A Brief History of Marriage

The practice of marrying is ancient, as marriages have been found to have existed in many cultures and civilisations as far back as 4,000 BC. Early marriage was often more of a business transaction than a personal choice, with parents arranging marriages for their children in order to gain wealth or form alliances with other families.

The definition of marriage has changed over the centuries. From its earliest incarnation, marriage was seen as a way for two people, who were not necessarily in love, to join together to create a family. It was also believed to be a way of ensuring that the children had a stable home life. Over time, the emphasis changed, and marriage came to represent a union between two people who loved each other and wanted to create a family together.

In addition to the definition of marriage changing, so has its structure. In the past, it was quite common for people to marry more than once in their lifetime; with widows or widowers being expected to remarry as soon as possible. As society has progressed, this is much less common. Marriage is now seen as a lifelong commitment between two people, and divorce is seen as an accepted part of life.

Marriage continues to be a legal and social institution today, but it increasingly viewed as something that couples choose to do, rather than something that is expected of them. Marriage provides both legal and social benefits for couples, such as taxation breaks and insurance coverage. More than ever, people are looking beyond the traditional view of marriage and looking for new ways to express their commitment to each other. 

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