SUMMARY:

The union of two spouses who are bound by traditional, legal, and moral obligations and have a variety of deep personal and social ties is known as marriage. It is a well-organized framework that works with other institutions like the family, the education system, the economy, the law, and politics. The relationship between couples is governed by rules in many ways, and they exist within soft borders to follow patterns. Marriage is recognized from any remaining sorts of associations by its delicate limits or allowed limits of conduct. Married couples are distinct from other partners thanks to the legal framework of marriage. They are a part of a larger system of well-known ideas that help people organize and keep their lives after marriage.

Marriage is extremely significant for men because it organizes their goals and gives their lives structure. Dr. Stephen backs this contention with a statement from Emile Durkheim, a French humanist. Emile is of the opinion that marriage legitimizes demands for happiness, comfort, luxury, and prestige, which in turn prevents suicide. Married people have lower suicide rates than single people. Marriage helps men discover their life's purpose and helps them become better citizens. Unbounded longings and wants are constrained by marriage. A man's need for love and moral equilibrium is met when he marries the same woman for the rest of his life. Because of his marriage, he takes care of his responsibilities, limits his desires, and gives up other pleasures.

Cohabitation without a spouse, also known as living together, is becoming increasingly common. Cohabitation between people who are not married is known as unmarried cohabitation. It is growing because the partners can live a happy life without the constraints of marriage, without having to follow predetermined rules, with a great deal of freedom, and without being restricted by a wide range of laws and conventions. They do not adhere to traditional norms, such as behavioral restrictions, no commitment to one another, no identity, and no institutional relationship, so their relationship is not widely accepted or legal. A married couple is accepted by everyone because they follow patterns, rules, and customs as husband and wife. They joyfully declare their union as husband and wife. Conventions, religion, and laws all protect their relationship.

In addition, marriage is a source of social capital. It shows relationships among people. It establishes a connection between confidence and trustworthiness. The new connection is built on trust and faith. The husband and wife are introduced to new relationships. The relationship is important, and it needs help and support when it's needed. Social capital advantages people. People with high friendly capital are embedded into networks that work with the trading of esteemed information and data among all individuals. Social sanctions and norms (like honor, position, etc.) backing such organizations by advancing a few exercises while restricting others. Marriage is a valuable individual asset, but because it is only a relationship, it is more difficult to maintain.

Due to its relaxed boundaries, marriage stands out qualitatively from other types of relationships. Because adult individuals have options in their spouses and heterosexual relationships, the numerous normative marriage rules define the relationship. The primary earners will be husbands, partners will be sexually committed to one another, and they will become legal parents to their children. Their relationship is protected by law, custom, and religion. It is a form of social control because of habits and goals that are appropriately channeled. Other people share a similar feeling. All other types of personal relationships pale in comparison to marital ones.

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW.

a. According to author, "What exactly is marriage?"

The author asserts that marriage is the union of spouses who are bound together by legal, moral, and conventional beliefs and who have a variety of close personal relationships and associations.

b. In what ways are marriages an institution?

Marriage is an institution because it is linked to other institutions like education, the economy, and politics and is recognized by law as a means of meeting social, economic, physical, and family needs.

c. What regulations govern a marriage?

Marriage is governed by the “soft boundaries” that is accepted by both the partners.

d. Why should men marry?

It matter to men because it organizes their goals and ambitions and gives their lives structure.

e. Identify one of today's most pressing issues.

One of the main problems with modern society is that people's seemingly endless desires for well-being, comfort, luxury, and prestige are constrained by a variety of legitimate boundaries.

f. What elements make up social capital?

The vast network of people who are connected by a bond of trust and trustworthiness makes up social capital.

g. What is a typical marriage like? Explain.

A marriage that is built on pre-established standards and values is known as a normative marriage. For instance, the following are the six characteristics of typical marriage in the United States: Mature, heterosexual adults who are willing to marry, husbands who are the primary earners, partners who are sexually faithful, and parents enter marriages.

REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT

a. In light of the context, talk about the six aspects that make up typical marriage in the United States.

