Marriage in most countries across the world is the most basic unit of society. Cultural differences in all societies are specific to every way in which marriages work. The roles of either the husband or wife or else both are defined in most societal settings with specific duties and obligations set out for either gender. These roles for each side of the marriage are defined usually by the traditionally male-dominated societies. Men are expected in the matrimonial setting to be the providers, the disciplinarian and the de-facto top authority of the institution. Women on the other hand are expected to submit to these beliefs and do as society wants the to do. These ancient beliefs are however, changing due to modernization. They are however found in literature from different corners of the world.
In most societies across the globe women have been submitted to playing second fiddle in their marriages either by the stricter sex or else by the societies’ norms. They are even oppressed by these ancient traditions that are enforced on them through the institution of marriage. They however, have to follow these set customs in order to fit into society. In the story On Ohaeto Street by Chinelo Okparanta, Chinwe has been forced by pressure from her own mother to convert into a Jehovah’s Witness so as to get married to a man of her mother’s choice (Okparanta, 13). In another example from Samrat Upadhyay’s What will happen to Sharma family, Mrs. Sharma is ordered to shut up by her husband while complaining of her daughter’s absence. This trend of women being submissive in other stories is expressed in Secondhand Wife by Ken Kamoche where Anina is being forced by her late husband’s clan to get married to one of his cousins in a case of women’s inheritance (Kamoche, 6). The women in Buddhadeva Bose’s Gagan Baran’s Tale, are separated from the men by a screen during public plays. The aspect is also portrayed in Bassel Atallah’s Mouhaya Learns to Skate where the protagonist herself is in a marriage which has been arranged by her own parents (Atallah, 400).
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Men in marriage and society have a tendency for authoritarian and oppressive behavior towards their wives and also families in general. In a show of might and masculinity, men may end up causing problems in their marriage and on their children due to certain outdated beliefs. In Chinua Achebe’s Marriage is a private affair, Nnaemeka was afraid of his father’s response on his intention to get married to Nene. He was sure that his father was going to oppose the idea since she was not from his ethnic group and because he had already planned another marriage for him with Ugoye, Nweke’s daughter. His father even believed that women were not supposed to teach as the Bible says that they should be silent. The old man Abudo in Ken Kamoche’s Secondhand wife keeps threatening the widow Anina of what will befall her if she does not undergo the rites on her husband’s dead body as show of his authority (Kamoche, 6). in another setting, we are informed in Samrat Upadhyay’s what will happen to Sharma Family, that Mr. Sharma constantly beats his children Nilesh and Nilima to instill his authority as head of the family (Upadhyay, 169). In On Ohaeto Street by Chinelo Okparanta, we get to see that after marriage, Eze scolds his wife Chinwe at any given time for trivial reasons (Okparanta, 16). He scolds her constantly when she dozes off in church or fellowship and even when the food is too spicy.
The purpose and function of marriage narratives in shaping how marriages work in many societies is very important. They are a warning and also provide as an instructional guidance to people who want to get into marriage in different societal settings. Marriage narratives are a warning manual in that they give both the positive and negative sides of a marriage institution. Marriage is presented as a beautiful thing that ensures the continuity of life through children and as a consummation of love. They also give the true picture being that of two people struggling together the rest of their lives. The instruction that is provided by marriage narratives includes the fact that marriage is not as easy as it seems and one should get into it while fully prepared.
References
Okparanta, C. (2013). On Ohaeto Street. The Kenyon Review, 35(2), 7-21.
Kamoche, K. N. (2011). Secondhand Wife. World Literature Today, 85(5), 17-22.
Bose, B., & Sinha, A. (2010). Gagan Baran's Tale, from" My Kind of Girl". New England Review (1990-), 31(3), 40-49.
Achebe, C. (1982). Marriage Is a Private Affair. Girls at War and Other Stories: London: Heinemann.
Atallah, B. (2011). Mouhaya Learns to Skate. The Dalhousie Review.
