Like evolutionary psychologists today, westermarck was intrigued by the question as to how social, psychological, and biological dimensions interconnect and mold human life, in particular sexual life. The history of human marriage is an 1891 book by the finnish philosopher and anthropologist edvard westermarck that provides an overview of marriage over time the finnish philosopher jaakko hintikka calls the work a monumental study and a classic in its field, but notes that it is now antiquated. The history of human marriage edward westermarck on. Politeness, gratitude, and patriotism are then discussed, and this part of the subject closes with a discussion of the origin and development of the altruistic sentiment. Browsing through its pages, i kept chuckling and i know some other denizens of the library must have thought me off my rocker to be finding something at. Karo batak cousin marriage, cosocialization, and the. Among other subjects, he studied exogamy and the incest taboo. Short history of human marriage by edvard westermarck. The patriarchal theory was defended with considerable skill in the history of human marriage by edward westermarck 1891, who successfully demonstrated that males could be dominant in both family and political affairs in societies with systems of matrilineal descent.
His three volume work on the history of marriage is an indepth study of the subject. Westermarcks appeal to history against this doctrine seems, to me at least, quite convincing. A short history of human marriage by edward westermarck 20. A short history of marriage by edward westermarck, 1930. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. The phenomenon of reverse sexual imprinting is when two people live in close domestic proximity during the first few years in the life of either one, and both become desensitised to sexual attraction, now known as the westermarck effect, was first formally described by him in his thesis the history of human marriage 1891.
Edvard alexander westermarck was a finnish philosopher and sociologist. The fifth edition of the well known history of human marriage by edward westermarck is a complete study of marriage as it exists among all people. Edvard westermarck muistoluentojen sarjaa jarjestavat yhteistyossa vuorovuosin westermarckseura ja suomen antropologinen seura. Recent field work among the north sumatran karo batak suggested that the evolution and human behavior xxx 20 westermarck effect in combination with cultural dynamics can explain the rare. The most renowned of these studies are the history of human marriage. Page 448 if there be four or five brothers, and one of them, being old enough, gets married, his wife claims all the other brothers as her husbands, and as they successively attain manhood, she consorts with them. Marriage is generally used as a term for a social institutionwe as for the origin of the institution of marriage, i consider it probable that it has developed out of primeval habit. Author of the history of human marriage, the origin and development of the moral ideas, wit and wisdom in morocco, ritual and belief in morocco, a short history of marriage, the future of marriage in western civilisation, ethical relativity, marriage. The history of human marriage is an 1891 book by the finnish philosopher and anthropologist edvard westermarck that provides an overview of marriage.
Edward westermarck, the developmental paradigm, reading. Amour wrote in his education of a wandering man, long ago i sat one day in a library where i had come upon the three volumes of e. The history of human marriage by edvard westermarck. Edward westerm arck, the anthropologist who has written the most thorough history and cultural explanation of marriage, tells us. This phenomenon was first hypothesized by finnish anthropologist edvard westermarck in his book the history of human marriage 1891 as one explanation for the incest taboo. Other articles where history of human marriage is discussed. Written in english and completed in 1889, it was later published in 1891 as. Ethics are relative by edward westermarck ideas of interest from ethical relativity 1. Westermarck was a professor at the university of london from 1907 to 1930 and a professor at the swedish university in the city of turku finland from 1918 to 1932. The facsimile pdf is clear, its easy to flip through, and all the pages are included. Jan 20, 2017 this phenomenon was first hypothesized by finnish anthropologist edvard westermarck in his book the history of human marriage 1891 as one explanation for the incest taboo. The history of human marriage by edward westermarck free ebook. May 16, 2017 author of the history of human marriage, the origin and development of the moral ideas, wit and wisdom in morocco, ritual and belief in morocco, a short history of marriage, the future of marriage in western civilisation, ethical relativity, marriage. Property and the state is well known, and edward burnett tylor 1899.
Edward westermarck article about edward westermarck by the. The origin and development of the moral ideas, by edward westermarck. Westermarcks definition of marriage is a more or less durable connection between male and female, lasting till after the birth of the offspring. Edward westermarck was a finish sociologist writing about sexual mores, taboos, customs and traditions. The history of human marriage by edward westermarck free. Westermarck studied religions and religious rituals, in morocco in particular, but his fame came to rest on his encyclopedic studies of the history of marriage, the cultural patterns of sexual conduct, sexual mores, and the nature of moral judgment. Results more consistent with the westermarck effect are derived from studies of the success of arranged marriages, in which cosocialized individuals show mutual sexual aversion, higher divorce rates, and have fewer children e. A short history of human marriage by edward westermarck. In the book from which our reading selection is taken, westermarck. This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the.
