Husband - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

A husband is a male participant in a marriage

Marriage

Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

. The rights and obligations of the husband regarding his spouse

Spouse

The term spouse generally refers to a partner in a marriage:* Husband, referring to a male partner* Wife, referring to a female partner* In some usages, a partner in a civil union, domestic partnership or common-law marriage- See also :* Bride...

and others, and his status in the community and in law, vary between cultures and has varied over time. Four in five American men get married in their lifetime.

Origin and etymology

The term husband refers to Middle English

Middle English

Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....

huseband, from Old English hūsbōnda, from Old Norse

Old Norse

Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....

hūsbōndi (hūs, "house" + bōndi, būandi, present participle of būa, "to dwell", so, etymologically, "a householder").

Related terms

At the conclusion of a valid wedding

Wedding

A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...

, the marrying parties acquire the status

Social status

In sociology or anthropology, social status is the honor or prestige attached to one's position in society . It may also refer to a rank or position that one holds in a group, for example son or daughter, playmate, pupil, etc....

of married person and, while the marriage persists, a man is called a husband, whereas a woman would be called a wife

Wife

A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...

. Each married party is the spouse of the person or persons to whom he or she became married.

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. The term husband refers to the institutionalized role of the married male, while the term father

Father

A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...

refers to the male in context of his offspring, a state which may or may not indicate that a marriage ceremony has taken place.

Before the marriage, he or his family may have received a dowry

Dowry

A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...

, or have had to pay a bride price

Bride price

Bride price, also known as bride wealth, is an amount of money or property or wealth paid by the groom or his family to the parents of a woman upon the marriage of their daughter to the groom...

, 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. 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

Dowager

A dowager is a widow who holds a title or property, or dower, derived from her deceased husband. As an adjective, "Dowager" usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles....

.

Husband further refers to the institutionalized form in relation to the spouse and offspring, unlike father

Father

A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...

, 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

Profession

A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....

Historical status

In premodern times (ancient Roman, medieval, 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

Father

A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...

(as the "patron

Patrón

Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...

") was awarded with much authority

Authority

The word Authority is derived mainly from the Latin word auctoritas, meaning invention, advice, opinion, influence, or command. In English, the word 'authority' can be used to mean power given by the state or by academic knowledge of an area .-Authority in Philosophy:In...

, differing from that of his wife (in these cultures, no polygamy existed).

In the Middle Ages

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...

and Early Modern European history, it was unusual to marry out of love, but then doing so became an influential ideal. During this period, a husband had more opportunities in society

Society

A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...

than his wife, who was not recognized as legally independent.

Contemporary status

In contemporary Christian and secularized Western culture, the rights of the wife and husband have been made equal; although in regard to husbands leaving their families, the civil marriage

Civil marriage

Civil marriage is marriage performed by a government official and not a religious organization.-History:Every country maintaining a population registry of its residents keeps track of marital status, and most countries believe that it is their responsibility to register married couples. Most...

generally forces husbands to provide alimony

Alimony

Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...

to their former spouses even after separation and also after a divorce

Divorce

Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...

Law and divorce around the world

This article is a general overview of divorce laws around the world. Every nation in the world except the Philippines and the Vatican City allow some form of divorce.- Muslim societies :...

). This law, however, also applies to women if she is wealthier than the spouse from whom she divorces.

The legal 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.

As an external symbol to show his status as a married man, a husband commonly wears his wedding ring

Wedding ring

A wedding ring or wedding band is a metal ring indicating the wearer is married. Depending on the local culture, it is worn on the base of the right or the left ring finger. The custom of wearing such a ring has spread widely beyond its origin in Europe...

on the ring finger; whether on the left or right hand, depends on the country's tradition.

Islam

In Islamic marital jurisprudence

Islamic marital jurisprudence

In Islamic law , marriage is a legal bond and social contract between a man and a woman. Islam commends marriage, with the age of marriage being whenever the individuals feel ready, financially and emotionally...

, husbands are considered protectors of the household and their wives. As protector, the husband has various rights and obligations that he is expected to fulfill and thus is offered opportunities different to that of his wife or wives, not only in legal and economical affairs of the family but within the family as well. As in most cases in Islam law and culture, everything is being related to the Qur'an

Qur'an

The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...

.

