Across the cultures, rites of passage are held to mark transition between different phases of life. Although the practices are unique, the rites of passage are common across all cultures. Similarly, anthropological studies have revealed that despite differences between cultures, rites of passage follow a three-stage process. The three stages are separation, liminality and incorporation. Separation is the first stage in any rite of passage. It involves divorce of an individual from his or her familiar environment. In the liminality stage, the individual’s old identity is destroyed and a new one created. In the last stage, the individual is reintegrated back into the society under a new identity, and assumes new social roles and responsibilities. There are many rites of passage in the world. However, marriage is the most common and elaborate right of passage. This paper seeks to explore marriage as a rite of passage.
Marriage is a rite of passage that involves the intimate union of a man and woman who make exclusive and permanent commitment to each other. Of the various rites of passage that people go through, marriage is perhaps the most important one because it is associated with the bearing of children and continuation of family generations. According to George (107-108), this rite of passage is based on the fundamental truth that men and women are complementary and that reproduction depends on the intimate union of a man and a woman. As such, marriage is considered a natural rite of passage rooted in the social expectation of procreation. In some contemporary cultures, the essence of marriage is interpreted liberally to include homosexual relationships.
There are three phases of marriage, which correspond to the three stages of a rite of passage. They are: courtship; wedding and marriage. Courtship corresponds to the separation stage. It is a relationship between a woman and a man, during they attempt to determine if they can marry each other. Under the mentorship, protection and guidance of elders, friends and parents, the potential couple concentrates on developing a strong friendship, which could eventually lead to marriage. Both the man and woman are separated from their former lives socially and emotionally as they discern each other’s readiness for marriage (Haviland, Prins, Walrath & Bunny, 406-409). Wedding corresponds to the liminality stage. It is a ceremony, which marks the actual transition from courtship into marriage life. Weddings are marked by celebrations and taking of vows, during which the spouses to-be promise to love one another. During the wedding, the bride and groom are declared a husband and wife. As a couple, the new weds enter the the incorporation phase of the rites of passage. As a couple, the two are expected to play important social roles such as bearing and raising of children (Smith, 232-233).
As a rite of passage, marriage is important across cultures for a number of reasons. First, marriage signifies social and emotional transition for both the bride and the groom. All marriage ceremonies mark a dramatic change in the social statuses of the individuals involved. In most cultures, marriage signifies full transition into adulthood, and thus the newlyweds are bestowed with special social responsibilities such as potential parenthood. The couple is expected to start a new life in a new home different from the natal families in which they were brought up. As is the case in many societies, one spouse (usually the woman in heterosexual marriages) moves to the other spouse’s family and community. The marriage ceremony and associated rituals sanction and legitimize the importance of the couple’s new social statuses as well as the behavioral expectations bestowed upon them (Smith, 232-233).
Secondly, marriage is an important rite of passage because it is through it that the society expects to rise the next generation. In essence, most marriage ceremonies are often catered for by families of the spouse to emphasize to the couple the family’s expectation that the couple bears and raises the next generation. In addition, in some cultures some form of material exchange happens between the families of the bride and the groom. This exchange may take the form of bride price, dowry, or inheritance of properties. Either way, material exchange signifies the importance the family and society attaches on the marriage and the expectation for the future. In most traditional societies, arranged marriages were the norm and wedding ceremonies were quite simple. Today, the Western influence has resulted in potential couples having more opportunities to select a desired spouse. Nevertheless, traditional rituals and rites are a major component of many modern marriage ceremonies (Haviland, Prins, Walrath & Bunny, 406-409).
Conclusion
Marriage is an important rite of passage in all cultures. A key aspect of this rite of passage is the symbolic expression of the new status of the man and woman. They become a couple and are expected to consummate the marriage, bear children and continue the family generation. As such, marriage is the strongest social bond between a man and a woman and is expected to last throughout life.
References
George Monger. Marriage customs of the world: from henna to honeymoons. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2004. pp.
Haviland William, Prins Harald, Walrath Dana and Bunny McBride. The Essence of Anthropology. Boston: Wadsworth Publishing, 2007.
Smith, Peter (2000). Marriage. A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2000.
