In Marriage a-la-Mode, Hogarth
critiques fashionable marriage in the eighteenth century. Marriage was almost
always arranged, and marriage partners were rarely in love. Hogarth shows infidelity
as a common occurrence because of the arranged loveless marriage.
In
today’s society marriage is not viewed as the most important thing in a
relationship. Much of the world views marriage as unnecessary because they are comfortable
without tying the knot. They do not understand
the importance of the ceremony, when they already live as married couples.
Among married couples some are getting divorced. They end the marriage that
they have worked on for years, eventually giving up on it. It may be infidelity,
but sometimes the people just change and they are not willing to change
together. I think this is one reason why marriage is not being taken as
seriously among our society.
If I were
to illustrate marriage in today’s society, like Hogarth did with his paintings,
I would show the stages of divorce. I would begin with a happily married couple
celebrating their wedding. Then, I would show this married couple with kids,
stacks of bills, a leaky roof, and other struggles that married couples begin
to have as they move through their lives. I would have them looking away from
each other having them do different things and avoiding each other. Last I would
show the divorce papers being signed with a white surrender flag in the
distance.
I do
not believe that all marriage out there is like this. I believe that marriage
is a strong bond that if worked on can stay together through anything that life
throws at them. Sadly, the view on marriage has turned away from being a
serious sign of love, to a reason for a giant party. Marriage may not be taken
seriously by society, but it should be.
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