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The Radical Idea Of Marrying For Love

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It’s said that the happiest day in a girl’s life is when she walks down the aisle towards the man she wants to spend the rest of her days with and marries him. But what connotations does the word “marriage” have for this statement to be made? In her article, “The Radical Idea of Marrying for Love,” Stephanie Coontz writes on the contrasting cultural ideas of marriage, relationships, and love. She explains that for thousands of years, love was not seen as a necessity for marriages in different cultures, but now as a Western society, has been idolized into a primary component for marriage. She adds that other cultures, such as ancient Egypt and Eskimo tribes, share spouses and relations as a societal norm. On the contrary, in “Will Your Marriage Last,” Aviva Patz writes on the research done by psychology professor, Ted Huston, on the ways Western society has failed with marriage and how it has affected marriages and divorces. Patz writes from a personal standpoint, including her own divorce. Although both authors hold to different views on love and how marriage should be, they share a common attitude about how Western society has made unrealistic expectations about marriage, and the effects because of it. While Coontz takes a historical and factual approach to these subjects, Patz contradicts with a more personal style and passion-filled tone. When speaking on loves’ position in a marriage, both Coontz and Patz take different standpoints. Coontz firmly believes that “…love

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