Marriage: The Many Opinions

“I must have missed the day in nursery school when they lined up all the little girls and injected them with the powerful scrum that made them dream of wearing a white wedding dress” (Solot 490). I could not have said this better myself. Many girls grow up with this false perception of marriage, only thinking of the glitz and glam of the ceremony. They normally don’t take into consideration what marriage is about, what it stands for, the legality, the changes, the responsibilities and the list goes on. Then again, many people have different beliefs and views of marriage that they also instill in their little girls. Some people see marriage as a religious union between a man and a woman. Others view marriage as a connection between families. Many believe that marriage simply isn’t what it used to be. While others believe marriage is completely overrated.

“In 1215, the church decreed that a ‘licit’ marriage must take place in church.” (Coontz A23). To Christians marriage is a holy union between man and woman. The entire marriage ceremony bares some significance to the religion and the customs. The religious aspect isn’t really praised or explained in media or throughout households. Even the veil holds some religious factor. The veil symbolizes the modesty and purity of the bride. All the way down to the announcement of the couple being announced as husband and wife these all hold some religious value.

For most of Western history you did not need state permission for marriage, the matter held no legal standing. Marriage was a private contract between families. If the parents approved of the match, the state or churches were not needed for validity. (Coontz A23). For modern day marriages you must obtain a Marriage License from ...

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Coontz, Stephanie. "For Better, For Worse." The Contemporary Reader. Ed. Gary Goshgarian. Vol. 11. New York: Longman, 2011. 496-99.

Coontz, Stephanie. "Talking Marriage Private." The New York Times 26 Nov. 2007: A23.

Fairchild, Mary. "Wedding Traditions - Covenant Symbols in Christian Wedding Traditions and Customs." Christianity - About Christianity and Living the Christian Life. The New York Times. Web. 15 Aug. 2011. .

Prager, Dennis. "Five Non-Religious Arguments for Marriage." The Contemporary Reader. Ed. Gary Goshgarian. Vol. 11. New York: Longman, 2011. 493-95. Print.

Solot, Dorian. "On Not Saying "I Do"" The Contemporary Reader. Ed. Gary Goshgarian. Vol. 11. New York: Longman, 2011. 490-92. Print.