Critique the Radical Idea of Marrying for Love
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English 101
Dr. Brucie
March 6, 2012
A Critique of “The Radical Idea Of Marrying For Love” by Stephanie Coontz
In the beginning of the twentieth century, George Bernard Shaw portrayed marriage as the reason for two people to come together. His comments were comical about being marriaged and that a couple was suppose to become married because of specific reasons, one being profound love. He believed that intense, profound love, and being married until death do them part was a sort of fantasy. In the past it was unique for a couple to get married. Although some historians and other researchers used to believe that falling in love to get married was an Western invention. People have fell in love throughout history and been married just because they simply loved one another. When this transpired it was a danger to crucial social order. The Greek philosopher Plato believed that “love was a wonderful emotion that led men to behave honorably (Stephanie Coontz pg 378). Some societies assumed that falling in love after a couple was married was better. If a society approved of love marriage, it could destroy their commitment to family, neighbors, or God. The Greeks and them Medieval era seen love sickness as a type of “insanity” and that it was disturbing to an individual. Later in the Middle Ages the French
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decided that love was an imbalance to the mind, that could be cured by sexual intercourse. By doing this you could move on to more important concerns. The most famous love affair during that Middle Ages and happened with Peter Abelard and Heloise. This couple eloped without marrying, with Heloise having Peter’s child. Heloise refused to the idea that her uncle proposed about them getting married, she stated that it would undermine their love for one another. Many cultures thought is was inappropriate for a man to kiss his wife in front of anyone. The couple was suppose to keep their love under strict control with no public
English 101
Dr. Brucie
March 6, 2012
A Critique of “The Radical Idea Of Marrying For Love” by Stephanie Coontz
In the beginning of the twentieth century, George Bernard Shaw portrayed marriage as the reason for two people to come together. His comments were comical about being marriaged and that a couple was suppose to become married because of specific reasons, one being profound love. He believed that intense, profound love, and being married until death do them part was a sort of fantasy. In the past it was unique for a couple to get married. Although some historians and other researchers used to believe that falling in love to get married was an Western invention. People have fell in love throughout history and been married just because they simply loved one another. When this transpired it was a danger to crucial social order. The Greek philosopher Plato believed that “love was a wonderful emotion that led men to behave honorably (Stephanie Coontz pg 378). Some societies assumed that falling in love after a couple was married was better. If a society approved of love marriage, it could destroy their commitment to family, neighbors, or God. The Greeks and them Medieval era seen love sickness as a type of “insanity” and that it was disturbing to an individual. Later in the Middle Ages the French
2
decided that love was an imbalance to the mind, that could be cured by sexual intercourse. By doing this you could move on to more important concerns. The most famous love affair during that Middle Ages and happened with Peter Abelard and Heloise. This couple eloped without marrying, with Heloise having Peter’s child. Heloise refused to the idea that her uncle proposed about them getting married, she stated that it would undermine their love for one another. Many cultures thought is was inappropriate for a man to kiss his wife in front of anyone. The couple was suppose to keep their love under strict control with no public