United States clearly has six dimensions of marriage which are as follows:

1. The decision to get married is voluntary

2. The marriage must be heterosexual (between a man and a woman)

3. In heterosexual marriage, husbands are the primary earners.

4. Both the spouses must support their family

5. Both the spouses must be faithful to each other, especially when it is about sexual behavior.

6. Only after marriage, people can be parents to their children.

b. Are marriages different in different cultures? How is your country’s marriage practice different from American marriage?

Different cultures have their own rituals of marriages; however, the fundamental aspects to keep the relationship healthy are almost similar to American marriages such as being faithful to each other, marriage should be between a man and a woman, only after marriage they can bear children, and husbands are the primary earners.

Despite these similarities, the ritual that binds two individuals is different due to the difference in religion in America and Nepal. Since majority of Americans are Christians, they get married according to Christian ways whereas most of the Nepali people follow Sanatan Dharma, they get married according to it. Having said that, in America too there are different people from different regions and religion who have their own rules and rituals of marriages. In my country too, there are people different communities who have their own dimensions of marriages.

REFERENCE BEYOND THE TEXT

a. Write an essay about how marriage is done in your culture.

THE PRACTICE OF MARRIAGE IN MY CULTURE

Marriage is the legal, social, emotional, financial and familial bonding between two individuals. This is the chaste from of union. Various aspects are taken into consideration before two individuals get married originally. However, with the change in time some of the aspects are ignored these days.

First of all, when a man or a woman reach the age of marriage, members of family or the aspirants search for a partner. There is a middleman who carries out this process. This person introduces both the families. After that both the families try to match the birth chart of man and woman to find out if they can be compatible to each other after marriage. This work is done by an astrologer. Various aspects are looked into through the birth chart. If majority of aspect seem favorable, then it is decided that the two people should get married.

Immediately afterwards, the man’s family go to the woman’s house and talk to the parents. It is also found out if the woman wants to get married or not. If she is okay with the union, then the process of marriage actually starts. Since the marriage is done in the woman’s house or place booked by the woman’s family, they start booking catering, or building places in their lands with the help of neighbors, sending invitation to their relatives and friends, buying food and vegetables to feed the people who attend the marriage, buy ornaments for the bride and also book a priest. On the other hand, groom’s side also sends invitation to their relatives and friends and start buying ornaments for the bride.

In my culture, it is not allowed to get married in any day but an auspicious day is found out with the help of astrologer and it is done according to the consent of both the families. Then on that day, the groom goes with a procession of people along with traditional musicians to the bride’s house. Keeping people, fire and family as witness the marriage is done. This process takes a whole day where priests read mantras from religious books and makes bride and groom to do different activities that binds the two souls such as putting ‘Sindur’ on bride’s hair line by the groom, giving green and red ‘potey’ (garland of be) to the bride, eating curd from the same cup, and playing ‘juwa’ that consists of sacred thread (janai) and aceranut. Priests also tell the bride and groom to go round the fire 7 time taking 7 oaths.

Once the marriage is completed, bride is taken by the groom to his house and in the groom’s house relatives, neighbors; friends come and bless the union. That night is called ‘suhagraat’ when both bride and groom get to know each other physically and the intention behind this is that both the groom and bride open up with each other properly because without marriage, sexual activity is not allowed in our culture. On the third day of marriage, bride is sent back to her parents’ house where she stays for a week or so and groom goes to bring her back. This gives the groom the opportunity to know and familiarize with the bride’s family. Then comes the proper introduction between families of bride and groom so they share gifts with each other.

In conclusion, the process of getting married in my culture is lengthy and involves everybody. It gives confidence to both bride and groom that they are not alone. However, due to the introduction of smart phones and internet, these days boys and girls find their partners by themselves and also matching the planets and following the astrological roadmap is ignored which is why differences in marriages have been surfacing more than ever.

b. Is marriage an institution of society? Discuss.

The idea of marriage varies from person to person, depending on the person's philosophy and way of thinking. The term "marriage" is frequently used to refer to a legal partnership between two people of different sexes who have a personal relationship, residential cohabitation, economic cooperation, the formation of a nuclear family, the birth of children, and the fulfillment of a person's sexual needs. It is viewed as an organization since it complies with laid out regulation; patterns, norms, and customs that are important to society. Being accepted into society and adhering to social norms and values help people of all sexes meet their needs and goals.