types of marriage essay

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25 Different Types of Marriages

Angela Welch is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Intern from Valparaiso,IN. She earned her Master of Arts in Marriage and... Read More

Rachael Pace inspires with motivational articles on loving partnerships. She encourages making room for love and facing challenges together.

It’s no secret that marriage in different cultures doesn’t quite mean the same thing as it did just 100 years ago, and not the same as several hundred years ago.

It wasn’t that long ago that different types of marriage and relationships were all about security; in a world with limited opportunity, you wanted to make sure your future had some stability, and marrying was a big part of that. It’s only a recent development that people marry for love . 

Since the purpose of marriages is so diverse and twisted, there are different types of marriages you should know about. Here are 25 different types of marriages you should be aware of. 

25 types of marriages

The types of marriages can differ based on the purpose of the marriage and how the relationship between two people is defined. Here are 25 different types of marriages. 

1. Civil and religious marriage

These are two different types of marriages, often combined into one. Civil marriage is when the marriage is recognized by the state, while a religious marriage is when the recognition is received from a religious body, such as the church.

2. Interfaith marriage

Faith or religion makes up for a major part of ourselves and our lives. Previously, people from the same faiths would prefer to get married. However, as time progressed, people from different religions have also started to come together in a union. When people from two different religions decide to get married, it is called an interfaith marriage. 

3. Common-law marriage

Common-law marriage is a type of marriage when two people have decided that they are married and live together like husband and wife but do not have a certificate of registry.

4. Monogamous marriage

Monogamous marriage is the most common type of marriage people practice all over the world. It is when two people are married to each other without getting emotionally or sexually involved with anyone else outside the marriage.

5. Polygamous marriage

Polygamous marriage, though not as common now , used to be the norm several hundred years ago. It is when people have more than one official spouse. 

Polygamous marriage can be of two types – polygyny marriage and polyandry marriage. Polygyny is when a man has more than one wife, while polyandry is when the woman has more than one husband.

6. Left-handed marriage

Left-handed marriage is when two people from unequal social rankings get together in a union of marriage. It is also called a morganatic marriage. 

7. Secret marriage

As the name suggests, a secret marriage is when the marriage is hidden from society, friends, and family. When two people are secretly married but have not informed their family or friends about the same. 

8. Shotgun marriage

Most people plan their marriage and when they want to get married. However, a shotgun marriage is when a couple decides to get married because of an unplanned pregnancy.

Many cultures and societies look down upon having kids before marriage, and therefore, some people may decide to get married to save their reputation or the embarrassment to their families.

9. Mixed marriage

A mixed marriage is also called an inter-racial marriage. A mixed marriage is another one of the marriage types that is becoming popular lately. Previously, people would only marry in their own race. Now, people from different races also come together in the union of marriage.

10. Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages have also become common now. Though not as widely accepted as other types of marriage in sociology, same-sex marriages have been deemed legal in many parts of the world. It is when people who wish to marry people of the same sex come together to get married. 

A man marries a man, and a woman marries a woman – as opposed to the societal construct that only a man and woman can get married.

11. Love marriage

Love marriages are the types of marriages where people get married because they love each other. They meet each other, fall in love, and marriage seems like the next logical step to them. 

12. Arranged marriage

Arranged marriages are the opposite of love marriages. It is when the family finds a suitable match for an eligible bachelor or bachelorette, keeping in mind factors such as race, religion, caste, and any other specifics that they might have.

13. Convenience marriage

As the name suggests, a convenience marriage is when two people get married for reasons that bring convenience to their lives, and not because of love. These reasons can be practical, or financial.

14. Zombie marriage

This is when you both are docile and nice to each other in front of other people, and to them, you are still married. 

However, behind closed doors, you do not share any sort of a relationship. It has come to a point where you are not even sure if you both are really married in the essence of your relationship.

15. Group marriage

Group marriage is when one or more men are married to one or more women. It is different from a polygamous marriage because in this case, a group of people is married to each other, while in a polygamous marriage, a person just has multiple spouses.

16. Parenting marriage

Another one of the different forms of marriage that are very common these days is called parenting marriage. This is when two people decide to stay married to each other for the sake of their kids. 

They wait for the children to grow up, and become independent before they separate or file for a divorce.

17. Safety marriage

Safety marriage is when a marriage occurs because something tangible, mostly materialistic, is decided to be given in return. These terms are decided before marriage.

18. Open marriage

One more type of marriage that has recently become popular is open marriage . It is when two people who are officially married are allowed to see other people outside the marriage. It is a mutual agreement between two spouses.

To understand more about open marriages, watch this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nALP-EYOaMc&ab_channel=TODAY

19. Court marriage

A court marriage is when the couple skips the traditional ceremony, and directly applies for a marriage certificate from the court. 

20. Time-bound marriage

This type of marriage is when the agreement of marriage is bound by time. The couple decides that they will only stay married to each other for a specific time period.

21. The Partnership

In this type of marriage or in this form of marriage, the husband and wife act a lot like business partners. They are equals in so many ways. Most likely, they both work full-time jobs and share a lot of the household and child-rearing responsibilities equally.

In these types of marriages, the couples are interested in contributing their half in order to make a more cohesive whole. If you are in this type of relationship, you’ll feel out of balance when the other person isn’t doing the same things you are doing.

So if you feel like you need to have different roles, you’ll need to really dissect it and negotiate until you both feel you are still on equal footing. This applies to all aspects of the marriage—even the romance part. You must both be making equal efforts in this area.

22. The Independents

People who have these types of marriages want autonomy. They more or less live separate lives alongside each other. They don’t feel like they need to agree on everything because each person’s thoughts and feelings are separate from their own and valuable in their own right.

They give each other room to be who they want to be; they may even spend their free time apart. When it comes to doing things around the house, they tend to work separately in their areas of interest and on their timetables.

They may have less physical togetherness than other couples but feel just as fulfilled. People who enjoy these types of marriages will feel stifled if their spouse is too needy or wants to be together all the time. 

Just know that an independent isn’t pulling away because they don’t love you—they just need to have that independent space.

Check out this video of a couple talking about maintaining individuality and independence while being married:

23. The degree seekers

A couple in this type of marriage ceremony are in it to learn something. Many times the husband and wife in this relationship are quite different—even opposites. One could be good at something, and the other not so much, and vice versa.

So they each possess skills the other would like to develop. In essence, marriage is like a school of life. They are constantly learning from each other. They find it very stimulating to watch how the other lives and handles themselves in different situations.

Over time, they begin to pick up on their spouse’s skills and feel good about that process as it unfolds. 

If they ever feel like they are no longer learning anything from their spouse, they may feel disillusioned; so keep things fresh by constantly learning and growing for yourself, and so you can offer something to your degree-seeking spouse.

24. The “traditional” roles

This is the type of marriage depicted in old TV shows. The wife stays at home and takes care of the house and kids; the husband goes to work and comes home and reads the paper or watches TV. 

The wife has clearly defined roles, and the husband has clearly defined roles, and they are different.

In multiple marriages, when the husband and wife find joy in their roles and are supported by the other, it works well. But when the roles aren’t fulfilled, or their roles overlap, there can be resentment or loss of self.

25. The companionship

In this alternative marriage ,  the husband and wife want a life-long friend. Their relationship is familiar and loving. They are really after someone to share their life with—someone to be by their side through everything. 

There is less independence in this marriage, and that’s ok. They appreciate a lot of togetherness.

The bottom line

We hope this article was able to answer the question, “What are the different types of marriages?”

While there are various other types of marriages apart from the ones mentioned here, the truth is that different marriages occur due to different reasons. Marriage types are, therefore, defined based on these reasons. 

There is no definite answer to the question, “How many types of marriage do we have?” but these are the most common types of marriages.

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Rachael Pace is a noted relationship writer associated with Marriage.com. She provides inspiration, support, and empowerment in the form of motivational articles and essays. Rachael enjoys studying the evolution of loving partnerships Read more and is passionate about writing on them. She believes that everyone should make room for love in their lives and encourages couples to work on overcoming their challenges together. Read less

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Essay on marriage: meaning, functions and forms.

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Here is your essay on marriage, it’s meaning, functions and forms! 

Introduction :

Marriage and family sociologically signifies the stage of greater social advancement. It is indicative of man’s entry into the world of emotion and feeling, harmony and culture. Long before the institution of marriage developed, man and woman may have lived together, procreated children and died unwept and unsung. Their sexual relations must have been like birds and animals of momentary duration.

Image Courtesy : 2.bp.blogspot.com/–Zyo4IJENYk/TtuIdHcjm-I/AAAAAAAACwQ/Rg89UBiMU0A/s1600/lklk.jpg

Marriage as an institution developed over the time. It may have been accepted as a measure of social discipline and as an expedient to eliminate social stress due to the sex rivalry. The growing sense and sensibility may have necessitated the acceptance of norms for formalising the union between man and woman.

Meaning of Marriage :

Marriage is the most important institution of human society. It is a universal phenomenon. It has been the backbone of human civilisation. Human beings have certain urges like hungers, thirst and sex. Society works out certain rules and regulation for satisfaction of these urges.

The rules and regulations, which deal with regulation of sex life of human beings, are dealt in the marriage institution. We can say that the Marriage is as old as the institution of family. Both these institutions are vital for the society. Family depends upon the Marriage. Marriage regulates sex life of human beings.

Marriage creates new social relationships and reciprocal rights between the spouses. It establishes the rights and the status of the children when they are born. Each society recognises certain procedures for creating such relationship and rights. The society prescribes rules for prohibitions, preferences and prescriptions in deciding marriage. It is this institution through which a man sustains the continuity of his race and attains satisfaction in a socially recognised manner.

Sociologists and anthropologists have given definitions of marriage. Some of the important definitions are given below. Edward Westermark. “Marriage is a relation of one or more men to one or more women which is recognised by custom or law and involves certain rights and duties both in the case of the parties entering the union and in the case of the children born of it.

As B. Malinowski defines, “Marriage is a contract for the production and maintenance of children”.

According H.M. Johnson, “Marriage is a stable relationship in which a man and a woman are socially permitted without loss of standing in community, to have children”.

Ira L. Reiss writes, “Marriage is a socially accepted union of individuals in husband and wife roles, with the key function of legitimating of parenthood”.

William Stephens, the anthropologist, says that marriage is:

(1) A socially legitimate sexual union begun with

(2) A public announcement, undertaken with

(3) Some idea of performance and assumed with a more or less explicit

(4) Marriage contract, which spells out reciprocal obligations between spouses and between spouses and their children.

William J. Goode, the famous family sociologist has tried to combine the two objectives of marriage i.e. to regulate sex life and to recognize the newborn. It was perhaps for this reason that American sociologists came out with the statement that no child should be born without a father.

Although different thinkers have tried to provide definition of marriage, but there is no universally acceptable definition of marriage. There seems to be, however, a consensus that marriage involves several criteria that are found to exist cross-culturally and throughout time. For example, Hindu marriage has three main objectives such as Dharma, Progeny and Sexual Pleasure.

Individual happiness has been given the least importance. It is considered to be sacrament, a spiritual union between a man and a woman in the social status of husband and wife.

In Western countries, marriage is a contract. Personal happiness is given the utmost importance. People enter into matrimonial alliances for the sake of seeking personal happiness. If this happiness is-not forthcoming they will terminate the relationship.

Marriage is thus cultural specific. The rules and regulations differ from one culture to another. We can, however, identify certain basic features of this institution.

(1) A heterosexual union, including at least one male and one female.

(2) The legitimizing or granting of approval to the sexual relationship and the bearing of children without any loss of standing in the community or society.

(3) A public affair rather than a private, personal matter.

(4) A highly institutionalized and patterned mating arrangement.

(5) Rules which determine who can marry whom.

(6) New statuses to man and woman in the shape of husband and wife and father and mother.

(7) Development of personal intimate and affectionate relationships between the spouses and parent and children.

(8) A binding relationship that assumes some performance.

The above discussion helps us to conclude that the boundaries of marriage are not always precise and clearly defined. It is, however, very important institution for the society as it helps in replacement of old and dying population.

Functions of Marriage :

Marriage is an institutionalized relationship within the family system. It fulfills many functions attributed to the family in general. Family functions include basic personality formation, status ascriptions, socialization, tension management, and replacement of members, economic cooperation, reproduction, stabilization of adults, and the like.

Many of these functions, while not requiring marriage for their fulfillment, are enhanced by the marital system”. In fact, evidence suggests marriage to be of great significance for the well-being of the individual. Researchers have shown that compared to the unmarried, married persons are generally happier, healthier, less depressed and disturbed and less prone to premature deaths. Marriage, rather than becoming less important or unimportant, may be increasingly indispensable.

