Taking the number of mating partners as variable, marital relations may be monogamous, polygamous and polyandrous.
Mating relation is monogamous where marriage is a union of one man and one woman.
Polygynous relations occurs where a man has right to have more than one wife.
In polyandrous, when a woman is simultaneously married to two or more men.
Kinds of mates: The personalities of the partners will have impact on marital relations.
Choice of mates: There are 2 possibilities i.e. based on choice of mates – love marriage or Arranged marriage. Secondly, exogamous and endogamous marital relations.
Exchange at marriage: It deals with what are the different arrangements that exist for the transfer of wealth at the marriage, there are 3 possibilities –
Wealth may be transferred by the husband or his kin to the bride’s family – bride’s price.
Wealth or dowry is a sum of money or property i.e. brought to the marriage by the girl – groom’s price.
It is the transfer of wealth in the form of gifts to help the young couple to set up the new household – wedding presents.
Degree of authority: Where the wife enjoys a subordinate position in relation to the husband, the marital status is patriarchal. The relation is matriarchal, where husband enjoys a subordinate position in relation to the wife.
Strength of bond: Marriage is the sanctioning by a society of a durable bond between a man and woman. If the marital relations exist for a very short period, it is called temporary. If the couple overcomes the differences without going for divorce, the marital relations remain unbreakable.
Possibility of remarriage: On the basis of possibility of remarriage, there may be 3 kinds of marital relations – no marriage after death or divorce, permissive remarriage, mandatory remarriage.
Residence after marriage: There are 3 possible relations which depend upon the residence set up by the young people.
When a man moves to his wife’s family’s household, matrilocal.
If the wife joins her husband’s family’s household, patrilocal
When the married couple set up a new residence, neolocal.
Age at marriage: On the basis of age at marriage, there are 2 possibilities of marital relations – Early and Late marriages.
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