POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGES

Polygamous Marriages

Polygamous Marriages

Introduction

Polygamy typically involves one husband with multiple wives and children from those relationships. In some countries, polygamy is legal and practiced, such as in Egypt, Iran, and Libya, all of which have limitations. Polygamy is illegal in Canada, Europe, and all 50 U.S. states. In cultures that practice polygamy, arrangements involving one man with multiple wives generally grants men more power and status than women for mothers, the care giving role is expected to be central in polygamous relationships. Canadian Law is very much against this act. A person who caught involve in the Polygamy gets arrested.

Discussion and Analysis

Polygamy is marriage that involves multiple spouses, which is still permitted in many cultures. The most common form of plural marriage is polygyny, which is the marriage of one man with more than one woman. Polygyny in many societies serves as an indicator of a man's wealth and prestige-in other words, the more wives he has, the greater status he accrues. In other societies, polygyny is practiced because a man has inherited a widow from his brother (levirate). Polygamous marriages are between one male and more than one female. Polygamy has been common throughout human history. Various preferred marriage patterns have an effect on the social outcomes of polygamy. For example, there are social implications for a preference for exogamy (marrying outside one's group), or endogamy (marrying within one's group). There are further implications associated with a preference for either parallel cousin marriage, or cross-cousin marriage, and whether or not sororal polygamy (marrying a group of sisters) is allowed or prohibited (Cassidy, 2009).

Polyandry is very rare compared with monogamy and polygamy. In polygamy, a female is married to more than one male. As in polygamy, there are social implications for the particular preferred marriage patterns in a society.

Marriage between one woman and more than one man (polyandry) is extremely rare, although it is still practiced in Tibet and parts of the surrounding Himalayan region. In Tibet, fraternal polyandry (brothers jointly marrying a wife) is still practiced. Fraternal polyandry is one of the least common forms of marriage globally, but in Tibet, it remains a viable and ideal form of marriage and family. Practically, the eldest brother is normally the dominant authority. The wife is expected to treat all brothers equally, and the sexual aspect of sharing spouses is not viewed as repulsive by males or females. Any offspring are treated similarly, and the children consider all the brothers their fathers. The typical explanation given for this type of marriage in Tibet is that it is a materialistic and economically advantageous one. The brothers do not have to divide their property and can therefore have a higher standard of living. Due to changes in social and economic conditions, polyandry may vanish within the next generation (Cassidy, 2009)

Polygamy distinguishes cultures, which have specific types of continuation economies or definite outline of intra-or interfamilial stratification. It exists among peoples whose agricultural interests are a purpose of the female ...