Polygamy

Polygamy

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary polygamy is a marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time. There are several different aspects that go into polygamy. It is a tradition that is practiced in several different cultures and countries. In the American culture polygamy is not socially accepted. However, in North Africa it is accepted. Polygamy is disgusting and should not be accepted in either cultures or countries. What exactly does polygamy prove? That a man can have multiple wives, be unfaithful and get away with it?

The author Sembene Ousmane traveled when he was younger; he came in contact with many different cultures, one of which was Muslim. The Muslim culture does however condone polygamy. Ousmane, did not attend school as a young man. He was self-educated and eventually became a fisherman like his father. Once, Ousmane got older, he then attended Moscow Film School. Where he wrote and directed several films. With Ousmane being surrounded in many different cultures he may have come into contact with one or more cultures that condones polygamy. Possibly he may have seen first hand what polygamy can do to a person and how it affects them.

There are different branches of polygamy. One is polygyny, according to the Merrriam-Websters online dictionary is the state or practice of having more than one wife or female mate at one time. This is different from polygamy because in polygamy either the wife or the husband can have multiple spouses, and with polygyny only the husband can have more then one mate at the same time. The second is polyandry witch is the sate or practice of having more then one husband or male mate at one time, according to the Merriam-Websters online dictionary. This type of polygamy only allows the female to have multiple spouses and mates.

In any of these three forms polygamy should be against the law in any culture, religion, and country. This is despiteful and hurtful. In the story Her Three Days, Noumbe was the third wife; she had medical problems and three children she had to attend. When her three days came she husband Mustapha never showed up. This really upset Noumbe. She had taken more medicine then she should have and really damaged her both physically and mentally. As well it would anyone. If there is going to be a culture where polygamy takes place then everyone should abide by the rules to lesson the damage of anyone getting seriously hurt.

There is a lot of jealously in polygamy. In the story Noumbe went around the town to find her husband and also sent her kids. This is stalking, which could have led to something more. If she would have found him then something more serious could have happened. She could have attacked one of his other wives or she could have been killed herself.

King Solomon is reported to have more then seven-hundred wives (Sihem par.1). This could only lead to trouble. There had to be a lot jealousy in that whole shenanigan. In the story, Noumbe was able to at least see her husband for three days every nine days. With King Solomon there are not even enough days in over a year and a half. While Noumbe's case is less severe then King Solomon's it is still very hurtful. The seven-hundred wives were probably attacking each other to get revenge and also for the fact that the others husband is sleeping with six-hundred ninety-nine other women.

According to Anti-Polygamy upon close investigation, they discovered that, most pro-polygamy minded individuals do not support the idea of domestic violence. Some pro-polygamy minded individuals are very much against it, very much opposing the mere suggestion of using hurtful (physical, emotional, or psychological) violence in a family. In the story Her Three Days, Noumbe could have been killed because she spoke her mind to her husband in front of his friends and that was unacceptable. In different cultures and countries that support polygamy, all handle it differently. It is bad