Marriage is a relationship that requires love, commitment, and respect, among other things. A marriage can last for years or it can end for a variety of reasons.
An ideal married life differs for each person. If their ideals match, the marriage could prosper. It should be said that even if they are compatible, it doesn’t necessarily mean it would be a happy married life.
When it comes to India, an ideal marriage would be what society deems ideal. The parents are the ones who decide who should marry who. The selection of the bride comes with a lot of consideration. They’ll select a woman based on her education, her skin colour, whether she is ‘pure’, etc. A woman certainly needs to go through trials to a bride.
There is often pressure on women to marry. Since the birth of a girl child, parents would be concerned about finding a man to marry her off to, the issue of dowry, and so on. When a woman reaches a certain age, she is constantly asked, “When are you getting married?” “You should settle down and take care of your husband,” and so on. It’s as if a woman is born with the responsibility of providing for men. An independent, unmarried woman well past the ‘marrying age’ would be mocked and scorned, and in the worst cases, slut-shamed.
The reason why marriages fail could be the fault of either party. It could be because of the man or the woman. However, women are frequently blamed because of how women are perceived in a patriarchal society. Women are speaking up for their rights and refusing to be submissive to men. If the husband strongly believes in male dominance, he will be dissatisfied with a wife who can stand up for herself and is not the shy, obeying wife he expected.
Some men marry with the expectation that their wives will obey them at all times, that they will be the head of the family and have a certain amount of dominance. Men seek power in order to feel superior. And because women are stereotyped as passive and submissive, they are ideal for men to wield power over. This dynamic is a recipe for disaster when introduced into a marriage. Superiority complex, ego issues, excessive controlling by the husband and other problems can all doom a marriage.
Men frequently believe they are superior to women and that they can do whatever they want without consequences, which leads to failed marriages. Because of the deeply ingrained patriarchal system, society favours men. A woman is frequently blamed when the fault is not hers, to begin with.
Domestic abuse, both emotionally and physically, is also a reason for marriage failure. Extra-marital affairs is also another.
A toxic marriage in which both parties refuse to respect and understand each other is doomed to fail. Divorce is not always the result of a failed marriage. For the sake of their reputation or the concerns of their families, the couple would remain married despite their lost love.