The functions of marriage differ as the structure of marriage differs. ‘For example, where marriage is specially an extension of the kin and extended family system, then procreation, passing on the family name and continuation of property become a basic function. Thus, to not have a child or more specifically, to not have a male child, is sufficient reason to replace the present wife or add a new wife.

Where marriage is based on “free choice,” i.e. parents and kinsmen play no role in selecting the partner, individualistic forces are accorded greater significance. Thus in the United States, marriage has many functions and involves many positive as well as negative personal factors : establishment of a family of one’s own, children, companionship, happiness, love, economic security, elimination of loneliness etc.

The greater the extent to which the perceived needs of marriage are met, and the fewer the alternatives in the replacement of the unmet needs, the greater the likelihood of marriage and the continuation of that marriage. At a personal level, any perceived reason may explain marriage, but at a social level, all societies sanction certain reasons and renounce others.

Forms of Marriage :

Societies evolved mannerism and method for selection of the spouses, according to their peculiar socio-economic and political conditions, and in accordance with their levels of cultural advancement. This explains on the one hand the origin of the various forms, of marriage and on the other the differences in the attitude of societies towards the institution of marriage.

Some have accepted it as purely a contractual arrangement between weds, while others hold it as the sacred union between man, and woman. Forms of marriage vary from society to society. Marriage can be broadly divided into two types, (1) monogamy and (2) polygamy.

1. Monogamy :

Monogamy is that form of marriage in which at a given period of time one man has marital relations with one woman. On the death of the spouse or one of the partners seek divorce then they can establish such relationship with other persons but at a given period of time, one cannot have two or more wives or two or more husbands.

This one to one relationship is the most modern civilized way of living. In most of the societies it is this form, which is found and recognized. It should be noted that on a societal basis, only about 20 per cent of the societies are designated as strictly monogamous, that is, monogamy is the required form.

When monogamy does not achieve stability, certain married persons end their relationship and remarry. Thus, the second spouse, although not existing simultaneously with the first, is sometimes referred to as fitting into a pattern of sequential monogamy, serial monogamy or remarriage.

Advantages:

Keeping in view the advantages of monogamy the world has granted recognition to monogamous form of marriage. The following are its advantages:

1. Better Adjustment:

In this form of marriage men and women have to adjust with one partner only. In this way there is better adjustment between them.

2. Greater Intimacy:

If the number of people in the family will be limited there will be more love and affection in the family. Because of which they will have friendly and deep relations.

3. Better Socialization of Children:

In the monogamy the children are looked after with earnest attention of parents. The development of modes of children will be done nicely. There will be no jealously between the parents for looking after their children.

4. Happy Family:

Family happiness is maintained under monogamy which is completely destroyed in other forms of marriage because of jealousy and other reasons. Thus, in this form of marriage, family is defined as happy family.

5. Equal Status to Woman:

In this form of marriage the status of woman in family is equal. If husband works she looks after the house or both of them work for strengthening the economic condition of the family.

6. Equalitarian way of Living:

It is only under monogamous way of living that husband and wife can have equalitarian way of life. Under this system husband and wife not only share the familial role and obligations but also have joint decisions. The decision making process becomes a joint venture.

7. Population Control:

Some sociologists have the view that monogamy controls the population. Because of one wife children in the family will be limited.

8. Better Standard of Living:

It also affects the standard of living within limited resources. One can manage easily to live a better life. It helps in the development of independent personality without much constraint and pressure.

9. Respect to old Parents:

Old parents receive favouring care by their children but under polygamy their days are full of bitterness.

10. Law is in favour:

Monogamy is legally sanctioned form of marriage while some are legally prohibited.

11. More Cooperation:

In such a family there is close union between the couple and the chances of conflict are reduced and there is cooperation between husband and wife.

12. Stability:

It is more stable form of marriage. There is better division of property after the death of parents.

Disadvantages :

1. Adjustment:

Monogamy is a marriage between one husband and one wife. So if the partner is not of choice then life loses its charm. They have to adjust between themselves but now-a-days divorce is the answer to their problem.

2. Monopoly:

According to Sumner and Keller, “Monogamy is monopoly.” Wherever there is monopoly, there is bound to be both ‘ins and outs’.

3. Childlessness:

Some inpatients can’t have kids or some barren cannot have kids. If one of the partners has some problem couples cannot have children. They have to suffer from childlessness.

4. Economic Factors:

Marriage in monogamy does not play part of income. They have to depend upon their own occupation for living. If they are poor they will remain poor. So monogamy effects the economic condition of man and woman.

5. Better status to Women:

Monogamy provides better status to women in the society. They are counted equal to men. Some people do not like this form of marriage.

6. Adultery:

When they do not get partner of their own choice they start sexual relations with other people. This also leads to the problem of prostitution.

2. Polygamy :

Distinguished from monogamy is polygamy. Polygamy refer to the marriage of several or many. Polygamy is the form of marriage in which one man marries two or more women or one woman marries two or more men or a number of men many a number of women. According to F.N. Balasara, “The forms of marriage in which there is plurality of partners is called polygamy”.

Polygamy, like other forms of marriage is highly regulated and normatively controlled. It is likely to be supported by the attitudes and values of both the sexes. Polygamy itself has many forms and variations. Polygamy is of three types: (i) Polygyny, (ii) Polyandry and (iii) Group marriage.

Let us now discuss forms of polygamy in details,

(i) Polygyny:

Polygyny is a form of marriage in which a man has more than one .wife at a time. In other words it is a form of marriage in which one man marries more than one woman at a given time. It is the prevalent form of marriage among the tribes, Polygyny also appears to be the privilege of the wealthy, in many African societies the rich usually have more than one wife.

This type of marriage is found in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda. In India, polygyny persisted from the Vedic times until Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Now polygyny is visible among many tribes of India.

Viewing polygyny cross-culturally, poiygynous families evidence specific organisational features:

1. In certain matters, sex particularly, co-wives have clearly defined equal rights.

2. Each wife is set up in a separate establishment.

3. The senior wife is given special powers and privileges.

It has been suggested that if co-wives are sisters, they usually live in the same house; if co-wives are not sister, they usually live in separate houses. It is believed that sibling can better tolerate, suppress and live with a situation of sexual rivalry than can non-siblings.

Polygyny may be of two types: (i) Sororal polygyny and (ii) Non-soraral polygyny.

Sororal polygyny is one in which all the wives are sisters. Non-sororal polygyny means the marriage of one man with many women who are not sisters.

Causes of Polygyny :

1. Disproportion of sexes in the Population:

When in any tribe or society male members are less in number and females are more, then this type of marriage takes place.

2. Out-migration of male Population:

To earn the livelihood male members migrate from one society to another. This way there is a decrease in the number of males than females and polygyny takes place.

3. Hypergamy:

Hypergamy also gives rise to polygyny. Under this system the parents of lower castes or classes want to improve their social status by marrying their daughters in the higher caste or classes.

4. Desire for male Child:

Among the primitive people importance was given to make children than females. Thus man was free to have as many marriages as he liked on the ground to get male children.

5. Social Status:

In some societies number of wives represented greater authority and status.

Particularly the leaders of primitive society increased number of wives in order to prove their superiority. A single marriage was considered a sign of poverty. So where marriage is taken as sign of prestige and prosperity the custom of polygyny is natural.

6. Economic Reason:

Where the people of the poor families were unable to find suitable husbands for their daughters they started marrying their daughters to rich married males.

7. Variety of Sex Relation:

The desire for variety of sex relations is another cause of polygyny. The sexual instincts become dull by more familiarity. It is stimulated by novelty.

8. Enforced Celibacy:

In uncivilized tribes men did not approach the women during the period of pregnancy and while she was feeding the child. Thus long period of enforced celibacy gave birth to second marriage.

9. More Children:

In uncivilized society more children were needed for agriculture, war and status recognition. Moreover, in some tribes the birth rate was low and death rate was high. In such tribes polygyny was followed to obtain more children.

10. Absence of children:

According to Manu, if wife is unable to have children, man is permitted to have more marriages. He further says if a wife takes her husband then he should live with her one year and take another wife.

11. Religious Reasons:

Polygyny was permitted in the past if wife was incapable of forming religious duties in her periodic sickness because religion was given significant place in social life.

12. Patriarchal Society:

Polygyny is found only in the patriarchal society where more importance is given to males and male member is the head of the family.

Advantages :

(1) Better status of children:

In polygyny children enjoy better status. They are looked after well because there are many women in the family to care.

(2) Rapid growth of Population:

In those societies where population is very less and birth rate is almost zero, for those societies polygyny is best suited, as it increases the population at faster rate.

(3) Importance of Males:

In polygyny males occupy higher status. More importance is given to husband by several wives.

(4) Division of Work:

In polygyny there are several wives. Therefore, there is a proper division of work at home.

(5) Variety of Sex Relations:

Instead of going for extra marital relations husband stays at home because his desire for variety of sex relations is fulfilled within polygyny.

(6) Continuity of Family:

Polygyny came into existence mainly because of inability of a wife to produce children. Polygyny provides continuity to the family tree. In absence of one wife other women in the family produce children.

Disadvantage :

1. Lower status of Women:

In this form of marriage women have very low status; they are regarded as an object of pleasure for their husbands. They generally do not have a right to take decisions about their welfare; they have to depend upon their husband for fulfillment of their basic needs.

2. Jealousy as stated by Shakespeare:

“Woman thy name is jealousy”. When several wives have to share one husband, there is bound to be jealousy among co-wives. Jealousy leads to inefficiency in their work. They are not able to socialize their children in a proper manner in such atmosphere.

3. Low Economic Status:

Polygyny increases economic burden on the family because in many cases only husband is the bread winner and whole of the family is dependent on him.

4. Population Growth:

This type of marriage is harmful for developing society and poor nations because they have limited resources Further increase in population deteriorates progress and development of that society.

5. Fragmentation of Property:

In polygyny all the children born from different wives have share in father’s property. Jealousy among mothers leads to property conflicts among children as a result property is divided and income per capita decreases.

6. Uncongenial Atmosphere:

Polygyny does not promise congenial atmosphere for the proper growth and development of children. There is lack of affection among the members. As such families have large number of members. They fail to provide proper attention to all of them. This gives rise to many immoral practices in the society.

(ii) Polyandry :

It is a form of marriage in which one woman has more than one husband at a given time. According to K.M. Kapadia, Polyandry is a form of union in which a woman has more than one husband at a time or in which brothers share a wife or wives in common. This type marriage is prevalent in few places such as tribes of Malaya and some tribes of India like Toda, Khasi and Kota etc. Polyandry is of two types:

(i) Fraternal Polyandry and

(ii) Non-Fratemai Polyandry.

(i) Fraternal Polyandry:

In this form of polyandry one wife is regarded as the wife of all brothers. All the brothers in a family share the same woman as their wife. The children are treated as the offspring of the eldest brother, it is found in some Indian tribes like Toda and Khasis. This type of marriage was popular in Ceylon (Srilanka at present).

(ii) Non-Fraternal Polyandry:

In this type of polyandry one woman has more than one husband who is not brothers. They belong to different families. The wife cohabits with husbands in turn. In case of Fraternal Polyandry, the wife lives in the family of her husbands, while in case of non-fraternal polyandry, the wife continues to stay in the family of her mother. This type of polyandry is found among Nayars of Kerala.

Causes of Polyandry :

1. Lesser number of Women:

According to Westermark, when the number of women is lesser than the number of males in a society, polyandry is found. For example, among Todas of Nilgiri. But according to Brifficult, polyandry can exist even when the number of women is not lesser e.g. in Tibet, Sikkim and Laddakh polyandry is found even though there is not much disparity in the number of men and women.

2. Infanticide:

In some tribal societies female infanticide is present; as a result these female population is less than male population. Further males do not enjoy good status. Therefore, one female is married to a group of brothers and polyandry exists.

3. Matrilineal System:

Just in contrast to above noted point, it has also been argued that polyandry exists in matrilineal system where one woman can have relationship with more than one man and the children instead of getting the name of father are known by mother’s name.

4. Poverty:

Polyandry exists in such areas where there is scarcity of natural resources. It is for this reason many men support one woman and her children.

5. Bride Price:

In societies where there is bridge price, polyandry exists. Brothers pay for one bride who becomes wife of all of them.

6. Division of Property:

To check the division of ancestral property polyandry is favoured. When all the brothers have one wife then the question of division of property does not arise.

