BRITO, Maria de Fátima Leite de.
Abstract:
Before a specific social context, marriage is the acquisition of ethical and cultural
moral in the formation of Brazilian society. Since the arrival of the Portuguese and the
early years of the colonial period, marriage was seen as a form of respect intake and
status, which could only be achieved through marriage. Within the structure of marriage,
the woman, from the beginning, plays a secondary role in relation to the formation of this
institution. Initially, it becomes recognized by his father's surname, and after marriage, is
represented by the surname of her husband, "with whom got marriage." The aim of this
study is to reflect and analyze how important is the institution of marriage for women in
socio-cultural context of Brazilian society, paraibana and especially horebense. How the
transformations that occurred during the second half of the twentieth century helped to
give the woman a leading role in everyday decisions, and thus insert it in the social
environment. The results show that marriage has always been a traditional link in cultural
preservation and maintenance of Brazilian society, resisting changing. These
modifications had as its starting point the great urban centers of the country, but even
with the fostering of the media, they did not occur gradually throughout the country.
Currently, these changes still face the context of socio-cultural tradition in small
municipalities. In horebense society, even today, marriage is considered as good choice,
especially for women.
