Custom «Polygamist vs. Traditional Marriage» Essay Paper Sample

Polygamy is an act of marrying more one partner; sometimes it is also referred to polyandry. The definition polygamy is subject to different communities but commonly the definition is precisely a man that has many wives. Most societies find polygamy a usual phenomenon within their society (Nussbaum, 2010). The practice is common among the Muslim societies and the African norms. The Koran for example supports polygamy. Polygamist is someone who practices polygamy or commonly a man who has many wives. It is not common among the Christians to find a priest or the Christians faithful practicing the act. Polygamy is widely practiced through the influence of the religion and culture (Milton, 2009).

Traditional marriage is commonly a marriage between a man and a woman. Traditional marriage varies among societies and it is based on the cultures and the traditions of the community. Same sex marriage is also categorized as traditional marriage; gays and lesbians. The idealities of these marriages are based on the traditional values that are owned and look unique from others (Milton, 2009).  Polygamy is a common traditional marriage that is practiced across many societies. Some Traditional marriages values children as the basic reason for marriage and that many children are security to the marriages and the society. For example some traditions employ traditional beliefs to have many children as a shield from natural disasters such as diseases and other natural disasters that causes deaths among the human beings (Milton, 2009).  

A polygamists are in one way traditionalists; they posses most of the characteristics of traditionalists. Most of the polygamist utilizes the traditional marriage beliefs to acquire more wives. A polygamist is considered a wealthy person in most traditional marriage and therefore most people get to traditional wedding to show their wealth in the society. Traditional marriage is always accompanied by some customary activities while performing the wedding.  Traditionally, wedding is performed to specific brides and bridegrooms; this is according to traditional beliefs in virginity among girls. Virgin girls were considered the best wife materials even to the polygamists.

The gay and lesbian traditional marriages have received cold reception by most factions in the society. The religious groups are strongly objecting and to them it is a vice that must be out of the society totally (Paulme, 2004).

Similarities

Traditional marriage and polygamist are similar in that they are both are dependant on each other. Basically polygamist is a beneficiary of traditional marriage. They follow most of the traditional marriage loopholes available to obtain legal marriage of more than one woman. Many countries consider traditional marriages as legal and therefore polygamy is also legalized (Zeitzen, 2008). Traditional marriage offer variety of options to the people to choose from the kind of marriage they want and the number of wives they would like to be with. It offers the kind of options that polygamists want unlike some law based laws where marriage is controlled. Polygamists are guided by certain beliefs that may coincide with some of the traditions and its traditional objectives. According to traditional marriages, there are different ways of conducting a traditional marriage and polygamy. In many cases, some traditions allow only polygamy to be conducted through on sisters when the elder sister dies while others allow only to an outsider to both the husband and the wife. It is only the traditions that dictate the kind of marriage and the format of polygamy in each case. The society values is what is required on traditional marriage whether polygamy or a single partner marriage.

Differences

Polygamy is a marriage with some specifications; that is to achieve the mission of having a greater family through marrying many women as much as possible or polyandry having many men. Traditional marriage has general meaning for many types of marriages ranging from religious, traditional to the modern and polygamy (Nussbaum, 2010). Normally polygamists are not allowed in some religions for example Christianity, polygamists heavily discouraged and criticized. Most off the traditional Christian norms believe that priests are not allowed to get married for example the Catholic Church discourages priests from marrying and even engaging in sex at all. Some countries are strict marriage with some having requiring consultation with the wife before resulting to more. Basically traditional marriages do not necessarily favor marriages of polygamies (Werpehowski, 2005).

The Muslim laws restrict polygamy on a fair marriage where a man and women both in the normal condition can get into marriage however orphaned girls are given protected protection from the society against disadvantage moves from malicious polygamist who exploit their innocence and vulnerability therefore they are only permitted to do so after confirmation that it is a genuine marriage and by the elders (Zeitzen, 2008). Similarly to Christianity, a man or a woman is allowed to have a second partner when the current one dies. Though polygamist are allowed when they join the religion on such status. However, their polygamous behaviors are not condoned afterwards. Biblically, divorce is not allowed and it is only on some few conditions that a divorce may be allowed (Werpehowski, 2005) 

Explanation of traditional marriage does is associated with several meanings depending on the norms. Every society has their own ways of conducting tradition marriages but not all societies conduct polygamy. Polygamy is rarely mentioned among the gay since of societies don't recognize them. But their traditions remain as one of the minority. Though most of the traditional societies have laws on how to conduct some marriages, it is impossible for them to form marriage law (Paulme, 2004).