Attitudes Towards Marriage
Within the last 100 years, attitudes towards marriage have significantly changed. Traditionally, men and women were expected to marry whereas today this isn’t the case and many people choose whether or not they wish to get married. This is partly because women are much more active in the workplace and have different priorities. Traditionally, any property belonging to the wife passed to her husband. This meant that many didn’t marry for love, and alliances were made between families to secure property and land. The brides’ family would often pay a dowry to the groom. Back then attitude towards marriage was more like a business transaction. The wife was seen as belonging to her husband, and she was his property. Today, not many women would be prepared to marry men with this attitude!