Jun 24, 2015 traditional marriage isnt the one man, one woman story youve always heard. Aug 05, 2012 the history of human marriage by edward westermarck, 1922, allerton book co. Westermarck s appeal to history against this doctrine seems, to me at least, quite convincing. Introduction the origin of marriage a human pairing season in primitive times the antiquity of human marriage a criticism of the hypothesis of promiscuity marriage and celibacy the courtship of man means of attraction the liberty of choice sexual selection among animals the sexual selection of man. The history of human marriage, volume 1 edward westermarck full view 1922. According to westermarck, what is the basis for the belief in the objec. The history of human marriage third edition contents. At the outset he enters a caveat against the custom of inferring. The most renowned of these studies are the history of human marriage 1891 and the origin and development of moral ideas, iii 19061908. His most important work, however, is considered to be the origin and development of the moral ideas, 2 vol. Search the history of over 431 billion web pages on the internet. This particular book was published in 1922 and reflects strong darwinism, disproved racial theories, and the victorian ethics of pre wwi british empire.
The history of human marriage edward westermarck full view 1894. My identification of edward westermarck as an important creator of family myth would have greatly startled his contemporaries in the late 1800s. Edward westermarck, whose death at the age of seventyseven is reported from finland, must always rank as one of the worlds great anthropologists. Tylor ellis eskimo ethnol exogamy fact father female frazer frequently girl groupmarriage hartland herodotus history. It has been abridged in a single volume entitled a short history of human marriage. Its changed countless times over the last 4,000 years, almost always for the better. From obedience to intimacy or how love conquered marriage by patten, russ journal of marriage and family, vol. Publication date 1921 topics marriage history publisher. The origin and development of the moral ideas by edward.
History of human marriage, in 1891 to challenge one of the most widely accepted beliefs about the nature of evolutionary. Page 209 we may conclude that a great mother goddess, the personification of all the reproductive energies of nature, was worshipped under different names, but with a substantial similarity of myth and ritual by many peoples of western asia. The history of human marriage by westermarck, edward, 18621939. Edward westermarck, in full edward alexander westermarck, born nov. In the late 1800s edward westermarck sparked psychological and anthropological research into the role coresidence duration plays as a cue to.
History of human marriage work by westermarck britannica. This work was reproduced from the original artifact. A history of minors and marriage in the united states by nicholas l. The history of human marriage, volume 3 edward westermarck full view 1922. Traditional marriage isnt the one man, one woman story youve always heard. The history of human marriage edward alexander westermarck on. Edward westermarck article about edward westermarck by. The first page of the pdf of this article appears above. Book for children right up until adult are different content.
Edward westermarck s massive threevolume the history of human marriage, first published in 1891, was not the first scientific study of the subject. The history of human marriage 1922 edition open library. Read and download ebook a short history of human marriage pdf public ebook library. Westermarck published his book, the history of human marriage, in 1891 to challenge one of the most widely accepted beliefs about the nature of evolutionary change in human family life.
The history of human marriage by edward westermarck. His thesis, the history of human marriage, was published as a book in 1891, and would be published again in a substantially revised edition in 1921. However, ordinary readers are not likely to read that work since it is planned primarily for study by those especially interested in ethnology. Publication date 1921 topics marriage history publisher london. The history of human marriage is the history of a relation in which women have been gradually triumphing over the passions, the prejudices, and the selfish the language used by the author may appear a bit racist, sometimes even graphic, for a 21st century reader. The history of human marriage by edward westermarck, 1922, allerton book co. Apr 28, 2019 introduction the origin of marriage a human pairing season in primitive times the antiquity of human marriage a criticism of the hypothesis of promiscuity marriage and celibacy the courtship of man means of attraction the liberty of choice sexual selection among animals the sexual selection of man. The history of human marriage classic reprint edward westermarck on. Man, having practiced marriage for at least a million years, has seriously studied it for less than a hundred. Download and read free online a short history of human marriage by edward westermarck. Introduction the origin of marriage a human pairing season in primitive times.
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