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Tracing matrimony
Has marriage evolved with the ever-evolving human species?
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The coming of organised religion (Hebraism / Judaism is the oldest organised religion) brought in concepts of morality that remain integral to the concept of marriage till today.
Though monogamy as a concept existed long before the advent of religion, it had only practical value. Polygamy and polyandry co-habited in various societies peacefully. In the Vedic scriptures as well as Greco-Roman times, there have been examples of polygynous men and polyandrous women who are not thought of as immoral for the fact of it. Organised religion gave monogamy and polygamy the moral overtones we perceive them with today.
Marriage is for the State simply a license to two citizens to beget children. The fall out of it was that the institution became a lot more institutionalised. (George Bernard Shaw)
The role of governance and matrimony
As royalty declined and political governance became ideological rather then imperial, the concept of marriage was chiseled further. Governments partially sought to do what religion had done. It further shaped the nature of marriage with a set of rules to give it's citizen rights and duties within the institution and a warning of reprieval / trial at any instance of cheating. The introduction of legal policies addressing the ethics of monogamy, dowry, legalizing procedures etc was considered ground-breaking at that time. These laws were derived from religious and socially accepted mores and all the governments did was to codify them.
In the 20th century the world entered the modern era and things were never the same as they used to be. Societal values went through serious upheavals because of precarious political situations the world over. In these modern and trying times arose another concept that redefined marriage and that was "love". Love as an emotion was never considered necessary or expected in marriage in the past. Up to this point, "love" and "marriage" were viewed as mutually exclusive issues. It was in the modern times that love was started to be seen as a precursor or necessary condition for marriage. There is a mention in the Vedic scriptures, when Manu qualifies one of his types of marriages as a result of lustful impulses, the Gandharva Vivaah. But this kind of alliance neither got an approval from society nor was it considered a norm. Hence it was more of an exception, which did not gain popularity with those times.
Marriage in our lives
We are now at the threshold of another change. Post-industrialisation and growing commercialisation has led to estrangement of not only individuals from each other but from their values that haves shaped them. Drastic lifestyle changes have led to drastic thought-process changes. Marriage is seeing more dissenters then it ever has in it's entire history. Marriage is gaining more dissectors and the institution is largely being seen as defunct, something that kills individuality, freedom and a tool to subjugate the female of our species. Concepts of monogamy, sanctity of the union, faithfulness, roles etc., everything has come into question. The institution is also facing issues specific to the economics and physics of our times. With both of the couple working the terms and dynamics of the marriage has changed. Not to mention gender roles. A wider berth to feminism has seen some marriage related gender roles taking a complete u-turn with the concept of house-husbands. Liberation from gender roles and stereo-typical definitions of marriage has also led to the concept being seen as the union of two strong and equal individuals rather then a man-woman based equation. It is no doubt it is still a popular institution though there are sections of societies that see the institution largely as defunct, something that kills individuality, freedom and a tool to subjugate the female of our species. Having come this far, it is a logical conclusion that the institution has evolved with the ever-evolving human species. As an institution which deals with a constantly evolving species, this institution has dynamically kept pace with it's tenants. Whether it will lead the species into a more evolved existence or vice-versa remains to be seen.
What do you feel is the most important era in shaping the institution of marriage to what it is today? Post your comments.
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Fatema Kagalwala
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