The characteristics of marriage are:
1. Marriage is more or less a universal institutional: It is found among the preliterate as well as literate people. It is enforced as a social rule in some of the societies. For example. In Japan celibacy is publicly condemned. In Korea, unmarried individual are called‘Half’persons. Among the Hindus, marriage is a sacrament which is regarded as more or less obligatory.
- The Todas of Nilagiri refuse to perform ** rites for a girl if she before her marriage. But they do perform it after completing some sort of marriage ceremony for the corpse. According to the **** philosopher Confucius, an individual who ** unmarried throughout his life commits a ****.
3. Relationship between Man and Woman: Marriage is a union of man and woman. It indicates a relationship between one or more men to one or more *****. Who should marry whom? One should marry how many? Are the questions which represent social rules regarding marriage differ significantly.
4. Marital bond is relatively durable: Marriage indicates a long lasting bond between the husband and wife. Hence, it is not coextensive with life. It excludes relationships with prostitutes or any other ** relationship which is viewed as casual and not sanctioned by custom, law or . Marital relationship between man and lasts even after the ** satisfaction is obtained.
5. Marriage requires social approval: A union of man and woman becomes a marital bond only when the society gives its approval. When marriage is given the hallmark of social approval, it becomes a legal contract.
6. Marriage is associated with some civil or religious ceremony: Marriage gets its social recognition through some ceremony. This ceremony may have its own rites, rituals, customs, formalities, etc, it means marriage has to be concluded in public and in a solemn manner. Sometimes as * sacrament it receives the blessing of religion. Marriage among the Hindus, for examples, is regarded as a sacrament. It is connected with the sacred rituals such as- Vagdana. Homa, Kanyadana, Magalia Dharana, Saptapadi, Ashmarohana, etc.
7. Marriage creates mutual obligations: Marriage imposes certain rights and duties on both the husband and wife. Both are required to support each other and their ****.
