition of marriage is often criticized for being circular and not accounting for societies where illegitimacy has no other implications for a child.

Edmund Leach argued that marriage should be viewed in terms of the different types of rights it serves to establish, listing ten rights associated with marriage, including sexual monopoly and control over property. Durham Bell describes marriage as a relationship that provides men with a demand-right of sexual access within a domestic group, identifying women who bear the obligation of yielding to those demands.

Modern Perspectives

In today’s world, marriage is not just about love; it’s also about legal and social benefits. Societies often restrict marriages between relatives, with most cultures forbidding relationships between parents and children, full siblings, and other close kin. Marriages between distant relatives are common but now stigmatized in many countries.

Partner selection varies across cultures, with individual decisions being more prevalent in some societies and collective decisions by kin groups in others. Age differences can impact marital stability, with people tending to disapprove of those over 10 years apart in age. Older women are at increased health risks when getting pregnant.

Legal and Social Aspects

Marriage laws vary between countries, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Most jurisdictions set a minimum age for marriage to prevent children from being forced into marriages. Laws banning ‘race-mixing’ were enforced in certain North American jurisdictions, Nazi Germany, and South Africa until 1967 when the Supreme Court ruled Loving v. Virginia that such laws were unconstitutional.

Same-sex marriage is recognized in 43 countries including Andorra, Argentina, Australia, and Uruguay, but its introduction varied by jurisdiction and was influenced by human rights organizations, religious groups, and popular vote. Polygyny is widely practiced in mostly Muslim and African countries, while polygamy is illegal in most jurisdictions except for a few exceptions such as the Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

Modern Marriage Ceremonies

A marriage is formalized at a wedding or ceremony, which can be officiated by a religious official, government official, or state-approved celebrant. Some countries require civil ceremonies before religious ones, while others allow both to take place together. The ‘civil’ element of the ceremony may involve signing a register during the religious ceremony.

Marriages held in private locations are permitted in some countries, while others require public venues. Rules about where and when persons can marry vary from place to place. Common-law marriages are created by operation of law alone, without formal ceremony or contract. A de facto common-law marriage without a license or ceremony is legally binding in some jurisdictions but has no legal consequence in others.

Contemporary Issues

The concept of ‘marriage of convenience’ exists, where people marry for non-traditional reasons such as obtaining residency or insurance. Sham marriages are punishable in some countries. Contemporary legal and human rights criticisms of marriage include political, philosophical, and religious concerns, as well as issues related to divorce rates, individual liberty, and gender equality.

Feminist theory views opposite-sex marriage as an institution rooted in patriarchy that promotes male superiority and power over women, with men defined as providers operating in the public sphere and women as caregivers operating in the private sphere. The traditional heterosexual marriage imposed obligations of the husband to provide financially and the wife to be sexually available.

Health and Social Implications

Marriage influences health, with lower morbidity and mortality among married people. Social ties provide a sense of identity, purpose, belonging, and support, with marriage linked to diverse measures of health. The health-protective effect of marriage is stronger for men than women. Unhappily married women do not enjoy better health relative to single counterparts.

In most societies, divorce terminates a marriage, but laws concerning ease of divorce vary widely. About 45% of marriages in Britain and 46% of marriages in the US end in divorce. The average age of marriage has increased over time, with more couples choosing to cohabit before tying the knot.

Conclusion

Marriage is a complex institution that reflects the values, norms, and laws of different societies. It’s not just about love; it’s also about legal rights, social obligations, and personal choices. As we continue to evolve as a global community, so too will our understanding and practice of marriage.