7. Production and labour:

Polyandry not only avoids division of property but it also increases production in agriculture. All the brothers work together because they have to support only one family. Thus production and income increases, further there is no expenditure with regard to labour because all the husbands contribute their share of work.

8. Social Custom:

Polyandry exists in some societies mainly because of customs and traditions of that particular society. Generally, polyandry is found in such areas which are situated far away from modern developed areas.

(1) Checks Population Growth:

It checks population growth because all the male members of the family share one wife. As a result population does not increase at that rapid rate, the way in which it occurs in polygyny Therefore, it limits the size of the family.

(2) Economic Standard:

Polyandry helps to unhold the economic standard of the family. It strengthens the economic position of the family because all the members work for the improvement of the family.

(3) Greater Security:

With large number of males working after the family affairs, other members of the family especially women and children feel quite secure. Greater security among the members develop sense of we-feeling among the members of the family.

(4) Property is kept Intact:

In polyandry family does not get divided. The property of the family is held jointly and thus it is kept intact.

(5) Status of Women:

In polyandry one woman is wife of large number of husbands. As a result she gets attention of all the members and thus enjoys a good status in the family. She feels quite secure because in the absence of one husband other males are there to fulfill her basic needs.

Disadvantages:

(1) Jealousy:

When all the men have to share one woman, family quarrels and tensions are ought to be there. Husbands feel jealous of one another which adversely effect congenial atmosphere of the family.

(2) Lack of Model:

When children have large number of fathers they fail to select appropriate model for themselves. This adversely effects their personality configuration.

(3) Health of the Woman:

It adversely effects health of a woman because she has to satisfy several husbands. It not only has negative effect on the physical health but also on mental health of the woman.

(4) Sterility:

According to biologists if the same woman cohabits with several men, it may lead to sterility, further lack of sex gratification give rise to extra-marital relationship of husbands.

(5) Status of Men:

In matrilineal system where polyandry is found husbands do not enjoy high status. They do not give their name to the children.

(6) Lack of Attachment:

In many tribes where polyandry exists husbands do not live permanently with their families. They are visiting husband who visit the family for a specific period. They do not get love and affection of their children because children feel unattached to their fathers.

(7) Less Population:

This form of marriage decreases population growth. In some tribal societies where polyandry continues to exist may get extinct after a gap of few years.

(8) Loose Morality:

This is another outcome of this practice.

(iii) Group Marriage :

Group marriage is that type of marriage in which a group of men marry a group of women. Each man of male group is considered to be the husband of every woman of female group. Similarly, every woman is the wife of every man of male group. Pair bonded or Multilateral marriage are the substitute term for group marriages.

This form of marriage is found among some tribes of New Guinea and Africa. In India group marriage is practised by the Toda Tribe of Nilgiri Hills. Except on an experimental basis it is an extremely rare occurrence and may never have existed as a viable form of marriage for any society in the world.

The Oneida community of New York State has been frequently cited as an example of group marriage experiment. It involved economic and sexual sharing based on spiritual and religious principles. Like most group marriage on record, its time span was limited. Rarely do they endure beyond one or two generations.

Levirate and Sororate:

(i) Levirate:

In levirate the wife marries the brother of the dead husband. If a man dies, his wife marries the brother of her dead husband. Marriage of the widow with the dead husband’s elder brother is called Senior Levirate. But when she marries to the younger brother of the dead husband, it is called Junior Levirate.

(ii) Sororate:

In Sororate the husband marries the sister of his wife. Sororate is again divided into two types namely restricted Sororate and simultaneous Sororate. In restricted sororate, after the death of one’s wife, the man marries the sister of his wife. In simultaneous sororate, the sister of one’s wife automatically becomes his wife.

Concubinage:

Concubinage is a state of living together as husband and wife without being married. It is .cohabitation with one or more women who are distinct from wife or wives. Concubinage is sometimes recognised by various societies as an accepted institution. A concubine has a lower social status than that of a wife. The children of a concubine enjoy a lower status in the society.

Related Articles:

• Forms of Marriage: Polyandry, Polygyny and Monogamy
• Hindu Marriage: Aims, Ideals and Types

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Marriage Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on marriage.

In general, marriage can be described as a bond/commitment between a man and a woman. Also, this bond is strongly connected with love, tolerance, support, and harmony. Also, creating a family means to enter a new stage of social advancement. Marriages help in founding the new relationship between females and males. Also, this is thought to be the highest as well as the most important Institution in our society. The marriage essay is a guide to what constitutes a marriage in India. 

Whenever we think about marriage, the first thing that comes to our mind is the long-lasting relationship. Also, for everyone, marriage is one of the most important decisions in their life. Because you are choosing to live your whole life with that 1 person. Thus, when people decide to get married, they think of having a lovely family, dedicating their life together, and raising their children together. The circle of humankind is like that only. 

Read 500 Words Essay on Dowry System

As it is seen with other experiences as well, the experience of marriage can be successful or unsuccessful. If truth to be held, there is no secret to a successful marriage. It is all about finding the person and enjoying all the differences and imperfections, thereby making your life smooth. So, a good marriage is something that is supposed to be created by two loving people. Thus, it does not happen from time to time. Researchers believe that married people are less depressed and more happy as compared to unmarried people. 

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Concepts of Marriage

There is no theoretical concept of marriage. Because for everyone these concepts will keep on changing. But there are some basic concepts which are common in every marriage. These concepts are children, communication , problem-solving , and influences. Here, children may be the most considerable issue. Because many think that having a child is a stressful thing. While others do not believe it. But one thing is sure that having children will change the couple’s life. Now there is someone else besides them whose responsibilities and duties are to be done by the parents. 

Another concept in marriage is problem-solving where it is important to realize that you can live on your own every day. Thus, it is important to find solutions to some misunderstandings together. This is one of the essential parts of a marriage. Communication also plays a huge role in marriage. Thus, the couple should act friends, in fact, be,t friends. There should be no secret between the couple and no one should hide anything. So, both persons should do what they feel comfortable. It is not necessary to think that marriage is difficult and thus it makes you feel busy and unhappy all the time. 

Marriage is like a huge painting where you brush your movements and create your own love story. 

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Six Types Of Marriage In The Modern Day

Marriage in the 21st century can look many different ways. It is not simply the legal joining of two households or the legal joining of two individuals. In fact, there are a variety of marriage styles these days.

Past generations had a standard, expected marriage—this is no longer the modern-day ideal. The modern world offers new opportunities, new ideas, and new marriage dynamics. What used to be true of most, or even all, marriages is now only true for some marriages. Many people feel that they now have more freedom to choose what their relationship dynamic will look like.

What kind of marriage do you have? Or, if applicable, what kind of marriage would you like to have? Learning about different types of marriages and relationships can help you determine what you want for both your present life and your future.

Marriage types

Defining your marriage as a certain "type" does nothing to set it in stone. However, it is interesting to know what kind of marriage you have or want to have in today's world. Learning more about different types of marriage can shape your ideas and expectations where marriage is concerned. Putting a name to your marriage type might allow you to see why some things are the way they are and what can be done to alter those things if desired. Defining your marriage type might also help a marriage counselor understand how to best help you.

Traditional marriage

While much of the world has modernized, there is nothing wrong with keeping your marriage traditional if that works for both you and your partner. In a traditional marriage, both parties have a clear-cut understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Most commonly, this leaves the wife to stay home with the kids, cook, and clean. It is becoming far less common in the modern world—likely due to the economy and a family's need for two incomes—but is still present.

The APA  defines a traditional marriage as “a marriage according to the historical norms of a given society, usually for the primary purpose of establishing a family. Although prenuptial customs vary in different cultures, a traditional marriage generally follows a period of courtship, public announcement of wedding plans, and a wedding ceremony” or “a marriage of husband and wife, wherein the former is the primary or sole breadwinner and the latter holds primary or sole responsibility for maintaining the home and managing child care.”

As a result of changing expectations, a modern traditional marriage does not often resemble what was traditional in 1950. It is a change that has occurred with a change in societal expectations and acceptance in other marital practices over time. While the original form of traditional marriage is still acceptable, it is not the only “traditional marriage" any longer.

Companion-based

A marriage that is based on friendship and a sense of mutual respect is often known as a companion-based, or  companionate marriage . In this common type of marriage, the couple desires to be friends for life. It is the embodiment of the common phrase "married to my best friend."

Keeping that friendship intact is important to each person within the relationship, and they work to maintain that friendship in addition to their loving relationship. It brings new, modern roles into the household. There is a sense of equality when it comes to parenting, cooking, and cleaning. A companion-based marriage is also one that highly values communication.

In addition to challenging some of the expected roles within traditional marriage, this may be an excellent relationship type for someone who is aromantic but desires close, platonic life partners, though this type of marriage can certainly involve sexual companionship, as well. 

Independent or disengaged

There are a variety of terms for this kind of marriage. Commonly, people refer to it as “living apart together,” and in a way, that means exactly what it sounds like it means. It’s healthy for a couple to remain independent individuals, with their own careers, friends, and whatever else they desire, but in this type of marriage, people may even live apart. Being separate from your spouse is a once-in-a-while activity for most married couples. However, couples in this kind of marriage can be like ships in the night—passing by one another and having little interaction, and that works for some.

Although a disengaged or independent marriage might seem like it would not work for you, those that have this kind of marriage usually prefer it this way. Even with little physical closeness, both parties in the marriage often feel satisfied with the relationship the way it is. As with many things in life, it’s vital to remember how different we all are; for some, like with other non-traditional marriage styles or types of marriage, this is idyllic.

Parenting marriage

Kids take a lot of work and time. Sometimes, married couples find themselves with a lack of interest to interact with one another unless it involves parenting or their children. The individuals involved focus on their children and how best to raise them. A parenting marriage  makes for a great co-parenting team, but it’s far from traditional marriage.

This style of marriage has little to no romantic or intimate interaction between the parents. It is not the goal of the married couple to place focus on their relationship. Instead, the goal is that they parent the children together. Many  experts believe that it can be non-beneficial or counterintuitive to remain a couple solely for the children. This is something to keep in mind if you do not actually wish to stay together, if there’s conflict that has not found resolve despite therapy, and in other situations where you would not want to be together if it weren’t for the fact that you have a child or children together.

There are also types of marriages where parenting is the priority, but the romance is still very much still there. Again, everyone’s different. It is important to do what’s authentically healthy for you, your partner, and any children involved.

Financial marriage

Sometimes, marriage is something people choose based on practicality rather than other common aspects affiliated with marriage. This is one of those cases. It may be more financially viable to stay in or initiate a marriage, which is often why two people choose this marriage type. When it comes to ethics, the important part —as with anything else that initiates legal documentation—is that both parties are on the same page. It’s not the same as marrying someone for money without their knowledge.

A financial, or economic, marriage is one that has become less common in the modern world, but was  historically quite popular , and still is in some countries. This type of marriage is most commonly associated with terms like “bride price,” “dowry,” or “gift exchange,” in which one family paid something like money or land to purchase a bride for their son or themself. Other historical forms of economic marriages are those that joined two nations, tribes, etc. together, such as the union of the son of one powerful family and the daughter of another to help ensure peace between the two geographical entities.

Non-monogamous marriage

Non-monogamous marriages can exist in a very wide range of ways. They can pair with elements of other marriage types, and one non-monogamous or polyamorous marriage may differ very extensively from another. A  non-monogamous marriage  might be a monogamous-polyamorous or monopoly/polymono marriage, where one person is monogamous, but the other is polyamorous and dates as such with permission and awareness from the other partner. Alternatively, both people who are married could be polyamorous.

Polyamory is more  common than many people realize , and a person who is single may also be polyamorous. Some people know that polyamory is what works for them before they enter a committed relationship, whereas others discover it with a partner.

Does your marriage conform to a type?

Although the above-listed marriage types are not a comprehensive list of every single marriage type and style, it might give you an idea of the kind of marriage you are engaged in. It might also shed some light on changes you would like to make and things you enjoy about your marriage. If you desire some changes, it is most important that you and your spouse discuss your needs and desires within the marriage to stay transparent.

There is also no reason that you must stay within the bounds of a single type of marriage. If communicating these desires to your spouse proves to be too difficult, a marriage counselor is always a great resource to help you.

Online support for improving your marriage

Therapy could be advantageous for those who wish to talk about marriage, love, mental health, life, stress, grief, and a variety of other topics with an unbiased professional. A couples’ counselor or therapist can help you and your partner sustain or create a harmonious marriage that works for you and your distinctive needs.

Online therapy has become one way for individuals or couples to seek out help. Research has shown that online therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy, and for those living in rural areas, online therapy can open the door for getting help.

