1. Shift from Practical to Emotional Basis:
Traditionally viewed as a practical arrangement for financial and social stability, marriage began to be seen as a union based on love, emotional compatibility, and shared values. Romantic poets and writers emphasized the importance of individual fulfillment and personal happiness in choosing a marriage partner.
2. Decline of Arranged Marriages:
The Romantic era witnessed a decline in arranged marriages. Individuals sought greater autonomy in selecting their partners, leading to a rise in love marriages based on mutual affection and shared interests.
3. Idealization of Love and Marriage:
The Romantics idealized the concept of romantic love, often portraying it as a transformative, passionate, and almost transcendent experience. This elevated view of love influenced societal expectations and aspirations for marital unions.
4. Emphasis on Individualism:
The Romantic period stressed individualism, personal growth, and self-expression. This affected marriage as partners began to assert their own identities and expectations within the marital relationship.
5. Gender Roles and Expectations:
While gender roles were still largely traditional, with men expected to be providers and women to be homemakers, there was a growing discourse about gender equality and women's rights. Romantic writers explored the emotional complexity of women's experiences within marriage.
6. Romantic Love as a Literary Theme:
Romantic literature was replete with stories and poems that explored the themes of love, marriage, infidelity, and the pursuit of happiness in marital relationships. This literary focus reflected the broader societal interest in these topics.
7. Influence on Social Views:
The Romantic period's emphasis on emotional fulfillment, personal fulfillment, and individual freedom in marriage influenced social attitudes and led to gradual shifts in societal norms and expectations concerning marriage.
8. Contrast to Enlightenment Views:
The Enlightenment period, which preceded the Romantic era, had stressed reason and practicality. In contrast, Romantics asserted the significance of emotions and personal fulfillment in marriage.
In summary, the Romantic period marked a shift in societal views of marriage, moving from a practical and social arrangement towards an emphasis on emotional connection, personal happiness, and individual fulfillment in marital unions.