History of Marriage

In the Middle Ages marriages were not formed by love but by political and economic gain, usually through arrangement of parents. The phrase "Madly in love" was a literal term. People believed you were mad if you felt love towards your spouse. Gradually over the years men and women have been given more freedom to choose who they marry, and therefore changed the reasons for getting married. Personal interest and satisfaction has grown to be very important in marriage. I agree romantic love is very important in marriage, but have people taken in it too far? John Gray said, "We demand and deserve lasting happiness, intimacy and passion with a single partner. If we don't get it, we are prepared to sacrifice the marriage; personal fulfillment is suddenly more important than the family unit. . . . Are we to turn back the clock and deny our own personal needs and suddenly make the family more important? In most cases, the solution is not divorce nor is it self-sacrifice. Instead, the answer lies in learning how to create relationships and marriages that support our personal fulfillment." (Fowers)