Mail-order brides may sound similar to a current trend, but the tradition truly originates centuries. Males in remote frontier towns sought partners to assist them build kin and achieve economic security.
Females responded to the advertisements with wishes of seeking love and adventure. The result was a process of correspondence courtship that was rooted on practicality rather than idealistic notions.
The Origins of Mail-Order Brides
For countless people, the term “mail order bride” brings to mind a 19th century phenomenon in which isolated American explorers purchased females from a directory and then legally married them. This notion carries with it associations of dehumanization and is often linked with poor treatment of women. In reality, mail-order unions were much more intricate.
In the 1800s, men on the frontier front needed companions but couldn’t find them locally. Resourceful matches and newspapers began releasing notices looking for partners. Women answered such ads and would begin a dialogue before marrying.
Although there are countless stereotypes about mail-order mail ordered bride brides, most these marriages were not forced by compulsion. In her book Buying a Bride: An Interesting History of Mail-Order Matches (NYU Press, 2016), author Marcia Zug explains that the majority of women who responded to these notices were not hopeless or naive but had a variety of reasons for wanting to leave their country. These ranged from having strict parents to being the victim of a controversy that damaged their reputation to simply wanting adventure and a different life.
The New World
Many of us have listened the term “mail-order bride” earlier. We have probably watched the film Here Come the Brides, read the children’s book Sarah Plain and Tall, or had a relative who married a mail-order bride in the 1800’s. While this setup became a popular practice in the country, the majority of women responded to these notices out of necessity rather than yearning for romance.
Women were needed to settle the frontier land, and they often had few choice but to consent to marry a man who paid for their railway ticket west. Despite these difficulties, some couples found lasting love through the mail. However, countless other men and females were ill-suited or experienced short-lived unions. This is due to cultural differences, separation, or unrealistic expectations. Many of these challenges still exist in contemporary international connections. These problems can be surmounted through careful planning and clear communication. The expansion of online dating and global travel has also shifted the way we think about postal brides.
The Early 20th Century
In the initial 20th century, mail-order marriage activities often went awry. While most of couples forged long-lasting bonds and became pillars of their neighborhoods, a few stories of tragedy or controversy entered regional legend.
A few women who responded to cross-border marriage arrangements did so out of requirement, or even hopelessness. They sought monetary security, a different place to reside or adventure. In certain cases, men treated their brides as commodities and exploited them.
Today, most modern mail order brides use trustworthy international dating websites and apps to meet their prospective spouses. Unlike the common perception, most are educated and autonomous women who seek authentic love. These applications and apps have strict protection policies to guarantee that their participants are protected. Nevertheless, cultural and national boundaries remain. Today, more people are willing to explore the international landscape and accept multicultural associations and marriages. This has helped propel the growth of online matchmaking and revived a centuries-old custom. But are current mail-order brides really like the made-up character in the kids’ book, Sarah Plain and Tall?
The 21st Century
Although the era of paper catalogs has diminished, mail-order brides continue to exist currently. International matchmaking businesses vet profiles and match people across different regions. While the reasons remain the same-economic opportunity, adventure, and companionship-the industry has changed to include greater guidelines and electronic communication.
In the history, women responded to ads more out of need and urgency than longing for romance. They were anxious to escape poverty, move to another place, or explore a different lifestyle.
Zug believes that as long as conditions|circumstances|situations for girls remain severe in some countries, many will keep to seek romance abroad. Despite the dark image, she asserts that mail-order marriages enable girls and should be supported and even encouraged. Marcia Zug is an assistant professor of law at the School of South Carolina and author of Buying a Bride: An Interesting History of Mail-Order Matches. The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is proud to host her talk and book signing on May 20th, 2016. For more insight, visit the listing page.
