How Was Marriage Arranged In Colonial Times ?

It was common for husbands to have relationship with other women outside the marriages. The wives were fully aware of such affairs but could not do much to change the situation. This was because marriages were politically arranged. In addition, wives were neglected, some died during child birth or improper medical care.

In order to sustain smooth functioning of the families, marriages were more like a partnership between a man and a woman with specific functions. Men were mostly in charge of sustaining the family by going out and earning, and being involved in politics, war. Women stayed home, took care of the household chores and children. The children born out of these marriages were the legal heirs to the property. While the wife had no right to anything in the family will. Most of the marital laws during the colonial era were based on these social norms.

Women were only responsible for the household chores. If the woman was a little educated, she would take care of the accounting and management of the household expenses. If a married woman died, there were very scanty cultural rituals and little time to mourn her death. There was a complete lack of love in these marital relationships during the colonial era. These arranged marriages were mostly prevalent in business communities. These communities used the institution of marriage as money making transactions.

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