One particular example of this is the husband's duty in mending the ways of the wife in cases of rebellious behavior towards the Laws of God, verse 34 of an-Nisa

An-Nisa, 34

In the Qur'an, verse 34 of Surah an-Nisa concerns the issue of marital relations in Islam. This verse is interpreted by some Muslims as giving women complete control over their own income and property, while obliging men to be responsible for maintaining their female relatives...

says the husband should urge his wife to mend her ways, and if verbal requests for this are not complied with, then to refuse to share a bed as admonition, and if that does not work, then to strike her. Islamic scholars of exegesis have noted that in accordance with the Hadeeth, it is not permissible to break the bone's of one's wife, or to strike her, (or indeed anyone else), in the face. It is also not permitted to strike one's wife with anything larger than a miswak

Miswak

The miswak is a teeth cleaning twig made from a twig of the Salvadora persica tree . It has a long, well-documented history and is reputed for its medicinal benefits...

, (the ancient Islamic toothbrush). "The Prophet (s) said: 'Do not beat your wife' and 'Do not strike your wife in the face. No similar provision for dealing with the rebellious behavior of the husband is provided for the wife (or wives).

On the other hand, many Muslims may also agree on a perfectly equal relationship. Islam is the only major religion that puts a cap on polygamy, limiting the number of a man's wives to four—provided the husband can do justice to all of them. Islam vehemently abhors any intimate relationship outside the bond of marriage.

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

Wedding ring

Hinduism

In traditional Hindu marriages

Marriage in Hinduism

A Hindu marriage joins two individuals for life, so that they can pursue dharma , artha , kama , and moksa together...

, the husband is regarded as the manifestation of Lord Vishnu and his wife as the goddess Laxmi; his wife not only accepts him for her life, but also regards him as pati permeshwar (pati is husband and parmeshwar is supreme god). In modern times, however, the view of the husband as the soul is decreasing. 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

Modernity

Modernity typically refers to a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, one marked by the move from feudalism toward capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its constituent institutions and forms of surveillance...

was a contract between families, similar to the Western (then: European) marriage.

In modern 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."

Buddhism and Chinese folk religions

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

's family laws were changed by the Communist revolution; and in 1950, the People's Republic of China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

enacted a comprehensive marriage law including provisions giving the spouses equal rights with regard to ownership and management of marital property.

Other cultures

In Japan, before enactment of the Meiji

Meiji

Meiji may refer to:* Meiji Restoration, the revolution that ushered in the Meiji period* Meiji period - the period in Japanese history when the Meiji Emperor reigned...

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.

Gender and the Role of Husband

Although husbands are typically male, the Nandi people

Nandi people

The Nandi people are a number of Kenyan tribes living in the highland areas of the Nandi Hills in Rift Valley Province who speak the Nandi languages. They are a sub-group of the Kalenjin people....

of Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

have traditionally allowed a woman to become a husband in marriage to another woman. These marriages were platonic

Platonic

Plato's influence on Western culture was so profound that several different concepts are linked by being called "platonic" or Platonist, for accepting some assumptions of Platonism, but which do not imply acceptance of that philosophy as a whole....

, only relating to property rights.

Expectation of fidelity

There is a widely held expectation, which has existed for most of recorded history and in most cultures, that a husband is expected not to have sexual relations with anyone other than his spouse(s). A breach of this expectation of fidelity

Fidelity

"Fidelity" is the quality of being faithful or loyal. Its original meaning regarded duty to a lord or a king, in a broader sense than the related concept of fealty. Both derive from the Latin word fidēlis, meaning "faithful or loyal"....

is commonly referred to as adultery

Adultery

Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...

or extramarital sex

Extramarital sex

Extramarital sex occurs when a married person engages in sexual activity with someone other than his or her marriage partner.Where extramarital sexual relations breach a sexual norm it may also be referred to as adultery, fornication, philandery, or infidelity...

. Historically, adultery has been considered to be a serious offense

Offense (law)

In law, an offence is a violation of the criminal law .In England and Wales, as well as in Hong Kong the term "offence" means the same thing as, and is interchangeable with, the term "crime"....

, sometimes a crime

Crime

Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...

. Even if that is not so, it may still have legal consequences, particularly a divorce

Divorce

Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...

. Adultery may be a factor to consider in a property settlement, it may affect the status of children, the custody of children, etc. Moreover, adultery can result in social ostracism in some parts of the world.