Marriage Roles

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer discusses that traditional roles in marriage have been considered by some to be the foundation of American society. The writer points out that marriages between men and women have been accepted and expected since the country was founded and the gender roles that have been played in these relationships remained generally unchanged until the last few decades. The writer then notes that within the country people now argue about whether or not traditional roles in marriage are superior to non-traditional roles. The writer maintains that what is apparent is that there is an attempt being made to control how people live and who they will ultimately marry. The writer discusses that the struggle for control over people can be correlated to the control over women that has existed in traditional marriages throughout history. Traditional roles are no longer about happiness as much as they are about one partner dominating another. However, in non-traditional marriages individuals are discovering that they have the ability to build a life that is based on their mutual goals and these people are genuinely happy. The writer argues that since happiness would appear to be the primary reason for people to get married, it is evident that non-traditional roles are more preferential than traditional roles when it comes to marriage.

From the Paper:

"With the rise of industrialization and urbanization traditional gender roles in marriage were established for many years. Traditional gender roles in marriage have focused on the woman being the primary caregiver and the man being the breadwinner. For women this meant that they were tasked with maintaining every aspect of the home, to include the upkeep of the residence, ensuring that the bills were paid, preparing the meals and cleaning. These roles also tasked the women with the responsibility of caring for children and ensuring that their educational needs were met. It further meant that the woman was responsible for attending to all of her husband's needs and providing a home in which he could be happy. For men the traditional role in marriage related more to employment and the ability to provide a sufficient income. While males were expected to fulfill a role as father and husband, these duties were expected to occur when the male had excess time away from his job."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Boris, E., and Eifert, C. (n.d.). Gender roles and the family. Competing Modernities. Retrieved August 2, 2006, from http://www.ghi-dc.org/competingmodernities/e_gender.cfm
• Domestic abuse. (n.d.). Marriage and Family. Retrieved August 2, 2006, from file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/patrice/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.IE5/LZRUTRMK/MARRIAGEANDFAMILY%5B1%5D.ppt#256,1,MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
• Ibsen's A doll's house. (n.d.). Marxists.org. Retrieved August 2, 2006, from http://www.marxists.org/subject/women/fiction/ibsen/doll/ch03.htm
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