Marriage

• Marriage is a universal social institution established to control and regulate the sex life of individuals.
• It is closely connected with the institution of family, and both are complementary to each other.
• According to Gillin and Gillin, marriage is a socially approved way of establishing a family of procreation.
• Westermarck suggests that marriage is rooted in the family, rather than the family being rooted in marriage.
• Marriage has different implications, purposes, functions, and forms in various cultures.
• Despite differences, marriage is present as an institution in every society.

Definition and Characteristics of Marriage

• There is no single definition that covers all types of human marriage.

Definitions of marriage

• Edward Westermarck defines marriage as a durable connection between male and female lasting beyond propagation and continuing until after the birth of offspring.
• Malinowski describes marriage as a contract for the production and maintenance of children.
• Robert H. Lowie defines marriage as a relatively permanent bond between permissible mates.
• Duncan Mitchell broadly defines marriage as a socially sanctioned sex relationship between two or more people of the opposite sex, expected to endure beyond gestation and the birth of children.
• Alfred McClung Lee states that marriage is the public joining of a man and woman as husband and wife under socially specified regulations.

Characteristics of Marriage

• Universality: Marriage is a universal institution, found in both pre-literate and literate societies. It is enforced as a social rule in many societies. Examples:

  • In Japan, celibacy is condemned.
  • In Korea, unmarried individuals are seen as "half persons".
  • In Hinduism, marriage is regarded as a sacrament and is almost obligatory.
  • Todas of Nilagiri perform funeral rites only after marriage ceremonies for a deceased girl.
  • Confucius views lifelong celibacy as a grave crime.
  • Levi-Strauss notes that unmarried primitives in Central Brazil live miserable lives.
• Relationship Between Man and Woman: Marriage involves a union of man and woman, with social rules about who marries whom and how many.
• Marriage Bond is Enduring: Marriage indicates a long-lasting bond beyond just sexual relations. It excludes casual or prostitution-related relationships. For example, in Hinduism, marriage is seen as a sacred bond that even death cannot break.
• Marriage Requires Social Approval: A union becomes marital only when society gives approval, transforming it into a legal contract.
• Marriage is Associated with a Civil or Religious Ceremony: Marriage gains social recognition through a ceremony, which may involve rites, rituals, and customs. In Hinduism, marriage is a sacrament involving rituals like Homa, Saptapadi, Panigrahana, and Mangalya-Dharana.
• Marriage Creates Mutual Obligations: Marriage imposes rights and duties on both husband and wife, who are required to support each other and their children.