大象传媒

It鈥檚 Valentine鈥檚 Day, when we celebrate romantic love, and is there anything more romantic than getting married? It鈥檚 the way all those old films end, after all the 鈥渨ill they, won鈥檛 they鈥�, the couple finally tie the knot, the titles roll and we all enjoy the warm certainty that they鈥檙e sorted for life. What鈥檚 not to love about marriage? A lifelong commitment to care for each other... a solemn promise rooted in love鈥� perhaps the foundation for starting a family. But for many, marriage is losing its gloss. The latest government figures suggest that the proportion of adults in England and Wales who are married has, for the first time, fallen below 50%.

The rise of pre-nuptial agreements signals a change in levels of confidence about marriage. Is forever still forever? If it probably isn鈥檛 鈥� then let鈥檚 just plan ahead for when it all goes wrong.

We live much longer than in the past, so 鈥渢il death us do part鈥� is likely to be a very long time indeed. Perhaps it鈥檚 now unreasonable to expect a lifelong commitment. Short of that, are human beings even built for monogamy? If love dies in a marriage, should that be the end, or is marital commitment broader than that? There is some evidence that outcomes for children are better if parents are married, and some people see it as a fundamental building block of society. But is there a moral value to marriage? Is it a striving for what is finest about being human, the highest realisation of not just romantic love, but of that important social unit 鈥� the couple? Or just an old fashioned idea, rooted in outdated traditions, all wrapped up in a sentimental rose tinted fantasy?

Presenter: Michael Buerk
Producers: Jonathan Hallewell and Peter Everett
Assistant Producer: Ruth Purser
Editor: Tim Pemberton