Husband

A husband is a male spouse (participant) in a marriage, civil union or civil partnership.

Origin and etymology

The term "husband" refers to Middle English "huseband", from Old English "hūsbōnda", from Old Norse "hūsbōndi" (hūs, house + bōndi, būandi, present participle of būa, to dwell, so etymologically, a householder, ). [ [http://www.bartleby.com/61/31/H0333100.html "American Heritage Dictionary" on “husband”] ]

Related terms

A husband has been married to another person (possibly multiple persons) in a wedding ceremony, during which he was known as the groom. His female partner would be known during the wedding as his bride, and in marriage she is called his wife.

Although “husband” seems to be a close term to groom, the latter is a male participant in a wedding ceremony, while a husband is a married man after the wedding, during his marriage. Upon marriage, he or his family may have received a dowry, or have had to pay a bride price, or both were exchanged. The dowry not only supported the establishment of a household, but also served as a condition that if the husband committed grave offences upon his wife, the dowry had to be returned to the wife or her family; for the time of the marriage, they were made inalienable by the husband. [Britannica 2005, "dowry"] When the husband dies, he might leave his wife (or wives), then widow (or widows), a dower (often a third or a half of his estate) to support her as dowager. [ [http://m-w.com/dictionary/dower dower - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary] ]

Husband further refers to the institutionalized form in relation to the spouse and offspring, unlike father, a term that puts a man into the context of his children. Also compare the similar husbandry, which in the 14th century referred to the care of the household, but today means the “control or judicious use of resources”, conservation, and in agriculture, the cultivation of plants and animals, and the science about its profession. [Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary]

Western culture

Historical status

In premodern times (ancient Roman, mediaeval, and early modern history), a husband was supposed to protect and support not only his wife and children, but servants and animals of his domain, and the father (as the “patron”) was awarded with much authority, differing from that of his wife. [ [http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_text_mommsen_1_5_2.htm Greek, Germanic and Roman laws compared] by Theodor Mommsen]

In the Middle Ages and Early Modern European history, it was unusual to marry out of love, but then became an influential ideal. [ [http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews34_45/page6.cfm Stephanie Coontz on “classic marriage”] ] [William C. Horne, Making a heaven of hell: the problem of the companionate ideal in English marriage, poetry, 1650-1800 Athens (Georgia), 1993] A husband then had more opportunities in society than his wife, who was not recognized as legally independent. [William Blackstone, Commentaries upon the Laws of England]

Contemporary status

In contemporary Christian or secularized Western culture, the rights of wife and husband have been made equal; although in regard to husbands leaving their families, the civil marriage generally forces them to provide alimony for his former spouse even after separation and also after a divorce (see also Law and divorce around the world); this law, however, typically only applies to women as well in the case of a wealthier wife separating herself from a less wealthy man/woman. [Countries with gender-equal rights do not decide in regard to the persons’ gender.]

The status of marriage allows the husband and his spouse to speak on each other’s behalf when one is incapacitated (e.g., in a coma); a husband is also responsible for his wife’s child(ren) in states where he is automatically assumed to be the biological father. [Cuckoo’s egg in the nest, Spiegel 07, 2007]

As an external sign to show his status as a married man, a husband commonly wears his wedding ring on the ring finger; whether on the left or right hand, depends on the country’s tradition.

Islam

In Islamic marital jurisprudence, husbands are considered protector of the household and his wives. The various rights and obligations offer the husband opportunities denied to his wife or wives, not only in legal and economical affairs of the family but within the family as well.In case of rebellious behaviour, Verse 34 of an-Nisa says the husband should urge his wife to mend her ways, to refuse to share their beds, and to admonish their wives by beating. [Ibn Kathir, “Tafsir of Ibn Kathir”, Al-Firdous Ltd., London, 2000, 50-53] For other scholars, the passage “the Prophet (s) said: ‘Do not beat your wife’ and ‘Do not strike your wife in the face.’” is quoted. [Dr. Haddad, Damascus, [http://www.sunnah.org/msaec/articles/responsibilities_husband.htm Responsibilities of a husband] ] Domestic violence is relatively common among Muslims, with, for instance, over half of all Palestinian women reporting being beaten in the previous year. [ [http://www.who.int/gender/violence/who_multicountry_study/en/index.html WHO | WHO Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women ] ] The World Health Organisation reports that domestic violence is more common countries with Muslim majorities. [ [http://www.who.int/gender/violence/en/ WHO | Gender-based violence] ] On the other hand, progressive Muslims today may also agree on a perfectly equal relationship. [Heba G. Kotb M.D., [http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/GESUND/ARCHIV/kotb2.htm Sexuality in Islam] , PhD Thesis, Maimonides University, 2004]

There is no external sign to show his status as a husband, unless he adopted the tradition of wearing a wedding ring.

Hinduism

In marriages in Hinduism, a Hindu husband traditionally took his wife to his home, hardly ever to return to her family. As a result, he was expected to provide for her and to prove his abilities to do so. The marriage before modernity was a contract between families, similar to the Western (then: European) marriage.

In our times, equal rights for women and a modern jurisdiction have offered marriage out of love and civil marriage, different from the traditional arranged marriages.

The Britannica mentions that “In Hindu law, the male members of a joint family, together with their wives, widows, and children, are entitled to support out of the joint property.” [Britannica, "Economic aspects of family law (from family law)"]

In Britannica’s article on the family, the Indian "Nāyar system" is regarded as separating the two phases of Hindu marriage and two or more of the roles normally ascribed to a Hindu husband. Among other Hindus (and indeed among the Nāyars today), the tali-tier and the lover are reported to be the same person, whereas in the past the Nāyars held these two roles to be distinct. [Britannica, "Universality of the family (from family)"]

Buddhism and Chinese folk religions

China’s family laws were changed by the Communist revolution; and in 1950, the People’s Republic of China enacted a comprehensive marriage law including provisions giving the spouses equal rights with regard to ownership and management of marital property. [Britannica 2004, "Legal limitations on marriage (from family law)"]

Other cultures

In Japan, before enactment of the Meiji Civil Code of 1898, all of the woman’s property such as land or money passed to her husband except for personal clothing and a mirror stand. [Britannica, "Legal limitations on marriages (from family law)"]

References

ee also

*Marriage
*Wife
*animal husbandry (biology)