Regain is an online therapy platform that is both affordable and convenient. There's no need to travel to a physical location. As long as you have an internet connection and an electronic device, you can have a session any time.

Counselor reviews

Below are some reviews from people who have used the  Regain  platform.

“Cris Roman saved my marriage. His approach to therapy taught my husband and I the skills we needed to change how we communicated and understood each other. He is very non-judgemental and helps each person make sense of the others' feelings and actions without taking sides or placing blame. His ability to make you feel heard while helping you to see and understand why your significant other is acting a certain way is phenomenal.”

“My wife and I decided to give online couples counseling a go after finding traditional methods weren’t all that suited to our busy working and parenting lifestyle. Our counselor Donna Kemp has been amazing! We both feel she’s listened to us and given us the confidence to step out of our comfort zone to deal with problems that are easy to avoid. She is encouraging without being pushy. We’ve both responded very well to her and her methods and look forward to continuing on with Donna. Highly recommend!”

FAQs (Frequently asked questions)

How many types of marriage are there?

There are several types of marriages across all societies in the world. But, the most common marriage types include monogamous marriage, common law marriage, ghost marriage, group marriage, and polygamous marriage. Types of marriages vary from culture to culture, society to society, religion to religion. The meaning and types of marriage practiced around the world include:

Monogamous marriage is the most common form of marriage that involves a legal union between two individuals.

With common-law marriage, the marriage was conducted without either a  religious or civil ceremony . It is a form of marriage in which the two individuals agree to consider themselves married.

Group marriage is a type of marriage in which a group of males is united with a group of females to form a  single conjugal unit . Group marriage is sexual, affective, romantic, or otherwise intimate short-term or long-term partnerships. Here the husbands are common, and wives are common wives. Children are regarded as the children of the entire group as a whole.

Ghost marriage is a marriage in which one or both people have passed .

These most certainly aren’t the only types of marriages out there. Remember, every marriage is as unique as the people involved in it.

Which type of marriage is the best?

The best marriage, hands-down, will always be one that is healthy and safe. Depending on location and other factors, certain types of marriages, like arranged marriages, might be more common. However, people are diverse, and have so many varying ideas about what it means to have a different type of marriage in the first place that it is impossible to pinpoint one that is superior across-the-board. If you need help getting to a more harmonious place in a marriage, you may seek the aid of a counselor or therapist.

What is the most common type of marriage?

A monogamous marriage is the most  common type of marriage  in the world. Several studies show that monogamy is the most practiced and emphasized form of marriage in present-day society.

What is the hardest time in a marriage?

According to some, the  first year of marriage is the hardest time in marriage. Studies show that couples may have a lot of things to work on during the first year of marriage to ensure that a robust foundation is laid for the years ahead. In every marriage, the family tends to face intense pressures internally and externally during the first year. Moving in with a new person involves learning how to adjust to their preferences, taste, habits, and lifestyle. This is part of why many mental health professionals and other experts recommend premarital counseling.

What makes a marriage strong?

Couple closeness, financial management, good conflict resolution skills, personality compatibility, little or no interference from family and friends, flexibility, trust, good communication skills, and mutual spiritual beliefs can all be important factors that make marriage very strong. 

Beyond knowing the meaning and types of marriages, every couple must swallow their pride and make amends where necessary. All forms of marriage thrive on the parties’ willingness and determination to learn, grow, unlearn, adapt, change, and improve. This is important because virtually all types of marriages involve interaction, togetherness, communication, individual differences, and the like. Premarital counseling can help you prepare for a healthful long-term bond, and if you’re already married, you may pursue the aid of a marriage counselor. Premarital counseling  predicts a lower rate of divorce , so this is something to consider if you're considering getting married.

• 12 Things To Remember In Your Second Marriage
• What Is The Average Age Of Marriage By State In The U.S.?

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Marriage Essay | Essay on Marriage for Students and Children in English

February 7, 2024 by Prasanna

Marriage Essay: Marriage is a social contract between two people which is legally and socially recognized and is a stage of social advancement between families.

The concept of marriage differs from one culture and religion to others. Marriage creates normative obligations between the involved individuals. It is an act of starting a family or extending an existing family.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Marriage for Students and Kids in English

We are providing students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on the topic Marriage for reference.

Long Essay on Marriage 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Marriage is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Marriage is the cultural and physical union between two people which includes social laws and cultural obligations between their respective families. There are some socially pre-decided rules for marriage.

A state, organization, local communities and a religious authority generally give recognition to a marriage. Civil marriages take place under the supervision of the Government by maintaining the social and marriage laws as mentioned in a jurisdiction. Religious marriages take place under the supervision of religious authority, for example, a priest.

There are various forms of marriage, according to socio-economical and cultural situations along with the cultural advancement of a community. In monogamy, one man is allowed to keep a marital relation with one woman. It helps in better adjustment and cooperation, intimacy, equalitarian way of living and socialization of their children.

Polygamy is also present among certain cultural groups where one man can marry two or more women and vice versa. Polygamy is again of three types, such as polygyny (one wife or one husband at a time), polyandry (a woman having more than one husband at a time or brothers sharing a wife or wives in common) and group marriages (a group of men marrying a group of women). Polygamy has been present since the ancient period and is still present in countries of Africa and Muslim dominated countries of South East Asia.

Levirate is another type of marriage where a woman gets married to the brother of the deceased husband. Sororate implies the marriage of a man to the sister of his alive or dead wife. The state of living together as husband and wife without having a social marriage is termed as concubinage.

Same-sex marriages also exist in society since history, where individuals of the same gender get married. The rites and rituals of same-sex marriage are legally performed and recognized in many countries in the world such as Australia, Netherlands, countries in South America, the United States, certain countries in Europe and even India. Recently, on 6th September 2018, the Supreme court of India has decriminalized Section 377 as gay marriages are made legal.

Cultural prohibitions often restrict inter-caste marriages and have strict rules to continue the same culture and preserving significant cultural values and beliefs. But inter-caste marriages are beneficial for a society in a way because they include direct diffusion and assimilation of two different cultures.

The patterns of marriages have changed over time. With the acceptance of single parenting and cohabitation, the meaning of marriage has changed. With the modernization of society, the previous patterns are becoming obsolete, and new laws are created with this changing pattern within a society.

Marriage promotes physical and mental health with a better way of living. It is a way of social security, and it creates affective social and economic conditions for effective parenting. It also creates social capital yielding to a larger society.

Disadvantages of marriage include social restrictions on one’s freedom, social, emotional and financial dependence on the partner, naiveness regarding the concept of marriage and unequal treatments.

Short Essay on Marriage 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Marriage is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Marriage, an essential structure to the society, is a commitment or bond between two individuals which is supported by love, tolerance, security and harmony. It is performed within the society maintaining the social norms and different rites and rituals.

The idea of marriage is controversial. It is based on a sense of trust and togetherness with a hope to combine worlds of two different individuals without causing damage to the structure. Family issues, financial conditions, adjustments between the individuals and social norms often influence a marital relation.

You can access more Essay Writing on this topic and many more.

Marriage leads to the establishment of families, provision of economic cooperation contributes to emotional and intellectual inter stimulation of the involved partners and social solidarity.

With the modernization of the civilization, the concept, pattern and forms of marriages have been changing. It is considered to be crucial for society, but nowadays, the patterns of marriage are distorted.

10 Lines on Marriage in English

• Marriages are essential for a couple in society for procreation and building a family.
• Marriages often tend to make individuals more responsible and provide assurance and security.
• Marriage helps in developing individual cooperation between the individuals by strengthening the companionship between them.
• Marriage often results in a cultural diffusion when people of belonging to two different cultures get married.
• Social laws and obligations play very crucial roles in terms of marriage.
• There are various stages in marriage which a couple has to go through, and these make their bond stronger or weaker.
• Marriage determines the positive or negative growth of a person and their behavioural changes.
• Families arrange marriages or the societal authorities or two people decide to stay together after years of commitment.
• However, not all marriages are successful, and two individuals end up getting a divorce due to difference in opinions, adjustments issues, family problems and other things.
• The prevalence of crimes after marriage is not new in society and has been going on for ages now and needs proper laws and regulations to protect the individuals and their families.

FAQ’s on Marriage Essay

Question 1. How important is marriage in a person’s life?

Answer:  Marriages are essential, and they give assurance and a sense of social and emotional security, but marriage shouldn’t be a topmost priority in an individual’s life.

Question 2.  Why are the societal conditions necessary in a marriage?

Answer:  Societies have pre-decided terms and conditions regarding marriages, and if someone gets married without following these, the marriage would not be considered legal and would not be accepted by society.

Question 3. What is the correct age to get married?

Answer:  The judiciary laws decide the age of marriage, and it needs parental approval. Mostly, marriage age as a right is at the age of majority as declared by the laws.

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Marriage - Free Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

Marriage is a legally recognized union between individuals, regarded as a contractual and societal bond. Essays on marriage could explore its historical evolution, varying cultural practices, the impact of modernity on marriage, and contemporary debates surrounding marriage such as same-sex marriage, marital rights, or the concept of marital satisfaction. We’ve gathered an extensive assortment of free essay samples on the topic of Marriage you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Marriage and Symbolism in “A Doll’s House”

In the play A Doll House, Henrik Ibsen writes about the typical European marriage in the 19th century with the twist of a metaphorical comparison of the Helmer's marriage and their home to a doll house. Ibsen also enriches the play with the use of symbolism throughout the story. These symbols include: the macaroons which represent how Nora misleads Torvald, Dr. Rank's illness and the tarantella dress which represent the things wrong with their marriage. Lastly, another symbol is the […]

Three Different Views of Marriage in “Pride and Prejudice”

In Pride and Prejudice Austen distinctly shows three different views of marriage, Neoclassical view, Romantic view, and Middle ground. Austen has the novel revolving around the idea of marriage incorporating these three ideas. You see them shown throughout two different classes. The noble class and the middle class. The idea of the fissure in the Neoclassical View shows through Charlotte, Mr.Collins, and Mrs.bennett. Neoclassical View is taking a more logical approach towards marriage. Charlotte Lucas is an example of the […]

Women’s Rights in the Middle East

Brigham Young once said, "You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate women; you educate a generation" (Digital Empowerment Foundation). Education is very important to the young women in the Middle East and religion can cause conflict, it is not just about private faith. There are many titles that a woman can be given such as, a woman's main job is to take care of their children, they are not allowed to show any hair of skin, and […]

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The Story of an Hour and Unheard of View on Marriage

"The Story of an Hour" is a short story in which Kate Chopin, the author, presents an often unheard of view of marriage. After the main character, Mrs. Louise Mallard, learns of her husband's death, she experiences the excitement of freedom rather than the misery of loneliness. Later, when Mrs. Mallard learns that her husband Brently is still alive, she knows that all hope of freedom is gone. This devastating disappointment kills Mrs. Mallard. Published in the late eighteen hundreds, […]

Gender Roles in Marriage

Despite all of the changes the American society has endured, still the traditional roles of men and women in marriage triumph with the men reinforcing it and the women willingly accepting it due to the fact that it is seen as a part of the male dominating culture. The man is still considered the breadwinner of the family, and the female as the caretaker of the children and household. Meanwhile in the modern day and age both the husband and […]

Perspective on Gender Roles and Identity in Family

Since the beginning of time, gender roles have been a major part of what made up the general rules of society. Gender roles can be seen in every aspect of living such as workplace, marriage, schools and the way society functions. As much as gender roles dominate in society, the rules of gender roles dominate even more in marriages. In heterosexual marriages, when men and women are married, gender roles are expressed more than in just regular societal situations. The […]

Divorce as a Legal Dissolution of a Marriage

Divorce is known to be a legal dissolution of a marriage by a court order or any legal body. It divides a families social financial and emotional well being. It is a situation that calls for much attention because it is not something to celebrate about, therefore, it should not be the solution to a failed marriage. Divorce is not the solution to failed marriages because, it has its drawbacks, which include; it has a negative effect on a couple's […]

Feminism is for Everybody Themes of Feminism Marriage and Respect Found in a Doll’s House

The late, great Maya Angelou once said, ""You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."" This idea is one that is clearly embraced my Nora Helmer in Henrik Ibsen's A Doll House, a dramatic script filled with many heavy themes that leave a reader questioning their views on some rather hot topics. Feminism reigns supreme in the play, as the rights to equality for womankind are demanded, […]

