Marriage through the Eyes of the Globe

1863 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: a comparison of marriage across cultures

When someone thinks about marriage, they imagine a big elaborate party with the bride wearing a white and the groom wear a classic tux. However, around the world this is not the norm for a wedding ceremony. Marriage is much more than just a party and a happy memory; it is a life-long partnership to someone that holds the heart one conceals. In today's society, weddings and marriage do not hold the same significance they once did. Back in the earlier centuries, people regarded marriage is a vow for life, no matter what happened during a marriage, it was the spouse’s duty to make it better and work it out. Back in ancient times, kings and queens would marry their cousins, etc. in order to preserve the bloodline. An example of this is Cleopatra; she married her two brothers to preserve the bloodline of her family. Other uses of marriage in the past were to enforce a union between two countries such as the story of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. Different cultures view marriage as completely different ceremonies. In class, we discussed many marriage ceremonies held in Africa as well as Egypt. Marriage has a meaning all over the world.
In Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, we get an inside look at the marriage ceremony and tradition of the Ibo culture. The character Obierika gives the reader a deeper look of the marriage aspect in the Ibo culture. Ibo culture uses a dowry system and the marriage is seen as more of a business rather than an actual marriage. The male’s family comes to the bride-to-be’s home and the men proceed to set a price and the negotiations begin. Once a price is agreed upon the groom’s family doesn’t return until the wedding day. The novel states,Women and children began to gather at Obierika’s compound to help the b...

... middle of paper ...

...14. http://www.wou.edu/provost/library/exhibits/exhibits2004-05/color/Images/hinduism.pdf "The History of Wedding Traditions.”: Bride & Groom: BrideandGroom.com. The Bride and
Groom, 2006. Web. 03 May 2014. .
"Wedding Traditions: Meaning of "Something Old, Something New..."?" Theknot.com. N.p.,
Apr. 2009. Web. 02 May 2014. .
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor, 1994. Print.
Bella Pictures. “Indian Wedding Traditions.” Indian-wedding-traditions. N.p., 4 June 2010.
Web. 03 May 2014
Prakasa, Rao. Marriage, The Family and Women in India. Printox: South Asia Books,1982.
Wilson, Carol. "Wedding Cake: A Slice of History." Gastronomica 5.2 (2005): 69-72. Print.

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of A History Of Marriage By Stephanie Coontz

    1031 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first chapter begins with an exploration of love and marriage in many ancient and current cultures. Surprisingly many cultures either avoid the discussion of love in marriage or spit on the idea completely. China and other societies believed that love was simply a product of marriage and shouldn’t get too out of hand, while a few Greek and Roman philosophers shunned excessive

    Read More

  • American Marriage In Transition Analysis

    1952 Words  | 4 Pages

    Dating back to the early 20th century, women’s roles in the United States were very limited. In regards to family life, women were expected to cook, clean, and take care of their homes. Men, on the other hand, were in charge of working and providing for the family. Together, these designated roles helped men and women build off of each other to ultimately keep their families in check. As the years progressed, society began to make a greater push to increase women’s rights. As women started receiving greater equality and freedom, their roles began to shift. More women had to opportunity to leave the house and join the workforce. The norm for a married couple slowly began to change as men were no longer expected to individually provide for their

    Read More

  • Arranged Marriages In The United States

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    Arranged marriages are typically not practiced in the United States, however, they are still a part of other cultures. While arranged marriages are often seen as a barbaric or outdated practice, they can still be successful. It may not seem important to study arranged marriages since they are not widely practiced in modern America or other western cultures but some benefits of arranged marriages found could be used to lessen the negative image western civilizations have about cultures that continue the practice of arranged marriages. There are definitely drawbacks in the practice of arranged marriage but there are also benefits that are often overlooked.

    Read More

  • Marriage Culture in the United States

    1252 Words  | 3 Pages

    The culture that exists in America is one that is constantly changing to suit the times and the many different types of people that reside in the country. One aspect of American culture that has changed profoundly is the institution of marriage. Marriage began as the undisputed lifestyle for couples willing to make the ultimate commitment to one another. However in less than a century, pointless and destructive alternatives such as premarital cohabitation, have developed to replace marriage.

    Read More

  • Themes Of Marriage In Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice

    1258 Words  | 3 Pages

    Since the beginning of time, marriage exists as a large part of life. The values of marriage change on a year to year basis and as trends continue to change so will marriage. There have been numerous reasons for marriage throughout time such as arranged, wealth, love or many others. In the 18th century, many marriages were based on one’s class and wealth and not true love. Today, many marriages do not take wealth or class into account they focus on that person’s inner self and love. Marriage exists as an overlying theme throughout Pride and Prejudice and every marriage appears for a different reason.

    Read More

  • Victorian Wedding Traditions

    940 Words  | 2 Pages

    Marriage in the Victorian time period was carefully contemplated, as Rosenberg addresses that “Wedding ceremonies were seen as an expression of Victorian social values that that the Queen wished to renounce, while on the other hand, such occasions were viewed as having national and collective significance” (Rosenberg 98). Love played a very tiny role in the Victorian Era marriages. An engagement was more approached as a business deal. Once married all possessions went to the husband as property. Anatolyevna emphasizes how “Victorian weddings should be transformed from a formalized procedure to a celebration, a holiday for a young couple in honor of their initiation” (Anatolyevna 1) The Marriage and Wedding Customs of the Victorian time period are interesting because they are religious, strict, unique, and elegant. First of all, the Victorian time period wedding mores were intriguing because of their strong connection to religion. Terpening explains that “in the sense that marriage is an act through hardship and trial, people who led Christian lives were rewarded by enjoying years with their spouse” (Terpening 22). Even though in the Victorian time period their marriages were arranged, if you and your spouse had the same religions beliefs your marriage will be strong and last longer than other couples. People during the Victorian time believed that if you didn’t practice the same beliefs of your partner your marriage would fall apart or be in great bitterness. Religion played a big role in the Victorian wedding ethnicities but the harsh laws of marriage were a huge part for weddings during this time period. Next, the Victorian time period Wedding traditions were remarkable because of the firm traditions. Author Kat Stromquist ment...

