"Family" is of course an elastic word.
``
Family
''
is
of
course
an
elastic
word
.
But when British people say that their society is based on family life, they are thinking of "family" in its narrow, peculiarly European sense of mother, father and children living together alone in their own house as an economic and social unit.
But
when
British
people
say
that
their
society
is
based
on
family
life
,
they
are
thinking
of
``
family
''
in
its
narrow
,
peculiarly
European
sense
of
mother
,
father
and
children
living
together
alone
in
their
own
house
as
an
economic
and
social
unit
.
Thus, every British marriage indicates the beginning of a new and independent family--hence the tremendous importance of marriage in British life.
Thus
,
every
British
marriage
indicates
the
beginning
of
a
new
and
independent
family
--
hence
the
tremendous
importance
of
marriage
in
British
life
.
For both the man and the woman, marriage means leaving one's parents and starting one's own life.
For
both
the
man
and
the
woman
,
marriage
means
leaving
one
's
parents
and
starting
one
's
own
life
.
The man's first duty will then be to his wife, and the wife's to her husband.
The
man
's
first
duty
will
then
be
to
his
wife
,
and
the
wife
's
to
her
husband
.
He will be entirely responsible for her financial support, and she for the running of the new home.
He
will
be
entirely
responsible
for
her
financial
support
,
and
she
for
the
running
of
the
new
home
.
Their children will be their common responsibility and theirs alone.
Their
children
will
be
their
common
responsibility
and
theirs
alone
.
Neither the wife's parents nor the husband's, nor their brothers or sisters, aunts or uncles, have any right to interfere with them--they are their own masters.
Neither
the
wife
's
parents
nor
the
husband
's
,
nor
their
brothers
or
sisters
,
aunts
or
uncles
,
have
any
right
to
interfere
with
them
--
they
are
their
own
masters
.
Readers of novels like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice will know that in former times marriage among wealthy families were arranged by the girl's parents, that is, it was the parents' duty to find a suitable husband for their daughter, preferably a rich one, and by skillful encouragement to lead him eventually to ask their permission to marry her.
Readers
of
novels
like
Jane
Austen
's
Pride
and
Prejudice
will
know
that
in
former
times
marriage
among
wealthy
families
were
arranged
by
the
girl
's
parents
,
that
is
,
it
was
the
parents
'
duty
to
find
a
suitable
husband
for
their
daughter
,
preferably
a
rich
one
,
and
by
skillful
encouragement
to
lead
him
eventually
to
ask
their
permission
to
marry
her
.
Until that time, the girl was protected and maintained in the parents' home, and the financial relief of getting rid of her could be seen in their giving the newly married pair a sum of money called a dowry.
Until
that
time
,
the
girl
was
protected
and
maintained
in
the
parents
'
home
,
and
the
financial
relief
of
getting
rid
of
her
could
be
seen
in
their
giving
the
newly
married
pair
a
sum
of
money
called
a
dowry
.
It is very different today.
It
is
very
different
today
.
Most girls of today get a job when they leave school and become financially independent before their marriage.
Most
girls
of
today
get
a
job
when
they
leave
school
and
become
financially
independent
before
their
marriage
.
This has had two results.
This
has
had
two
results
.
A girl chooses her own husband, and she gets no dowry.
A
girl
chooses
her
own
husband
,
and
she
gets
no
dowry
.
"Family" is of course an elastic word. But when British people say that their society is based on family life, they are thinking of "family" in its narrow, peculiarly European sense of mother, father and children living together alone in their own house as an economic and social unit. Thus, every British marriage indicates the beginning of a new and independent family--hence the tremendous importance of marriage in British life. For both the man and the woman, marriage means leaving one's parents and starting one's own life. The man's first duty will then be to his wife, and the wife's to her husband. He will be entirely responsible for her financial support, and she for the running of the new home. Their children will be their common responsibility and theirs alone. Neither the wife's parents nor the husband's, nor their brothers or sisters, aunts or uncles, have any right to interfere with them--they are their own masters.  Readers of novels like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice will know that in former times marriage among wealthy families were arranged by the girl's parents, that is, it was the parents' duty to find a suitable husband for their daughter, preferably a rich one, and by skillful encouragement to lead him eventually to ask their permission to marry her. Until that time, the girl was protected and maintained in the parents' home, and the financial relief of getting rid of her could be seen in their giving the newly married pair a sum of money called a dowry. It is very different today. Most girls of today get a job when they leave school and become financially independent before their marriage. This has had two results. A girl chooses her own husband, and she gets no dowry.