Catholicism and Western Civilization

Western society and civilization is an important part of history today as well as the impacts of religion at the time of the Roman Empire. The most crucial religion that apperared within the western society was cathloticism. The church was a way of teachings with many concepts including schooling, culture and the focus of God. The church had its good and bad influences on the people. The most influential part of western society was not only God but the peoples […]

Changing Gender Roles in Marriage, Society, and Workplace

Abstract Gender roles play a significant role in our life because it shapes how we think about the society we live in and the people around us. Women have been stereotyped to take care of house business and in the upbringing of kids. Gone are the days this happened now women are taking over what's so-called men's work. Men fear to have a female Boss from what I've heard most men don't like when their Boss is a female they […]

Hebrew and American Marriage Divorce Laws

There are many differences between Hebrew and American marriage and divorce laws. Hebrew law dates back approximately three thousand years when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Hebrew law relies heavily on scripture and cultural traditions. The Torah, known as the 5 Books of Moses, contains the biblical laws of Judaism. The Talmud is a collection of rabbinic law published by Rabbi Judah the Patriarch around 200 CE. Hebrew laws derive from these writings. On the other hand, the US […]

Domestic Violence in Ethiopia

Many men claim that men and women are equal or they will say I don't abuse women and its common to hear them saying we are treated equally but the truth is very different. Many women around the world are victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is an abusive behavior usually at home that is mostly involving a spouse and a partner. Domestic violence is a serious issue all over the world especially in a country where gender inequality still […]

Barack Obama and Gay Marriage

Thesis sentenceI was raised in a Christian home like most American people, where we were taught by the church that being homosexual is a sin. I grew up believing this for most of my life until I met a dear friend who would change my views on the subject matter. I watched this person be humiliated and discriminated against because of her sexual orientation. This made me wonder how one sin would be worse than another. I know I have […]

The Role and Duties of Gender in Marriage

The role and duties of each gender within a marriage has been a debated issue for decades. Stereotypically, the female role in the marriage is perceived as submissive and dependent in relation to her spouse. The male role in the marriage has been primarily known as the primary financial provider for the household which takes on a more dominate role. Throughout history we have seen an evolution in the marriage relationships between the genders. There have been serval historic events […]

Arranged Marriage Around the World

Can you imagine not having any say in who you marry? Can you imagine your parents, another family member, or depending on the culture, a matchmaker choosing the person that you spend the rest of your life with? This is called arranged marriage, or a marriage planned and agreed to by the families or guardians of the bride and groom. These young people have little or no say in the matter themselves. Arranged marriages normally happen depending on a person's […]

Position Paper: same Sex Marriage

As time goes on, laws and our society changes gradually. If America were to stay the same and never change, imagine where we as a society would be. Over the course of the years, people fought for their civil right’s. From 1954–1968, African American’s protested and earned their freedom after slavery ended in the Civil Right’s movement, fighting Jim Crow laws. Another passion filled movement is the Women’s Right’s movement, which began in 1848 and is still developing to this […]

Divorce is a Disaster

On average, a person spends about two years thinking about divorce before taking action. Although many people think divorce should be an easy process laws should be enacted that make divorce harder to obtain because it affects children life a lot, and it causes economic hardship. Many believe that laws should not be harder that make divorce harder to obtain. As Margarette said, "If a marriage is not achieving goals in love, or is abusive, divorce laws should not be […]

Should Same-sex Marriage be Legalized?

Same-sex marriage is one controversial issue that has gained much attention in the past in the United States and all across the world. Like many other subjects, this is a topic that has not only gained attention from the international community but has also gained opposition and support. As more research is conducted and the information is assessed, the society has highlighted the argument that the opposition of same-sex marriage is flawed and there is no reasoning to not legalize […]

The Hidden Truth of Victorian Marriage between the Lines of Oscar Wilde’s Poetry

During the Victorian era, Victorian girls were well trained and groomed by their mothers to become the perfect wives and mothers. Relationships between a man and female, in this era, often led to marriage. Before marriage, physical contact between a woman and man was looked down upon. Individuals, within the Victorian era, married within their same level of class and the woman become the devoted housewife. In the Victorian weddings, a white dress indicated leisure and innocence of pre-marriage sexual […]

Idea of Marriage in Oscar Wilde’s Book

"In the book, The Importance of being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde, mentions the ideals of marriage between the characters and their situations. The Importance of Being Earnest focuses on two main couples, Jack (Ernest) and Gwendolen and Algernon and Cecily. However, Lady Bracknell, Gwendolens mother, plays a key role in the plot of satire that is being used regarding marriage ideals, as her ideals sum the ridiculous standards of the Victorian Age. Oscar Wilde uses satire to ridicule the cultural […]

Same-Sex Marriage Legalization

Should gay marriage be allowed and should it be legal? Although this is still a big topic not a lot of people understand why this is such a bad thing. What are the reasons why gay marriage is such a bad thing? As you read you will be aware of the pros and cons of gay marriage. Also some of the court cases that made it what it is today. There is so many ways you can show how gay […]

The Impact of Feminist Undertones in Pride and Prejudice

During the eighteenth century, feminism was a subject that was scarcely considered in society, as it was defined the theory of the political, economic and social equality between the sexes. The aspect of feminism did not gain the comprehensive structure until the late 20th century. As not being widely known for during her time period, Jane Austen uses the concept of feminism to be portrayed in a discreet technique in her novel "Pride and Prejudice". Furthermore, she displays her perspectives […]

The Connection of Wealth and Marriage in Jane Austen’s Persuasion

In Jane Austen's Persuasion, a central theme of her novel involves how the system of social class determines whether a loving couple can marry. Persuasion focuses on Anne's struggle to marry Captain Wentworth after rejecting him eight years ago. The conflict of the novel stems from the event where Lady Russell persuades Anne to turn down Wentworth because Wentworth's social status is beneath that of Anne's. Wentworth acknowledged Anne's choice and continued on with his career as a captain in […]

All Aspects of Arranged Marriage

Marriage: a formal union by which two people make their personal relationship public as a couple. The choice of spouse is one of the most important decisions most people ever make. In Western societies, physical attraction and love plays a huge part in who a person decides to spend his/her life with. But in Eastern societies, such as India, and in some parts of Africa, the bride and groom have little to say in the matter because the marriage is […]

Native American Marriages & Families

Abstract Native American culture has become a point of interest for many sociologists due to the divergent cultural norms found across various tribes in North America. According to Forbes (2004), each tribe has its own specific traditions related to marriage and family structure. Individuals are guided by their own dreams, visions, and personal spiritual callings. Furthermore, Native Americans hold unique views of sociological structures like marriage and family that reflect convenience within a tribe. Therefore, based on what is considered […]

Equality of Heterosexual and Homoesexual Marriage

Marriage is traditionally known as a legal or official personal relationship between a man and a woman. In today’s society, there are two types of matrimonies, heterosexual and homoesexual marriage. Many people have non identical views regarding homosexual marriage. Homosexual marriage is a controversial issue and a major topic in the United States. Religion, Social value, and financial components are a few of the examples that play a crucial part in the controversy towards the two types of aforementioned marriages. […]

Women’s Rights: a Huge Movement

Women’s Rights Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, is when your gender does not determine your access to opportunities and resources. There should also be equal valuing of aspirations, behaviors and decision-making, independent of gender. One issue in gender inequality is equal pay, there should be equal work equal pay. If a woman is putting in the same work as a man, she should get the same check. The law says there is equal pay but according to statistics […]

“The Importance of being Earnest” : Centuries & Marriage

Throughout the years marriage has evolved in many ways. Women now have more rights and privileges, love plays a major role in the matrimonies that take place, an engagement is entered into and neither person has to approach it like it is a business deal, and people do not have guidelines or rules to follow. Courtship was cruel to both men and women, it did not allow them to get to know other people. Now, couples can test compatibility before […]

Religious Attitude Towards Marriage and Divorce

According to religion, marriage is an institution that unites two people male and female, who agree about living together faithfully. Marriage is believed to be a covenant, and the bible talks about it as an authority from God (Perry 5). When a man and woman marry both make a promise to God to live together and remain committed to each other until death separates. Christians view marriage as a sacrament that if the involved parties remain faithful to each other […]

Effects of Marriage and Divorce on Children

Development during early childhood is very important. It shapes who a person is in their actions, values, and ideals for the rest of their life. Divorce can affect how a child develops cognitively. Due to the stress of conflict, potential lack of attention or loss of resources the child receives during divorce it can be detrimental to how a young child cognitively develops and can have impacts on their life in the moment, but also long-term consequences. The self-image of […]

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Home Essay Samples Life

Essay Samples on Marriage

Should couples live together before marriage.

The choice of whether couples should live together before marriage is a subject that sparks lively discussions about commitment, compatibility, and the dynamics of modern relationships. While some view cohabitation as a practical step toward understanding a partner better, others uphold traditional values and believe...

The Question Of Whether Age Matters In A Relationship

The issue of age factor in a relationship is a serious one. I believe you might have thought about it either once or twice. I can’t date him, I am older than him. He was born a week after I was born and all of...

• Relationship

The Past And The Present Of Arranged Marriage In Ancient Rome

Rome was founded in 753 B.C. by Romulus and Remus, twin sons of Mars, the god of war. Left to drown in a basket on the Tiber by a king of nearby Alba Longa and rescued by a she-wolf, the twins lived to defeat that...

• Ancient Rome
• Arranged Marriage

Forced Marriage: The Issues Of Being In An Arranged Marriage

Imagine waking up to a stranger for the rest of your life. Marriage. Such a small word, yet is “supposed” to be one of the biggest days of ones life. However, imagine marriage being one of the scariest days of ones life. A day that...

• Marriage and Family

The Causes Of Divorce: The Reason Marriage Fails

Divorce among married couples is more popular than ever in today's day and age. Webster's specified divorce is the formal breakup of a relationship. Statistics show that the major causes of divorces are: infidelity, lack of communication, lack of commitment, and financial problems. A lack...

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The Influence Of Family On The Choice Between Family And Career

A lot of different things can impact a person’s life in such a way that becomes a lifelong experience. I believe my family has had a huge impact in my life. Family is the foundation of societal values; ethics and the family members are the...

Woman's Role And Choice Between Marriage Vs. Career

There is a story in the Bible which claims that God created Eve from a rib taken out of Adam’s body. Thus, woman was part of man from the very outset. She was not an independent person, nor did she have an independent personality. She...

Main Reasons For Divorce In The United States And How It Impacts Family

Approximately 50 percent of marriages in the United States end in separation or divorce. As many understand, this disunion brings about change, oftentimes negative. The majority of households witness increased conflicts among family members, distance, and health-related issues. The increase in division among so many...

• Divorce Rate

Common Social Problems Encountered In Family Life And How They Affect The Marriage

In this paper I will be addressing some common social problems a family faces. A social problem is an issue that influences a large number of individuals within a society. The social problems I will be discussing in this paper are divorce, violence, financial problems,...

• Infertility

History of Social Care in the 20th Century Ireland

In this essay I will discuss the marriage bar in Ireland and how it influenced Ireland around the twentieth century and what it meant and how it managed to happen and what knock on affects of it. The Marriage bar is to carry out and...

• Social Care

Comparison of Cohabitation and Marriage: Advantages and Disadvantages

In our modern world, there are so many couples that are adapting to the idea of living together with their partners as an alternative to marriage or just to get a taste of how marriage is. Cohabitation and marriage are quite different in various ways...

• Cohabitation

Theme of Marriage and Symbolism in Short Story Ligeia by Edgar Allen Poe and Novel Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Ligeia, by Edgar Allen Poe, has an interesting start to the story. It is common for most love stories to explain how two people met, or even their past. This backstory usually sets the setting and allows the reader to watch the characters grow and...

• Edgar Allan Poe
• Young Goodman Brown Symbolism

Beatrice's Character Analysis in "Much Ado About Nothing"

Everyone in this world wants to be loved and to feel like they are wanted but unfortunately love also comes with consequences. In Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, the main characters demonstrate that love leads to hardship. Beatrice and Benedick are perfect evidence...

• Much Ado About Nothing

The View on Love and Marriage in Kate Chopin's A Pair of Silk Stockings and The Storm

Kate Chopin had a very sophisticated and mature view of race, gender, love, and marriage that defies an easy explanation. Those topics often overlap and accompany one another. Write an essay, using only those stories we've read in class (you needn't use all of them)...

• A Pair of Silk Stockings

The Psychological and Political Factors of Infidelity and Adultery

It is often said that, in the case of infidelity, once a cheater, always a cheater. Infidelity is a moral dilemma for people involved in extradyadic relations because it undermines the foundation of trust and love established between partners, as well as violates the social...