    Read More

  • Meaning of Marriage in Different Cultures

    1752 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Islam, marriage is a contract between two people. It is required that a certain amount of money be relayed to the bride. This idea of dowry derives from the word in Arabic; Mahr. Furthermore, like both Christianity and Judaism, Islam is strict on the concept of chastity. It is the element of staying pure. Seeing as marriage in Islam is concealed with intercourse, which is evident from the root of the world in Arabic meaning marriage. The Arabic of word Nikah can be translated to marriage and "sexual intercourse." We see in Islam a marriage being very mutual, we see the concept of equality among the couple. This is advocated when looking into divorce in Islam. Divorce is not prohibited like Christianity where there has to be an annulment. The Muslim faith recognizes marriage as a "transaction" in a sense. There is a contract that must be fully accepted by both the husband and wife, and two Muslims have to be there to witness it. After the contract is signed and the decision on the Mahr is derived at, a marriage ceremony can take place. The woman does not necessarily need to appear during the signing of the contract, but the bride tends to usually be there. The Qur'an holds marriage very highly, and allows the presence for the willingness of sex. In fact, if you complete the contract of marriage you have essentially completed one half of your faith in Islam. Furthermore, the Qur'an continues to go on and describe certain things that must happen in a marriage. It even states that a Muslim man can either marry a Muslim woman or a woman that is included in the People from the Book. The People of the Book are referred to as the Kitabi in Islam. This would mean a Muslim man could go onto marry a Christian or Jewish woman; however, thi...

    Read More

  • Religion Essay

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    Making up the two largest religions in the world, Christianity and Islam, both look at marriage as a major part of one’s life journey. Thus the idea that the sacred ritual of marriage in both Christianity and Islam are full of rich symbolism, ceremony and grounded in religious and cultural traditions, can be explored. However, the ritual of marriage differentiates between Christianity and Islam, as Christianity is founded on deep symbolic meaning and religious tradition in contrast to the culturally rich marriage ceremony found in Islam. This can be further investigated through an in depth analysis of the ceremony, symbols, religious and cultural traditions involved in the ritual of marriage.

    Read More

  • Women's Role in Society in Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

    2714 Words  | 6 Pages

    In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen shows examples of how most marriages were not always for love but more as a formal agreement arranged by the two families. Marriage was seen a holy matrimony for two people but living happil...

    Read More

  • Is Monogamy the Best Form of Marriage?

    579 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Western Religious leaders and moralists believe only one spouse for life is the highest form of marriage. Some of the most "primitive" peoples are strictly monogamous in their ideals, while some "highly advanced" cultures have moved away from the stri...

    Read More

  • A comparison of Marriage Practices Between American and Indian Culture

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    Marriage practices vary across cultures. Every culture has its own way of conducting marriage according to their traditions and customs. Most cultures share common customs and practices, while some cultures have unique practices. Marriage refers to a social union agreed upon by the couples to unit as spouses. The union of couples implies sexual relations, permanence in union, and procreation. This research paper focuses on comparing marriage practices in American and Indian culture. There is significant difference between the two cultures in marriage practices.

    Read More

  • The Evolution of Marriage

    2099 Words  | 5 Pages

    Marriage is a “socially recognized and approved union between individuals, who commit to one another with the expectations of a stable and lasting intimate relationship. It begins with a ceremony known as a wedding which formally unites marriage partners. A marital relationship usually involves some kind of contract, either written or specified by tradition, which defines the partners’ rights and obligations to each other, to any children they may have, and to their relatives. In most contemporary industrialized societies, marriage is certified by the government,” (Skolnick, 2005). Marriage is also an important institution because of the impact it has on society. Marriage is the main way that reproduction of human life occurs. In some societies it is tradition for family heirlooms or things of value be passed on through marriage. Marriage also serves as a healthy way to have intimate relationships with an individual. In most places a marriage exists between two people of the opposite sex. However, the legal definition of marriage is currently being challenged by many. According to Skolnick’s article a marriage can be defined by responsibilities that a couple would share, some examples are: living together, having sexual relations, sharing money and financial responsibilities, and having a child together. The issue is that homosexual couples can do these things like heterosexual couples.

    Read More

  • Should parents assume equal responsibilities when raising a child?

    1318 Words  | 3 Pages

    For thousands of years until today, the best way to officially be the partner of someone is through marriage. People have practiced marriage for thousands of years. Many cultures see marriage as the best method to celebrate the love of a couple until death tears them apart. “Marriage establishes and maintains family, creates and sustains the ties of kinship, and is the basis of community” (Rowe 2). Marriage is a concept bigger than ones happiness

    Read More

  • Marriage as an Outdated Institution

    1061 Words  | 3 Pages

    is the most usual in which a man and a woman unite themselves in the

    Read More

  • Essay About Matrimony

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    Marriage: It’s one of the most desired systems on the planet, yet it is still one of the most misunderstood ideas known to mankind. The definition of being in matrimony has evolved with time, and through the years society has been seemingly reluctant to such changes. From the end of anti-miscegenation laws to the legalization of interracial marriage, society has grown to understand the importance the choice of getting married has on the individual. As of now, the right of matrimony is given to all but one group of Americans.

    Read More

More about Marriage through the Eyes of the Globe

Open Document