For most of recorded human history,marriage was an arrangement designed to maximize financial stability.Elizabeth Abbott,the author of A History of Marriage,explains that in ancient times,marriage was intended to unite various parts of a community,establishing beneficial economic relationships.

"Because it was a financial arrangement,it was thought of and operated as such.It was a contract be-tween families.For example,let's say I am a printer and you make paper,we might want a marriage between our children because that will improve our businesses."Even the honeymoon,often called the"bridal tour",was a communal affair,with parents,brothers and sisters,and other close relatives traveling together to reinforce their new familial relationships.

By the Middle Ages,gender inequality was not only honored in social customs,but also common law.In most European countries,married women were forced to give up control over any personal wealth and property rights to their husbands.Eventually,the system became known as"coverture",whereby married copples became a single legal entity in which the husband had all power.

By the 19th century,the conflict between love and money had come to a head.As the Western world advanced towards a more modern,industrialized society built on wage labor,emotional bonds became more private,focused more on immediate family and friends than communal celebrations.Simultaneously,mass media helped make sentimental inclinations a larger part of popular culture,with the flourishing of holidays like Valentine's Day and various hobbies.

Culturally speaking,love was in the air,and the union of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 only served to seal the deal.Though Victoria and Albert's marriage was sanctioned by their royal families,it was also hailed as a true"love match",strengthening the new ideal of romantic partnership.Their wedding also coincided with the surge of early print media,making the event visible to readers all across Europe and North America.

What does the SECOND PARAGRAPH mainly talk about?查看材料

• A.A printer married with a papermaker in order to improve their businesses
• B.The role honeymoon played in a marriage
• C.Marriage was a financial arrangement and a contract between families
• D.The relationship between married couples