The Importance of Male Chastity in Marriage

Throughout history, society has placed a significant emphasis on the importance of female chastity within the confines of marriage. However, the importance of male chastity has often been overlooked. In recent years, however, there has been an increased focus on the importance of male chastity...

European Marriages of the New World Order

As Europe began to institute colonization, colonial leaders had to consider various methods and means for permanency. For example, colonial leaders decided to recruit European women to migrate to the colonies in hopes of laying a religious foundation through marriage and linage. The reason for...

• New World Order

The Homemaker: Chastity as the Foundation of Marriage

Marriage was seen as utmost important in the life of an individual in the early nineteenth century in India, to be skipped by none, and is seen of high cultural value in the eyes of the society which is essentially patriarchal. In 'The Homemaker (Gharwali),...

The Long-Standing Marriage of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter

The president of any country is considered as being the number one citizen in the country, which means that virtually every aspect of his or her life is subject to public scrutiny. This public scrutiny begins with the declaration to run for public office, the...

• Jimmy Carter

Criterias to Achieve a Happy Marriage

Have you ever planned your life 10 or 20 years ahead? We bet you do. As a teenager, you planned to finish high school, get to college or university, obtain a diploma and start your professional career. Apart from that, you thought of leading your...

• Happy Marriage

Secrets for a Happy and Long-Lasting Marriage

Divorce is a word that every couple freaks out when mentioned by the person they promised to love and cherish. It drains one emotionally and often leaving them feeling wasted and dims their dreams crumbled and wiped away. That may be the case, but there...

Hardships and Struggles of Inter-Class Marriage and Relationships

The class of people we become is shaped by the money and material things we used to have growing up. We can be either working-class, middle-class, or upper-class. Most of us begin dating and have relationships with others with similar backgrounds, income level, educational level,...

• Middle Class
• Social Class

The Comparison of Marriage Versus Cohabitation

Love makes the world go round. It’s not money, neither is it corruption. It is Love. Love can be seen as having strong intense affection for something or someone. Love’s role is very vital in this argument. I will start with marriage first. According to...

The Central Theme of Love and Marriage in Jane Austen's Persuasion

Throughout her novels, Jane Austen portrays love and marriage to be centered between the hero and heroine. By making the theme of love and marriage central and continuous, Austen displays a change in the dynamic of love taking place at the time in the surrounding...

• Jane Austen

Marriage as a Dubious Goal in Mansfield Park

Jane Austen’s 1814 novel Mansfield Park begins and ends with the topic of marriage. In this regard it seems to fit into the genre of the courtship novel, a form popular in the eighteenth century in which the plot is driven by the heroine’s difficulties...

The Themes of Christina Rossetti's Discussed Poem Goblin Market

The goblin market by Christina Rossetti has sparked debates among many critics in discussing what the main themes she, as an author, wanted to address. Composed in 1862, Rossetti’s Goblin Market was the setting stone of women poets in a time where women were not...

• Christina Rossetti

To What Extent Christina Rossetti Uses Materialism and Status to Cloud the Oppression Women Face Within Marriage

As H.Berten would put it, “for better or for worse, everything seems somehow related to everything else. With regard to the social position of women, and therefore also with regard to the field of female writing. ” Various text published by christina Rossetti such as...

• Materialism

Forms of Union of Marriage in Roman Law

Marriage was an integral part of traditional ancient roman way of life, thus it is no surprise that laws pertaining to the subject were constantly changing and progressing, particularly from the classical era to that of late antiquity. Most scholarly sources available to us today...

Complexities of Marriage in Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies

Marriage is an institution that has been around for centuries, and throughout its existence, it has faced a multitude of challenges. In the short story collection 'Interpreter of Maladies' by Jhumpa Lahiri, the theme of marriage is explored through various characters and their relationships. Lahiri's...

• Interpreter of Maladies

Polygamy: Features and Disadvantages of this Marriage Strategy

Polygamy is a mating strategy or marriage structure which involves a male having multiple female partners. Polygamy is the prevalent mating strategy of 95-97% of mammalian species, within these species males provide little to no investment in their offspring and seek as many mates as...

• Human Sexuality

Polygamy: Common Practice in Many Countries

Introduction Polygamy is basically a practice or custom which gives a man a right to have more than one wives.This is a common practice in many countries. In ayub khan era, an ordinance was passed on 2nd march 1961 and it is known as Family...

• Human Sexual Behavior

Pros and Cons of Polygamy Life in Marriage

Problems of Polygamy Polygamy is a social phenomenon that has existed for thousands of years in cultures around the world. It was born of 'necessity' or a show of wealth. It made sense for one man to mate with many women in order to have...

Marriage and Forms Of Marriage

Marriage provides benefits which are denied to same-sex couples on the basis of their orientation; if the function of marriage is the legal recognition of loving, or “voluntary intimate,” relationships, the exclusion of same-sex relationships appears arbitrary and unjustly discriminatory (Wellington 1995, 13).Same-sex relationships are...

Concepts of Equal Marriage in De Gouges and Wollstonecraft's Work

The statement "by hunting sincerity out of our society" made by Mary Wollstonecraft in her Vindication of the Right of Woman indicates the aim of all revolutionary feminists during the Enlightenment. Feminists such as Olympe de Gouges, who famously and boldly wrote the Déclaration des...

• Mary Wollstonecraft

Understanding Child Rights and Expression

Childhood is a stage in which all humans’ beings go through, at this stage they are vulnerable because a child is not fully developed mentally, physically or cognitively. A child is any human being below the age of eighteen (18) years old. Children rights range...

• Social Problems

Motives and Causes of Cheating on Significant Others

Women tend to have a higher rate of cheating when they are young but as men move on to an older age group they have higher rates of cheating (Wang). There are different types of cheating a different way people around the globe would define...

Parallel Between Romeo & Juliet & The Marriage Of Shakespeare & Hathaway

Romeo and Juliet is a classic known the world over. It has been translated hundreds of times throughout hundreds of years because the universal themes of love and loss resonate with everybody. Because love is such a personal thing one cannot help but look to...

Understanding The Meaning Of A Married Life In The Film "Why Did I Get Married?"

Why Did I Get Married? Why did I get married was released into theaters on October 12, 2007, from Lionsgate Studio. The Director of this movie was Tyler Perry, and it was rated PG-13. The shots of this film were great along with angles caught...

• Film Analysis

A Guide to Building and Sustaining Marriage with the Perfect Mate

This book will talk about the ways and theories of how to stay married one you are married. It will cover stuff like communication, similarity, physical attractiveness, similarity, balance and equity theory, and proximity. Communication is important in relationships. I will cover the aspects of...

Examining the Influence of Religion on General Society

A frightened teenager approaches his parents. "Can we talk?" he asks tentatively, and sits down. He has both of his parent's attention, all eyes on him. "Mom, dad," he says fidgeting with his coat zipper, "I think I'm gay." His parents take a second to...

• Christian Marriage

A Subjective Assessment on the Institution of Christian Marriage

Marriage Asylum It is my belief that the institution of marriage is a sham, designed by pious Christain fanatics in order to subjugate, control, and furthermore oppress a woman's personal liberties, intellectual freedoms and artistic development. It is also my belief that much in the...

Assessing the Procedures of a Christian Marriage Ceremony

Marriage project What happens in a Christian marriage service? What is the importance of the ceremony? The day before the ceremony the bride will probably have a hen night and groom will have a stag night. These 'nights' are a celebration, they tend to be...

The Hospitality And Inter-Ethnic Marriages Of Nigerian

Nigerian hospitality is premised on the fact that no one man is an island on himself or herself. Rather, each and every member is an important part of the whole community. This important aspect of our culture, which dates back to the days of old,...

Literature Review Of The Issue Of Coming Out In A Family

Coming out during adolescence: Perceived parents’ reactions and internalized sexual stigma. Journal of Health Psychology The main argument of this paper was that informing your parents of your sexual orientation is an extremely daunting and often life-changing task for lesbian and gay adolescents. The goal...

• Literature Review

Best topics on Marriage

1. Should Couples Live Together Before Marriage

2. The Question Of Whether Age Matters In A Relationship

3. The Past And The Present Of Arranged Marriage In Ancient Rome

4. Forced Marriage: The Issues Of Being In An Arranged Marriage

5. The Causes Of Divorce: The Reason Marriage Fails

6. The Influence Of Family On The Choice Between Family And Career

7. Woman’s Role And Choice Between Marriage Vs. Career

8. Main Reasons For Divorce In The United States And How It Impacts Family

9. Common Social Problems Encountered In Family Life And How They Affect The Marriage

10. History of Social Care in the 20th Century Ireland

11. Comparison of Cohabitation and Marriage: Advantages and Disadvantages

12. Theme of Marriage and Symbolism in Short Story Ligeia by Edgar Allen Poe and Novel Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne

13. Beatrice’s Character Analysis in “Much Ado About Nothing”

14. The View on Love and Marriage in Kate Chopin’s A Pair of Silk Stockings and The Storm

15. The Psychological and Political Factors of Infidelity and Adultery

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Essays on Marriage

The marriage essay highlights marriage as an ancient institution of human society, which has gone through a long path of development. Many essays on marriage define modern-day marriage as a socially and personally purposeful form of relations between two people, which determines their sexual relations, mutual rights, and obligations. Marriage essays of previous years would have defined marriage as a union of a woman and a man, concluded for life with the aim of creating a family. Essays show that marriage transformed a lot over the past years, but it still remains a means to declare affection and loyalty. This institution is immortal, the same as love. Our marriage essay samples will tell you all you need to know about marriage – look below for the best essay samples on marriage.

Marriage divorces have been the current issue in our modern society. Due to the recurring incidences of marriage breakups, these problems are slowly taking root in our communities and seen as right. However, divorces are not usually the best solution to marital conflicts. I believe that there is always an...

Society s Construct on Marriages and Attitudes towards Same-Sex Marriages Society construct on the issue of marriages is strict and enshrined in religious, political and demographic foundations. According to Christianity, marriage is divine and is only between a man and a woman as God created Eve to be a helper to...

Words: 2108

Society construct on the issue of marriages are strict and enshrined in religious, political and demographic foundations. According to Christianity, marriage is divine and is only between a man and a woman as God created Eve to be a helper to Adam (Gen 2:18, NIV). Sex is the most sacred...

Words: 2122

Marriage: Marriage is a socially accepted joining of two people that establishes obligations and expectations or rights between the spouses (Allen & Jaramillo-Sierra 2015). It is a union sanctioned by society, traditionally between a man and a woman. Marriage operates based on customs, rules, and laws, with accompanying attitudes and beliefs...

Words: 1608

In this study, data will be obtained from a series of interviews to be conducted among the millennial Americans. Structural questions will be formulated and arranged in a sequential order of increasing complexity. Since this study is targeting millennials, the process of data collection will be simple because the population...

Words: 1325

I agree with Cohen statement that “early universal marriage is a key barrier to gender equality,” which mostly affect females. Cohen concurs that early marriages are inherently harmful to the social as well as economic development of a nation. For instance, most of the girls who get married at an...

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Marriage Trends in 1950's America Marriage as an institution has greatly changed since the 1950’s America as symbolized by the trends reflected in the reading. First, same sex couples who are living together have now been marriage. Same-sex marriage was illegal since the 1950’s in all American states until the State of...

Marriage and Gay Marriage Marriage has been an essential aspect of life. It encompasses the union of woman and man, however for gays it involves bondage between two men. Gay marriage has been a topic that has caused some heated debate among individuals all-round the globe. Most cultures tend to oppose...

Words: 1017

Same-sex marriages are controversial as well as crucial issue in the 21st century (Umberson, Thomeer, Kroeger, Lodge, and Xu, 2015).  Although people have been allowed to express their sexuality, it becomes a huge issue when it comes to the question of marriage. The supporters of same-sex marriages argue that same-sex...

Words: 1706

Marriage between cousins in different cultures Marriage between cousins is a practice carried out in different cultures with varying opinions and practices. It is widely accepted and even encouraged in some Asian countries like Pakistan and India. The practice is common in some countries as compared to others. For...

Words: 1577

Introduction As an introduction, I am doing a thorough revision and reflection on the topic of LGBT which is the abbreviation of the topic Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and transgender. This topic basically dealt with the gender type of identity which simple dealt with the cultures and various diversities that were related...

Marriage as a Tradition Marriage is one of the hallmarks of life. Under normal circumstances, when a person attains a certain age, he or she is supposed to get married. Considerably, with this perception marriage has turned out to be a tradition rather than a decision of two people that love...

