Romantic love and marriage - 3814 Words

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Nebraska Anthropologist Anthropology, Department of 1-1-2005 Romantic Love and Marriage: An Analysis of the Concept and Functionality of Romantic Love as a Marital Stabilizing Agent Emily Sorrell Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nebanthro Part of the Anthropology Commons Sorrell, Emily, Romantic Love and Marriage: An Analysis of the Concept and Functionality of Romantic Love as a Marital Stabilizing Agent (2005). Nebraska Anthropologist. Paper 9. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nebanthro/9 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Anthropology, Department of at†¦show more content†¦The anthropological literature tackling the topic of romantic love concerns possible factors that make love an integral part of general social structure and marriage in certain societies, such as modes of subsistence dependence, sexual equality and post-marital residence rules. One cannot overstate the significance that lies in understanding the relationship between love and marriage, as both are critical elements of humanity. Understanding love as a functioning agent in maintaining marital stability allows us to better understand an important part of who we are as humans. Hence, as a basic building block of human social structure, romantic  ·love and its role in the maintenance of society is an incredibly important area of research. Much of the anthropological community agrees that romantic love does constitute a valid area of research, and hopes to repair the general oversight of love that occurred in earlier ethnographic work (Jankowiak 1992 and Fischer 1992). In order to analyze the relationship between romantic love and marriage, it is necessary to compare current thinking with respect to this theme. It is also important to research and discuss love in terms of its functional role in society, or more appropriately, its functional role inShow MoreRelatedRomantic Love Is a Poor Basis for Marriage1257 Words   |  6 PagesLove is Blinding It felt as if she were standing in a timeless dream. In Paris, she waited for the not so stranger at a candlelit table by a crescent moon. The view from the Eiffel tower was amazing as she gazed off; she was so close she could almost touch it. All of a sudden, a familiar figure stepped out from the shadows and startled her. It was who she had been waiting for all along. As he made his way toward her, he took her hands into his. Out of the stillness, soft words were spokenRead MoreRomantic love is a poor basis for marriage.2917 Words   |  12 Pagesï » ¿Introduction The decline of marriage in the West has been extensively researched over the last three decades (Carmichael and Whittaker; de Vaus; Coontz; Beck-Gernshein). Indeed, it was fears that the institution would be further eroded by the legalisation of same sex unions internationally that provided the impetus for the Australian government to amend the Marriage Act (1961). These amendments in 2004 sought to strengthen marriage by explicitly defining, for the first time, marriage as a legal partnershipRead MoreHow Do Poets Present Love from a Romantic Perspective in the Poems, ‚Äà ºLet Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds‚Äà ¹, ‚Äà ºLa Belle Dame Sans Merci‚Äà ¹ and ‚Äà ºPiano‚Äà ¹?3690 Words   |  15 Pagesâ€Å"Romantic† – this word holds many different connotations and brings to mind a collection of different images. It can be â€Å"fanciful, impractical, unrealistic†; it can be â€Å"ardent, passiona te, fervent†; and it can be â€Å"imaginary, fictitious, or fabulous†. According to the dictionary, â€Å"romantic† is an adjective characterized by a preoccupation with love, or by the idealizing of love or one’s beloved. In the three poems I have chosen – â€Å"Let me not to the marriage of true minds† by William Shakespeare, â€Å"LaRead MoreI Will Make A Helper Suitable For Him945 Words   |  4 Pagesrelationships even those with people whom you may not agree come with a degree of love. Our culture may lead us to believe that love relationships are only romantic in nature and based in emotions but an understanding of love in all of its forms will take into consideration wisdoms that provide the best resource for strong relationships. Wisdom gained from the American culture can be confusing. Especially when the topic turns to love the numerous variables can lead to misunderstanding. Looking past the factRead MoreEssay about Love in The Awakening866 Words   |  4 Pages Perspectives on Love in The Awakeningnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp; Though Kate Chopin wrote her novel, The Awakening, in the late nineteenth century, her insight of such things as love, romance, and relationships is remarkably modern. Through Mr. Pontellier, Edna Pontellier, and Robert Lebrun, Chopin presents her opinions of love versus romantic love. Chopin uses the Pontelliers marriage to predict the modern view of love and the relationship between Edna and Robert to portrayRead MoreEssay On Romantic Love1503 Words   |  7 PagesMarriage poses a threat to the search for romantic love because, as Solomon in â€Å"All About Love† states, the â€Å"long history of marriage as a sacrament has little to say about sexual love, and sometimes has much to say against it.†(Page 60, Solomon). In fact, the idea of sexual and emotional love, or courtship love, actually provided an alternative means to a loveless marriage rather than preluded it. â€Å"The history of romantic love seems to indicate that love has its origins not only independent of marriageRead MoreThe Scientific Study Of Customs Of Individuals And Their Cultures Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pagesrelationship between romantic love in regards to an individuals social status and structure. This class has so far covered a wide range of opinions on the topic of love and how it relates to culture, and when or if it has any connection to marriage, courtship, or child rearing. While many individuals argue that romantic love, for much of history, has been a byproduct of marriage, while in current society, if one is lucky enough to find ‘the one,’ love often proceeds marriage. â€Å"The Theoretical ImportanceRead More Essay on Pride and Prejudice as Romantic Novel and Romantic Criticism1398 Words   |  6 Pagesand Prejudice as Romantic Novel and Romantic Criticism       To a great extent, Jane Austen satirizes conventional romantic novels by inverting the expectations of love at first sight and the celebration of passion and physical attractiveness, and criticizing their want of sense. However, there are also elements of conventional romance in the novel, notably, in the success of Jane and Bingleys love.    The first indication of Austens inversion of accepted romantic conventions is ElizabethRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1702 Words   |  7 Pageshoping to find a wife for a potential financial benefit or property gain. Unfortunately, love is simply considered to be a bonus and Austen is horrified by this lack of consideration of people being unable to find their true loves because they are so focused on material circumstances. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen illuminates the literary theme of marriage by contrasting extrinsic motivation with romantic connections through the relationships between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Charlotte Lucas and MrRead MoreDefinition Essay on Love1035 Words   |  5 PagesLove by definition is an emotion explored in philosophy, religion, and literature, often as either romantic love, the fraternal love of others, or the love of God based on the definition found in The Encarta Encyclopedia. As I explored the definition by means of the Internet, books, and articles I noticed the definitions changed quite a bit, but yet had the same basic understanding. The definition I found in The Encarta Encyclopedia was probably the most simple and most basic. It refers to love