‘Til Death Do Us Part, For Better Or Worse
“You may kiss the bride.” The newly married couple is presented before the congregation in the church and congratulations are given in the form of happy applause. This is what Americans know to be the famous ending of any couple being joined in marriage. Many of us would like to paint a picture of marriage as being simply a joyous occasion, one in which someone pledges his or her life to someone else for the simple want to do so. But not all societies are given the advantage to do this. Even in America, marriage cannot be clearly defined outside of legal guidelines. The dictionary defines marriage as the state of being legally joined to another; the act of marrying or the ceremony of being married. That’s all that is needed, marriage is simply defined. However, the cultural definition of marriage, depending in the culture that one resides in, differs greatly and can depend on many factors.