The Benefits Of Polygyny

Generally speaking, polygyny is a rather useful form of marriage that can provide political, social, and even economic advantages, which is why it is the preferred form of marriage across the majority of societies. Historically, in Europe, polygyny was practiced in order to both ensure the birth of a son thus ensuring the continuance of monarchies. Additionally, some rulers practiced polygyny in order to, “build alliances with or annex neighboring kingdoms” (Ember 193), ergo providing a means of achieving peace between various principalities. Moreover, the practice of polygyny can provide various social benefits as well. As mentioned in our textbooks, a study conducted by Connie Anderson found that women in South Africa choose to take part …show more content…
However, in some places, polygyny is also needed and arguably essential, as seen by the argument made by the Asante man. While he admits that it is incredibly useful, he argues that polygyny is necessary for the Asante people. Specifically, the man brings up that, “In Asante if a woman is menstruating. She can 't cook for you, it 's just not allowed” (“Marriage and Family”), so if you have multiple wives, the others can “pick up the slack.” Furthermore, he adds that, “If one [wife] is sick, the other can look after the family. We have big families so if one wife goes to farm, the other will stay home with the children. If you have visitors, both wives will serve them” (“Marriage and Family”). This shows that, for the Asante, having multiple wives is essential to help manage the family and complete the necessary housework. Additionally, we can also see polygyny in southwestern Ethiopia with the Hamar people, specifically in the example of Duka and Boro, co-wives of a man named Sago. The two women work together to cultivate fields, take care of the children, and perform other household chores. Furthermore, the benefit of having multiple wives, as argued by the Asante man, can be seen as well, specifically when Duka gave birth to her son, Tini. After giving birth, Duka could not preform her wifely duties but, instead of completely becoming neglected, Boro stepped up and ensured that everything that needed to be completed got done. As stated by Boro, “Duka got nothing in her field, so we harvested here together” (“Marriage and Family”), which shows that, if Sago did not have two wives, there would have been absolutely nothing to cultivate. Again, this highlights some of the benefits of polygynous marriages, which can certainly play