Maddie Bitonti
LENG 111
Professor Craig
27 November 2017
Arranged Marriage
India, Pakistan, Japan, China, and Israel are all countries where arranged marriage is commonly practiced but is unsuitable in the United States (New World Encyclopedia). Arranged marriage can be defined as a marriage which involves the parents in a process of selecting marriage partners for their children, with or without the help of a matchmaker (New World Encyclopedia). Many people look down upon arranged marriages and feel that they always end up failing, but I strongly believe that arrange marriages bring forth many more benefits than others think. Arranged marriage is advantageous due to a guarantee mate and planned future, stability, and long-lasting happiness and love.
One benefit of an arranged marriage is a guaranteed mate for life and planned future. In the United States, 40 to 50% of married couples are divorced according to the American Psychological Association. The global divorce rate for arranged marriages is 6% (Buch). Many singles are also not actively searching for a relationship. The people that are seeking for a relationship are not actively dating. In fact, about 49% of people have been on no more than one date in three months (Madden and Rainie). Teens and adults are extremely busy with their day to day lives at work or school, so putting the necessary time to find a relationship can be challenging. Arranged marriages also relieve the stress and pressure of finding one person to settle down and live the rest of your life with. It can be frustrating and time consuming to meet the right person, so marriages are often rushed. Many people think that the partners are forced to marry and that they are strangers when the ceremony is conducted, but it is quite the opposite. Families of the spouses want their children to be happy and comfortable with a caring spouse. In traditional marriages, the parents will respect the wishes of their son or daughter if they refuse to marry. The main motivation factor in such marriages is the happiness of the son or daughter, but the standpoint is that “Parents know best” (“Traditional Arranged Marriages”). This eliminates the argument that the couple’s freedom is limited. Arranged marriages are carefully planned and spouses are chosen critically. In arranged marriages, the future spouse will be selected by the parents to ensure compatibility of both adult and children. The parents want the most suitable spouse for their children, so they will choose someone for instance with the same religion and culture. The families of the spouses are deeply involved in the process of choosing a partner for their family member, and the families get along. People tend to confuse arranged marriage with forced marriage. A forced marriage is a marriage conducted without the valid consent of one or both parties and where duress is a factor (“Honour Based Violence and Forced Marriage”). Forced marriage violates human rights and is a form...
