Traditionally, marriage played an extremely important role in the life of people.
It is particularly interesting to trace the changes in people’s attitude
to marriage, especially concerning the reasons that made people marry each other.
In this respect, the Renaissance period seems to be particularly worthy to analyse
because it was a turning point in the development of western civilization, including
not only technology, economy, politics, but also culture. Naturally, the dramatic
changes that affected practically all spheres of life could not fail to influence
marriage. This is why it is necessary to look beyond marriage in order to better
understand motives and reasons that made people marry that would help better
understand the Renaissance culture and main socio-cultural trends on the basis
of analysis of the situation in Renaissance Italy.
First of all, it is necessary to point out that, despite great changes that
have started to progress in Italian society in the Renaissance period starting
from 15th century till late 17th century, some Medieval trends were still quite
strong. For instance, religion was still important, especially in question of
marriage since “the Church remained a formidable political, social and
economic force during the era” (1). Furthermore, it is worthy to mention
that the origin and social status of individuals played an extremely important
role. Moreover, often the social status played a defining role on the decision
whether to marry or not. Practically, it means that individuals from different
social classes could hardly marry each other because it would be practically
unacceptable for society and could deteriorate public position of one of the
spouses or even that of both of them.
Naturally, it should be said that certain positive changes have been initiated
in the Renaissance Italy, as well as in other countries where Renaissance trends
spread from this country, but they were obviously too weak to change totally
traditional stereotypes. Nonetheless, it should be pointed out that if the extreme
points of the Renaissance epoch in Italy are compared, i.e. early and late Renaissance,
than it would be clear that at the beginning nobility was one of the key factors
that not only indicated at a social status of an individual but also defined
the choice of a potential spouse. In other words, in early 15th century, the
noble origin of an individual prevented him/her from marriage with representatives
of lower classes.
On the other hand, as Renaissance progressed, so did socio-economic relations.
As a result, nobility gave its leading positions in the defining of the social
status of an individual to wealth. Such a shift in social hierarchy naturally
influenced people’s consciousness and in late Renaissance, i.e. late 17th
century, wealth played the “defining role in the individuals’ decisions
concerning marriage” (2). Practically it means that difference in the
level of income could prevent marriage between people whose income was absolutely
different. Thus, money separated people and made any serious relations between
rich and poor, for instance, practically impossible.
Consequently, by the end of the Renaissance period wealth had started to play
an important role in marriage and in some cases it was even possible to speak
that it is not people that marry but their wealth that made them marry. Obviously,
this was one of the main changes in the attitude to marriage and it actually
changed the reasons for marriage. It means that, unlike in early Renaissance
in Italy, two individuals, could easily marry each other on the condition that
they were practically equally rich or poor, regardless the origin and nobility.
Obviously, in conclusion, it is possible to say that a shift in factors influencing
marriage still left little room for real feelings, such as love, but the progress
was still obvious since in late 17th century in Italy, marriages between ex-feudals
and ex-vassals became a normal practice, naturally if they both were rich or
poor enough.
Sources:
1. Overview of the 16th Century. Retrieved April 27, 2006, from www.wwnorton.com/nael/16century/welcom/htm
2. Seiferth, Michael S. The Renaissance. Retrived April 27, 2006, from www.lonestar.texas.net/renaissance/html