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Family — Marriage

Essays on Marriage

Marriage is a complex and multi-faceted topic that can be explored from various angles. As a result, there are numerous essay topics related to marriage that students can choose from. In this article, we will discuss the importance of the topic, provide advice on choosing a topic, and offer a detailed list of recommended essay topics, divided by category.

Marriage is a fundamental institution that has been a part of human society for centuries. It is a topic that is highly relevant and significant, as it impacts individuals, families, and communities. Discussing marriage in the context of an essay allows students to explore various social, cultural, psychological, and legal aspects of this institution. Additionally, it provides an opportunity for critical thinking and analysis of contemporary issues related to marriage, such as same-sex marriage, divorce, and the changing dynamics of traditional marital relationships.

When choosing a marriage essay topic, it is important to consider your interests, as well as the requirements of the assignment. It is also beneficial to select a topic that is relevant and timely, and that allows for in-depth research and analysis. Consider exploring both traditional and contemporary aspects of marriage, as well as the impact of marriage on different aspects of society, such as economics, culture, and psychology.

Recommended Marriage Essay Topics

Below is a detailed list of recommended marriage essay topics, divided by category:

Legal and Ethical Aspects

• The legal implications of marriage for same-sex couples
• The ethical considerations of arranged marriages
• The impact of prenuptial agreements on marital relationships
• Marriage and immigration laws

Social and Cultural Perspectives

• The role of marriage in different cultures and societies
• The impact of marriage on gender roles and expectations
• The influence of social media on modern marital relationships
• The portrayal of marriage in literature and popular culture

Psychological and Emotional Aspects

• The psychological implications of divorce on children
• The impact of communication on marital satisfaction
• The role of intimacy and trust in a successful marriage
• The psychological effects of infidelity on marital relationships

Economic and Financial Considerations

• The financial benefits and drawbacks of marriage
• The impact of marriage on career and professional aspirations
• Marriage and the division of household labor
• The economic consequences of divorce

Contemporary Issues

• The impact of technology on modern marital relationships
• The changing dynamics of marriage in the 21st century
• The role of marriage in addressing societal issues, such as poverty and inequality
• The portrayal of marriage in the media and popular culture

Marriage and Religion

• Marriage rituals and traditions in different religions
• The role of marriage in Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc.
• Marriage and spirituality: how faith impacts relationships
• Marriage and the concept of soulmates in various religions
• The influence of religious leaders on marriage
• Marriage and the concept of sin and forgiveness
• Marriage and the impact of religious beliefs on family life
• Marriage and the role of prayer and worship in relationships
• Marriage and the concept of marriage counseling in different religions
• Marriage and the role of community support in religious settings

When writing an essay on marriage, it's important to choose a topic that interests you and aligns with your area of expertise. Whether you're focusing on the societal, legal, or religious aspects of marriage, there are plenty of thought-provoking topics to explore. By choosing a compelling topic and conducting thorough research, you can create a well-crafted essay that contributes to the ongoing conversation about marriage and its impact on individuals and society.

Marriage: a Complex Social Institution

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A Day to Remember: a Narrative Essay About a Wedding Day

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Teenage Marriage: Positive and Negative Sides

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A Research on Intercultural Marriage: Pros and Cons

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Marriage is a legally and socially sanctioned union, usually between a man and a woman, that is regulated by laws, rules, customs, beliefs, and attitudes that prescribe the rights and duties of the partners and accords status to their offspring (if any).

Monogamy, polygamy (polygyny, polyandry, plural marriage), child marriage, same-sex and third-gender marriages, temporary marriages, cohabitation.

People in happy marriages tend to be more productive at work. Research has revealed that couples that marry young face a greater risk of divorce. The highest levels of marital satisfaction are recorded in couples who were best friends before they married. 400 million women were married before the age of 18, meaning they entered a child marriage.

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What is Marriage?

Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 245-287, Winter 2010

43 Pages Posted: 11 Dec 2010 Last revised: 23 Nov 2012

Sherif Girgis

Notre Dame Law School

Robert George

Princeton University

Ryan T. Anderson

The Ethics and Public Policy Center; University of Dallas

Date Written: November 23, 2012

In the article, we argue that as a moral reality, marriage is the union of a man and a woman who make a permanent and exclusive commitment to each other of the type that is naturally fulfilled by bearing and rearing children together, and renewed by acts that constitute the behavioral part of the process of reproduction. We further argue that there are decisive principled as well as prudential reasons for the state to enshrine this understanding of marriage in its positive law, and to resist the call to recognize as marriages the sexual unions of same-sex partners. Besides making this positive argument for our position and raising several objections to the view that same-sex unions should be recognized, we address what we consider the strongest philosophical objections to our view of the nature of marriage, as well as more pragmatic concerns about the point or consequences of implementing it as a policy. *UPDATE: We have revamped and expanded our argument for a new book, "What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense," available now for preorder (see below) and released in December 2012. The book revamps the article's argument, bolstering and elaborating its positive points for a general audience, answering the most common and serious objections, and sharpening objections for opposing views. We will be posting reviews, and replies to new critiques as they arise, at whatismarriagebook.com

Keywords: marriage, gay marriage, same-sex marriage, traditional marriage, Proposition 8

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Sherif Girgis (Contact Author)

Notre dame law school ( email ).

P.O. Box 780 Notre Dame, IN 46556-0780 United States

Princeton University ( email )

Fisher Hall Princeton, NJ 08540 United States

The Ethics and Public Policy Center ( email )

1730 M Street NW Suite 910 Washington, DC 20036

University of Dallas ( email )

1845 E. Northgate Dr. Irving, TX 75026 United States

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Marriage and Family: Life Experience Expository Essay

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Introduction

Transition in our family life and marriage, family and marriage life in usa, the kind of marriage partnership that exists between usa wives and husbands, the usa family and lifelong marital standards.

Marriage is derived from love despite its material necessity. However, the United States marriages have been embellished by sexual desire which forms the basis for accomplishing love. Whereas marriage seemed to be determined by couples, many factors including social norms usually come into play.

Basically, love is the sole architect of the glorification and justification of marriages. As a result of marriages, the most sublime and useful institution dubbed as family is embedded. Families serve as the central and essential education pillars. This implies that mating is the only way to self perpetuate in marriage and it is subjected to degrees of personal indulgence.

Thus, home building through marriage is largely a self maintenance matter implying societal evolution. The societal groups emanate to be a makeup of the entire communal family entity. The individuals found within the society are considered planetary transitory factors. Hence, families work as mediums through which streams of understanding and customs are pouring from a given creation to the other. This paper critically analyzes personal life experiences in regards to issues confronting families and marriages in the USA.

Due to expressive and corporeal connections between a female and her progenies, a wife is bound to rely on a man or her husband. This pushes her into the matrimonial home or shelter safety.

Thirty years ago, it was not the feeling of affection which compelled man to be engrossed in a matrimonial affair, but the desire for foodstuff that initially absorbed male allies to women and the safe haven they shared with the kids (Duncan & Goddard, 2010).

A simple USA family emerges when the affiliations between the mother and the kids are accepted. For instance, in every family it is apparent that the association between a child and a mother is inbred, strong and natural. These have evidently inhibited women from undergoing through untold adversities and surrender to various strange circumstances.

The compelling motherly love acts as the handicapping emotion that often positioned the USA family women into terrific drawbacks as they struggle with their husbands (Bethmann & Kvasnicka, 2011). In situations where both maternal and paternal intuitions are overruling, it is exceptionally hard to hear that the family is let down by sacred obsessions, egotism and aspirations.

When a happily married US family works to avoid any antagonisms, the association becomes steadfast. Indeed, a collaborating family man and woman appear to be exceptionally better than three USA ladies or three gentlemen in assorted ways. However, in the US family, a wife is known to enhance and foster the wellbeing of her family members.

It appears that the USA ladies might be compelled into matrimonial domiciles by the parenthood impulses. This implies that the customary laws and the higher might of a man encourage a lady to progressively stay put in her matrimony (Matheson & Rosen, 2012).

This argument originates from my marriage experiences where it was very hard to find a husband sharing the house chores with wife. Generally, a wife was left to carry out most duties including taking care of the children and accomplishing personal tasks.

While it might be argued that the husband was the US family head, the position of the wife was hardly recognized when we first got married. This is where the society has gone wrong. This belief is inherent in us, and that those who seem to go against this norm are deemed to be deviant in the US.

Most US families are staying together and living happily. In such families, a husband, a wife and children clearly understand one another. Not even a single person is considered to be with neither weird blends of anxious appeal and distrusts nor with derision and misgiving.

This problem of kid-bearing is not any more observed by seeing the mother of the infant impure and unsafe. Despite being happily married to their dear husbands, the American women married nearly thirty years ago had no voices and freedoms in the families since families were controlled by men (Duncan & Goddard, 2010). In fact, female companions could hardly defy visualizing unusual or healthier styles of subsistence.

For over thirty years in our marital partnership, my wife has been the main source of labour at a determined disadvantage. However, in self perpetuation, we are a happily married couple with three kids.

The prevailing way of life in the United States has ensured that the wives are fairly rewarded for being in an obligatory maternity. Marriage and family institutions in the USA recognize sexual equality which is naturally hardly realized in other parts of the world. For example, a wife has ever tried to exercise her marriage rights but she does that at the discretion of the family.

From my own experience, when a wife in the USA milieu pursues her marital rights without any cautions, the family is likely to breakup. The USA have laws that ensure women and children’s rights are protected. When your wife wants to divorce and the court warrants it, the consequential outcome is that the marriage will no longer exist.

Still, the husband has to take care of the kids’ needs while a wife looks after the children until they are eighteen years (Liu & Heiland, 2012). To shun such an occurrence throughout our marriage life, we have constantly strived to understand ourselves through regular and fearless consultations.

In the USA, the conditional changes currently witnessed have liberated women from any kind of domestic slaveries. Just like their marriage male counterparts, American women are now liberated to determine their reproduction abilities and enjoy their marital statuses. As a family we had to sit down and agree that we will give birth to three children only. The decision was at our discretion.

While incidences of family and marriage life oppressions are still present, our marriage and family life has considerably won the unintended and unconscious fight against economic and social oppression that other USA couples face in their marriages (Ramisch, 2012).

During these thirty years of marriage, we have become enlightened individuals with exceptional family life experience but we constantly react against the inequitable mores governing both of us and our position in societal marriages. At times, we were forced to undergo crucial family tests as we continued to live. Family and marital life has considerably changed in the USA. When we got married, a man was perceived to be the head of the family, and in his absence the wife was expected to guide the family.

This has brought about the belief that husbands and wives are equal race reproduction partners (Osborne, Berger & Magnuson, 2012). Therefore, similar to the USA family man, a wife incessantly fights to foster her rights whilst in marriage. Regardless of this, within our family, both of us have endlessly maintained supremacy within own domains. This has been the founding stone for our happy co-existence and a 30-years marriage. We have shared responsibilities of raising our three children.

Just like any other marriage, the reproductive urge used to bring us together to self-perpetuate. Moreover, this enabled us to remain one thing in joint support to form a family and consequently a home. Nevertheless, in our family, we always embrace our personal interests. Despite marital barriers in the USA, we adjusted to work in harmony to ensure that our home is made.

Nonetheless, to put up a glad house, we perceived marriage as a core foundation. It materialized as an opposed collaboration and expression that is routinely denoted by unending communal and lifelong links. We have not been able to evade any ensuing conflicts. We have never gone to an extent of having to divide our three kids or seeking a court divorce. Our problems are solved in-house.

From a personal life experience, marriages among the USA families are sociological and not necessarily biological (Ramisch, 2011). As a result, it is the passion that existed between us that ensured we came together. In our family, we appreciate that we are considered as two separate groups from similar species.

In fact, our entire life responses and perspectives ensue to be totally divergent. For instance, in the early stages of our marriage, we were completely unable to really and fully comprehend one another. Whilst a married USA woman might have extra intuition in comparison to her husband, in a family situation the wife is rather less rational.

However, in our family unit, the wife relentlessly appeared to be the head of religious activities and an honorable principal as well as customary holder. This implies that in our marriage and family life, the hands which rocked the home structure silently consorted with fortune (Wood et al., 2012). In essence, the differences in thinking, viewpoints, reactions and nature amid us have been considered very valuable.

In our matrimony and family unit, we actually fancy one another be it in corporeal, saintly as well as in coronial life journey. Usually, as a married couple, our children and other family members we collectively rely on the solutions offered jointly to overcome assorted difficulties and mystifying universal problems (Matheson & Rosen, 2012).

