FREE ESSAY ON MARRIAGE: A SOCIAOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

MARRIAGE: A SOCIAOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Ssimon 1
Scott Simon 
Sociology 185
Professor Micheli 
November 8, 2000
The Institution of Marriage: A Sociological Perspective
According to Webster, marriage is defined as the institution whereby men and women are
joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and
maintaining a family. That sounds simple enough however, it was not always so. During the
seventeenth century arranged marriages were commonplace. The primary purpose of marriage
was to bring together family and property. In the colonial period couples married for
friendship. Not until the 1800's did love and romance become central to marriage. Now
marriage is seen as the merging of individuals instead of families. Since then the words
love and marriage have gone hand in hand. 
Christianity defines marriage as a holy union under god. Couples accept one another for
better or for worse until death do they part. The church frowns upon the mere mention of
divorce and although the values surrounding marriage have evolved, forsaking the
sacrament of marriage is a sin in the eyes of a Christian god. Values such as activity
and work, humanitarianism, religiosity and romantic love define the ideal Christian model
although, real culture differs somewhat. External influences create variables that affect
change in how individuals prioritize their values creating the "real culture" that more
closely resembles modern society. Americans place high value on 
Ssimon 2
achievement and success, an area that is augmented through education and gauged by the
accumulation of material wealth. Individualism is a symptom of the economics of
capitalism. The individuals' goals and chances for success are enhanced by efficiency and
practicality, which is in turn enhanced by technological progress. As the costs of living
increase marriage has become a convenient solution to affording better quality of life.
Herein lies a paradox. A pair unites to combine financial resources yet continue to
strive for individual successes. Ironically a large number of couple site financial
issues as a cause of divorce. Many of the values listed above are attributed to the "real
culture" and are applicable to the therapeutic attitude by emphasizing individuality and
self-improvement. 
The evangelical Christian model is closely associated with symbolic interactionalism. The
symbols of husband, wife, family and community are all relevant to the Christian model.
Couples declare their vows to one another under the auspices of a priest and the eyes of
God after which they are declared husband and wife. A new identity that is recognized by
the community as a notable achievement. The therapeutic model of marriage is a
"functional" union whereby two individuals combine tangible, emotional and spiritual
resources. Couples work systematically to advance their careers and develop their
families. Together the family is able to handle many different functions of everyday life
and ensure their continued success. Values such as efficiency, practicality and progress
are relevant factors to the therapeutic model. These values may potentially aid in the
success of the union, however as technologies continually advance it becomes increasingly
difficult to remain efficient and progressive. 
Ssimon 3
Future shock is a term used to label the inability of a society to comprehend technology
as fast as new technologies are introduced. Consider the fact that many of us still have
difficulty programming the clocks on a VCR. Compound that issue with the introduction of
the DVD player. How can we begin to understand digital video when we are still learning
how to operate an analog device. Technology may very well assist some marriages; on the
other hand it can also have less than favorable effects. 
Most of us want to have a loving and successful marriage. However, accomplishing this
task is harder than it may seem. Much time and energy must be devoted to a marriage in
order to make it last. There are many characteristics that have been found to be
predictors of good marriages, but with so many variables to consider, what makes a good
marriage? The answer may continue to elude us for years to come.