“For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part”. These words, or similar, are spoken as a result of a traditional love marriage; granted at the time of the marriage, a spouse cannot leave the opposing spouse unless death is the cause. Nowadays that is not the leading cause in the separation of a couple. The American Psychological Association stated that 40 to 50 percent of traditional American marriages lead to divorce whereas 1.1 percent of arranged Indian marriages lead to divorce. In some cultures a love marriage is frowned upon because it does not guarantee a relationship. By parents arranging a relationship for their child, it guarantees that they will be taken care of. The difference between the two is that an arranged marriage brings together two strangers while love marriage is two strangers who have become well acquainted with each other. The divorce rate is seemingly lower within arranged marriages and it has been proven that they are more stable than any other relationship. An arranged marriage guarantees a lifelong relationship whereas a love marriage is based on emotions.
“An arranged marriage is said to be arranged when the man and the woman are introduced through a third party, their families also meet up and finally the marriage takes place with the consent of both families and the couple” (HubPages). There are four main factors that help match two individuals together: caste also referred to as the social status, horoscope compatibility, and an ego. An arranged marriage brings together to people who have little knowledge about each other and they are wedded as soon as possible. In the Indian culture dating is forbidden and if the parents have a strong belief in their religion, there is no wavering of their decision. In an article on arranged marriage, Debie Thomas talks about her life of being in an arranged marriage for 17 years with a man who is the opposite of herself. She is Indian American but her parents however descend from India. Being a hopeless romantic, Thomas tried many times to convince her parents that a traditional marriage should become realistic within their faith but each time her proposal was denied. She eventually became married to Alex, the man who would go on to create a stable life for the both of them. “Yes, at times we think about quitting… But something always pulls us back. To arrange a life is also to love and protect it…” Thomas concluded. Every marriage has difference of opinions, adjustments that have to be made, and sometimes debates. Thomas realized that an arranged marriage is made up of all of these things just as a love marriage is, but only without the unconditional love.
To elaborate on the difference of the two marriages, there are about three different methods that Indian families go about an arranged marriage, the first of which being the caste system. This system is the Hindu way of distinguishing who belongs in which class. Within the...