Regardless of the fact that different sexes that make marriages to work hardly understand one another, our marriage life partners are well complementing. Although support appears to be less or more individually hostile, for over thirty years our marital affiliation has been able to reproduce and live together as a unit.

The USA marriages act as institutions well premeditated to make up sex disparities. In the meantime, it insures race reproduction and affects the evolution continuance.

Our family which is a kind of a human institution was born of marriage. This is because it directly gives rise to the foundation and protection of our home which form the structural USA societal base. Nevertheless, our family is essentially correlated to self maintenance mechanisms.

It accrues to be the only race repute trust under the USA civilization mores. In our thirty years marital life, our family acts as the most effective provider of suitable self gratification. Therefore, while most American men derive mutual benefits from marriage, a family is a purely supreme accomplishment for any man (Bethmann & Kvasnicka, 2011).

In USA matrimony, kids logically come as upshots of inbred sex-mating which sequentially makes a family to come out involuntarily. The existing society follows the ideals of a family.

This denotes that a good society only comes as a result of good families. Conversely, for nearly thirty years of marital life, it is the nature of a wife to be concerned and adore her offsprings. This makes the family to merge and make wives the most anxious parties in backing-up the USA family units and matrimonial existence. Our matrimonial sexual affairs accrue naturally.

However, our American marital life is often under the regulation of the family, courtliness, conceit, possessions and mores such as ethics, morals and religion (Lamanna & Riedmann, 2008). Last, there are ebbs and flows in customs, the family-marriage association solidity similarly alters.

Currently, USA marriages have gone ahead into the private phase from the previous material goods phase. When we initially came together, the wife had the protection of her husband given that a woman was perceived as the husband’s chattel. An American wife also had to obey her husband for similar bases.

In spite of such a system’s merits, there was adequate family stability. Thirty years down the line, a wife is no longer considered a property in the USA. Despite this, our marital and family life has been stabilized through the prevailing customs.

Irrespective of giving birth to three kids of different sexes, we would not have minded if they were all males or females. Furthermore, the disciplining of our kids instigated at tender age and this made our children to be very obedient.

In other marriages and families, children are protected from the ordinary costs of irrational behaviors and this has contributed to insubordination amongst the USA kids. Therefore, from personal life experience, civilized USA parents tend to assume most of their duties thus making children to believe that they have all the rights (Strong, DeVault & Cohen, 2010).

Kids revere their fathers and mothers because of the love, teaching and concern which obviously develop whilst family members support the offspring in their enduring encounter. Truly, our marriage and family experience has been effectively engaged in unremitting family ministry services that are meant for our children.

Marriage institutions in the USA evolve alongside novel socio-economic precepts. In fact, the lives of various families are very pricey whereas kids who happened to be families’ resources are now considered fiscal liabilities.

Thus far, the safety of the USA as society still hinges on the escalating enthusiasm of a single generation to actively devote resources to the prospective and next human generations. Family lives which consequently arise from marriages with children persist to be very simulative. Such a family proffers the genetic prolongation of mankind genus.

In cheerfully married USA families, a budding kid seizes the blood-brotherhood principles which simply proceed from societal and ordinary ground, habitat. A family acts as the basic fraternity where kids and their parents learn leniency, open-mindedness and self-sacrifice as well as patience lessons.

All these are imperative for the apprehension of brotherhood amongst family members. Therefore, when family life is enforced through strong marital associations, personalities are likely to be stabilized. However, true love among parents and children forms the basis of a good family.

Bethmann, D. & Kvasnicka, M. (2011). The institution of marriage. Journal of Population Economics , 24(3), 1005-32.

Duncan, S. & Goddard, H. (2010). Family life education: Principles and practices for effective outreach . New York, NY: SAGE Publishers.

Lamanna, M., & Riedmann, A. (2008). Marriages and families: Making choices in a diverse society . New York, Boston: Cengage Learning.

Liu, S. & Heiland, F. (2012). Should we get married? The effect of parents’ marriage on out-of-wedlock children. Economic Inquiry , 50(1), 17-38.

Matheson, J. & Rosen, K. (2012). Marriage and family therapy faculty members’ balance of work and personal life. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy , 38(2), 394-416.

Osborne, C., Berger, L. & Magnuson, K. (2012). Family structure transitions and changes in maternal resources and well-being. Demography , 49(1), 23-47.

Ramisch, J. (2012). Marriage and family therapists working with couples who have children with autism. Journal of Marital & Family Therapy , 38(2), 305-316.

Ramisch, J. (2011). Marriage and family therapists working with couples who have children with autism. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy , 37(3), 156-180.

Strong, B., DeVault, C., & Cohen, T. (2010). The marriage and family experience: Intimate relationships in a changing society . New York City, Boston: Cengage Learning.

Wood, R., et al., (2012). The effects of building strong families: A healthy marriage and relationship skills education program for unmarried parents. Journal of Policy Analysis & Management, 31(2), 228-252.

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Types of Marriage: Monogamy, Polygamy, and Group Marriage Explained | Sociology Optional for UPSC Civil Services Examination | Triumph IAS

Types of Marriage

Table of Contents

(Relevant for Sociology : Paper-1)

Malinowski posits that marriage can be described as a formal agreement designed to facilitate the procreation and upbringing of children. It is a socially endorsed union where the couple’s sexual intimacy is tacitly acknowledged and validated. Different societies exhibit a multitude of customs and traditions related to marriage.

Types or forms of marriage:

Marriage is a widespread social institution that can be observed in every society and throughout different stages of development. While the specific types or structures of marriage may differ across societies, the fundamental concept remains largely consistent. It can be categorized into three main types: monogamy, polygamy, and group marriage.

Monogamy, an esteemed and prevalent form of marriage, is considered rational and ideal. It can be observed across all civilized societies. Monogamy entails the union of one man and one woman. There are two variations of monogamy: serial monogamy and non-serial monogamy.

(i) Serial Monogamy: 

Serial monogamous marriage allows for the option of remarrying in the event of divorce or the death of a spouse. Despite remarrying, the individual continues to practice monogamy.

(ii) Non-serial Monogamy: 

In non-serial monogamy, the concept of remarriage is not relevant for either partner involved. In this type of relationship, a person remains married to the same spouse throughout their lifetime.

Polygamy refers to a form of marriage where multiple partners are involved. It permits either a man to marry multiple women or a woman to marry multiple men simultaneously. Polygamy can be classified into two categories: polygyny, where a man has multiple wives, and polyandry, where a woman has multiple husbands.

(a) Polygyny: 

Polygyny is a form of marriage where a man simultaneously marries multiple wives. This practice was prevalent in numerous ancient civilizations, including the Hebrews, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Indians, among others. Currently, it is primarily observed among indigenous tribes, although it tends to be more prevalent among wealthier individuals. Polygyny is practiced by Eskimo tribes, Crow Indians, African Negroes, as well as the Naga, Gonds, and Baigas of India. It is worth noting that polygyny is also allowed within the Muslim community. This type of marriage can be categorized into two forms:

(i) Sororal Polygyny

Sororal polygyny is commonly referred to as a surrogate. The term “surrogate” originates from the Latin word “sorer,” which means sister. Consequently, it denotes a marital custom where a man marries his wife’s sisters either simultaneously or following the death of his wife.

(ii) Non-Sororal Polygyny: 

Non-sororal polygyny is the opposite of sororal polygyny. In non-sororal polygyny, a man marries multiple women simultaneously who may or may not be sisters to each other.

(b) Polyandry: 

Polyandry is an extremely uncommon form of marriage in modern times. In this type of union, a woman marries multiple men simultaneously. According to K.M. Kapadia, “Polyandry is a union where a woman has more than one husband at the same time, or where brothers share a wife or wives in common.” It is observed among various cultures, including the Tibetans, Marquesas Islanders of Polynesia, the Bahamas of Africa, and tribal communities in Samoa, among others. In India, tribes such as the Tiyan, Toda, Kota, Khasa, and Ladakhi Bota also practice polyandry. The Nairs of Kerala were known for their practice of polyandry in the past. Polyandry can be classified into two types:

(i) Fraternal Polyandry: 

Fraternal or adelphic polyandry refers to the arrangement where multiple brothers collectively share one wife. An excellent illustration of fraternal polyandry is seen in Draupadi’s marriage to the Pandavas. The identification of the biological father is determined through specific rituals. This practice is predominantly found among the Todas.

(ii) Non-fraternal Polyandry:

This type of marriage is in contrast to fraternal polyandry. In this arrangement, the husbands of a woman are not necessarily brothers to each other. It is observed among the Nairs of Kerala, where the wife spends specific periods of time with each of her husbands. As long as a woman resides with one of her husbands, the others do not possess any rights or claims over her. This practice primarily emerges as a result of limited availability of women.

Cenogamy or Group Marriage: 

Group marriage refers to the union of two or more women with two or more men, where each woman is married to every man within the specific group. Sociologists, such as Dr. Rivers, describe it as a form of sexual communism. This form of marriage is observed among certain tribal communities in Australia, India, Tibet, and Ceylon, who are believed to have practiced group marriage.

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• Table Of Contents

marriage , a legally and socially sanctioned union, usually between a man and a woman, that is regulated by laws, rules, customs, beliefs, and attitudes that prescribe the rights and duties of the partners and accords status to their offspring (if any). The universality of marriage within different societies and cultures is attributed to the many basic social and personal functions for which it provides structure, such as sexual gratification and regulation , division of labour between the sexes, economic production and consumption , and satisfaction of personal needs for affection, status, and companionship. Perhaps its strongest function concerns procreation, the care of children and their education and socialization , and regulation of lines of descent. Through the ages, marriages have taken a great number of forms. ( See exchange marriage ; group marriage ; polyandry ; polygamy ; tree marriage . See also common-law marriage .)

By the 21st century the nature of marriage in Western countries—particularly with regard to the significance of procreation and the ease of divorce —had begun to change. In 2000 the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriages ; the law went into force on April 1, 2001. In the ensuing years, numerous other countries—including Canada (2005), France (2013), the United States (2015), and Germany (2017)—followed suit. In addition, some countries extended benefits and obligations to same-sex couples by means of a registered partnership or civil union , both of which terms meant different things in different contexts .

In the biological evolutionary scale, the more complex the species, the longer the offspring is dependent on its mother for survival from the time of birth to maturity. Human beings, at the top of the evolutionary scale, require the most time of all species to reach maturity. This imposes increased duties on human parents for the care of their children, and marriage traditionally has been seen as the institution best suited to fulfill these parental duties and responsibilities.

Some form of marriage has been found to exist in all human societies, past and present. Its importance can be seen in the elaborate and complex laws and rituals surrounding it. Although these laws and rituals are as varied and numerous as human social and cultural organizations, some universals do apply.

The main legal function of marriage is to ensure the rights of the partners with respect to each other and to ensure the rights and define the relationships of children within a community . Marriage has historically conferred a legitimate status on the offspring, which entitled him or her to the various privileges set down by the traditions of that community, including the right of inheritance . In most societies marriage also established the permissible social relations allowed to the offspring, including the acceptable selection of future spouses.

Until the late 20th century, marriage was rarely a matter of free choice. In Western societies love between spouses came to be associated with marriage, but even in Western cultures (as the novels of writers such as Henry James and Edith Wharton attest) romantic love was not the primary motive for matrimony in most eras, and one’s marriage partner was carefully chosen.

Endogamy , the practice of marrying someone from within one’s own tribe or group, is the oldest social regulation of marriage. When the forms of communication with outside groups are limited, endogamous marriage is a natural consequence. Cultural pressures to marry within one’s social, economic, and ethnic group are still very strongly enforced in some societies.

Exogamy , the practice of marrying outside the group, is found in societies in which kinship relations are the most complex, thus barring from marriage large groups who may trace their lineage to a common ancestor.

In societies in which the large, or extended, family remains the basic unit, marriages are usually arranged by the family. The assumption is that love between the partners comes after marriage, and much thought is given to the socioeconomic advantages accruing to the larger family from the match. By contrast, in societies in which the small, or nuclear, family predominates, young adults usually choose their own mates. It is assumed that love precedes (and determines) marriage, and less thought is normally given to the socioeconomic aspects of the match.

In societies with arranged marriages, the almost universal custom is that someone acts as an intermediary, or matchmaker . This person’s chief responsibility is to arrange a marriage that will be satisfactory to the two families represented. Some form of dowry or bridewealth is almost always exchanged in societies that favour arranged marriages.

In societies in which individuals choose their own mates, dating is the most typical way for people to meet and become acquainted with prospective partners. Successful dating may result in courtship, which then usually leads to marriage.