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Christopher R. Whittle

Professor Mike Gormley

ENG 101: English Composition and Literature I

FINAL, November 16, 2010

Men Being Married

In the traditional Roman Catholic Marriage Service, in which the

bride is escorted down the center aisle by her father accompanied to the

Pachebel Canon played by the organist and trumpeters, the bridegroom

waits at the foot of the altar along with his witnesses and the priest, who is

wearing a white or gold cope. When she reaches the altar to greet him, they

immediately exchange the following vows to each other (in Latin):

I, (name), take thee, (name), for my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in health, till death do us part; and thereto, I plight thee my troth [Daily Missal 1598].

After these vows are prescribed, the priest blesses the marriage and

the wedding bands. The following then is recited (in Latin) when each party

both presents the ring on the finger and the gold and silver coins,

representing the dowry:

With this ring I thee wed; this gold and silver I thee give; with my body I thee worship; and with all my worldly goods I thee endow; In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen [Daily Missal 1599].

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Signing the marriage license takes place following this service, which

is then succeeded by the votive Mass for “Bridegroom and Bride” [Daily

Missal 1600]. At the completion of this Mass, the man is now a husband to

his wife and has the responsibility and benefits of being with her. These

include helping out each other and the right to bear natural children [Daily

Missal 1597]. Similar benefits are explained in the short essay “Why I Want

a Wife” by Judy Brady. With all that is said, in order to live healthy,

peacefully, and happily ever after, it is necessary for men who are single to

get married.

Marriage provides the man a sense of maturity and responsibility

toward his spouse and children. In Judaism, men who do not marry are

considered to be “shameful” [Jenks 30]. A 1955 study shows that single

persons who are not married are considered to be “sick”, “neurotic”, or

“immoral” [White 93]. David Riesman once said that if a woman could not

bear a child, it was “a social disadvantage and sometimes a personal

tragedy” [White 23]. These aims show that marriage is a highly important,

continuous event that is to last for eternity.

Benefits for the man being a husband can gain medical benefits

physically, not overlooking the monetary piece. A wife can physically attract

her husband to her [Knox 175]. This event, when ever seen or unseen by

children, greatly benefits them and the married persons. Therefore

“children are entitled to the affection and association of two parents, not

one” [White 98]. It is better-off for both children and parents to be a family

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[Gallagher 199 and White 111]. Sadly, only twenty-four percent of married

American households have children today [White 90]. Toiletry, marriage is

being treated as a contract being terminated to attempt to refrain from

childcare [George]. Even George W. Bush, while serving as forty-third

President of the United States, said about the scary divorce and separation

process:

Marriage is a sacred institution, and its protection is essential to the continued strength of our society…by supporting responsible childrearing and strong families. My administration is seeking to ensure that every child can grow up in a safe and loving home [White 102].

Men are also more sexually horny and frustrated than women. Judy Brady,

author of “Why I Want a Wife”, explains the scenario of a male friend:

I want a wife who is sensitive to my sexual needs, … who makes love passionately and eagerly… [and] will remain sexually faithful to me that I do not have to clutter up my intellectual life with jealousies [370].

The very same truth holds for the author of this paper.

Emotional support keys any successful relationship, particularly

marriage and family. David Knox indicates albeit career opportunities are

important “for most men, being supplemented by increased interest in the

family unit. Some men are particularly becoming more involved in their role

as [a] father” [1]. Likewise, the role of the mother is equally significant

[Brady 368]. With this particular setup, both the husband and his wife could

learn how to care for their children, regardless of the sex of the child, if and

when an emergency shall occur.

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Economics and legalities have kept marriages stable in a difficult

world at present. Helen Gurley Brown said in a 1962 issue of Cosmopolitan

magazine that marriage is “insurance for the worst years of your life”

[White 92]. This may seem like a satire on marriage being an insurance

policy with a monetary value, but consider this: “…many single parents do

not have the resources for getting their children medical care” [Jenks 8].

Triggering the increased numbers and statistics results in one million

divorces annually from households with children [White 96]. This in itself is

pathetically sad.

Parents do not have to be single to suffer the consequences of no

marriage. Cohabitating couples (sleeping together not married) cannot

legally exist in Black Jack, Missouri [White 108]. In many cases:

Unmarried couples…are…refused automobile or home [insurance] or charged higher rates…employee’s family health coverage…, United States Citizenship, food stamps, or Social Security survivors’ benefits. A live-in partner cannot be listed as a dependent, which would provide a tax deduction [Knox 198].

Therefore, it is very advisable for young gentlemen to get married as

soon as they possibly can. Marriage will make him mature and diligent, with

financial and emotional benefits attached. Most of our nation’s presidents

who have occupied the mansion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington,

D.C., had wives and children. This does not mean that you can have them

also.

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Works Cited

Brady, Judy. “Why I Want a Wife”, 75 Readings: An Anthology, 11ed. Buschemi and Smith. Boston: McGraw Hill Higher Education,2010: 368-370. Print

Gallagher, Maggie. “(How) Does Marriage Protect Child Well-Being?”, Meaning of Marriage. ed. George and Bethke. Dallas: SpencePublishing Co., 2006: 199, 212. Print

George, Robert P. “What’s Sex Got to Do with it?”, The Meaning ofMarriage. ed. George and Bethke. Dallas: Spence Publishing Co.,2006: 145. Print

Jenks, Richard J. Divorce, Annulments, and the Catholic Church. New York:The Haworth Press, 2002: 1-30. Print

Knox, David. Choices in Relationships: An Introduction to Marriage and theFamily. St. Paul: West Publishing Co., 1985: 1-254. Print

Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962. Kansas City: Angelus Press, 2004: 1597-