Marriage and courtship patterns in essays

Marriage and courtship patterns in essays The basis of a Chinese citizens importance is highly based on that individuals marriage situation. To be married and to have born male children is often the most important thing to a man besides his land or career. Without marriage a man is often looked down upon by society. On that note, a woman is looked upon as a whore if she is not wed, but has little or no say in her marriage and some times neither does a man. A mans father usually chooses a wife for his son unless his son goes to find one himself. The amount of wealth you have helps decide what kind of a woman you are going to wed. In many situations poorer men married slaves of Great Houses or the daughters of poorer families. If a family had more money then they usually wed daughters of families that had more money. Those that lived in a Great House usually didnt marry because there were many slaves in the House that were used to serve the lords. Once the wife was chose the father must go to the keeper of the woman, whether it is her father or owner, and ask for permission. If given permission the father and son must prepare a dowry for the future wife (9). After receiving the dowry the two will be wed when both guardians feel they are of the right age. When the day of the wedding comes the man will prepare himself for his wife (5). He will clean himself up and then if he has not already done so he will go buy food for a feast (11) that is hosted by the groom for his relatives and neighbors. The groom will then travel to his wifes parents or guardians house to take her back to his own house (13). After the wedding is over the goal in the marriage is merely to have children. Most of the time the two that are wed do not love each other, instead they have a common respect for one another to have children. If a male was born the woman was thought of as a good wife (38), if a female or a slave was born then the wife was looked down upon (65). ...