Marriage and Its Types

Introduction and Meaning of Marriage

• Marriage: Important social institution, akin to family, started with human civilization.
• Purpose: Designed for fulfilling social, physical, and emotional needs of individuals.

Definitions of Marriage

1. Simple Definition: Marriage is the social approval of a bond between male and female.
2. Encyclopedia: A physical, legal, and moral union between a man and woman to live together and establish a family.
3. UN Definition: Contract between a man and woman to produce and maintain children.
4. Another Definition: Social pattern where two or more individuals establish a family.

Types of Marriage

Based on Number of Mates

1. Monogamy: One man marries one woman.

   • Ideal Type: Unbreakable bond found in civilized societies, lasting until death.
   • Serial Monogamy: Remarriage after death or divorce of spouse.
   • Non-Serial Monogamy: Single marriage for life without subsequent remarriage.

2. Polygamy: Multiple partners; either man with multiple wives or woman with multiple husbands.

   • Polygyny: One man marries multiple women.
     • Soral Polygyny: Man marries sisters.
     • Non-Soral Polygyny: Man marries multiple unrelated women.
   • Polyandry: One woman marries multiple men.
     • Fraternal Polyandry: Woman marries brothers.
     • Non-Fraternal Polyandry: Woman marries unrelated men.

3. Group Marriage: Multiple men and women forming matrimonial relations with each other; a mix of polygyny and polyandry.

Basis of Marriage Types

1. Endogamy: Marriage within one's own group (caste, tribe, etc.).
   • Types: Caste Endogamy, Subcaste Endogamy, Gotra Endogamy.
2. Exogamy: Marriage outside one's group.

Preferred Marriages

1. Cross-Cousin Marriage: Between children of opposite-gender siblings.
2. Parallel Cousin Marriage: Between children of same-gender siblings.
3. Levirate: Widow marries deceased husband's brother.
4. Sororate: Man marries deceased wife's sister.

Recap

• Monogamy: One man and one woman, with Serial and Non-Serial forms.
• Polygamy: Multiple partners (Polygyny and Polyandry).
• Group Marriage: Combination of multiple males and females.
• Endogamy: Marrying within a group.
• Exogamy: Marrying outside a group.
• Preferred marriages: Cross-Cousin, Parallel Cousin, Levirate, Sororate.

Note: Importance and practice of marriage vary across cultures and societies.