According to Lord Penzance in Hyde v Hyde (1866) a marriage should be between a man and a woman. Discuss in the light of changes in the law over the last forty-five years. Course Page 1- … Student No.: M00332599 In light of the changes made to the law over the last forty-five years, in the case of Hyde v Hyde Lord Penzance argued that, ''a marriage can be defined as the voluntary union for life of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others'', this is enshrined in the Matrimonial Causes Act. This topic requires critical discussion in light of the above case, including statutes, case law, changes in society, public opinion, human rights, and same-sex marriage. The legal relationship, which arises from a contract by which "a man and "a woman" who has the capacity to contract such a union, promised to live together, to take care of each other in the relationship of "husband and wife for life until the legal termination of such relationship" is defined as marriage. Marriage can also be defined as a legal union between "a man and a woman", since the stipulation of a contract between husband and wife modifies the status of both parties by conferring new rights and obligations. Traditionally, marriage has been seen as the creation of a family and vital to the protection of morality and civilization. That is, the traditional principle founded by marriage is that the husband has the obligation to support the wife, provide a safe home, pay for necessary necessities such as food, clothing, and live together with the wife. The wife's obligation was to maintain a home, have sexual relations with the husband, and raise the couple's children. A marriage may be void when the parties are not male and female partners. In Ghaidan v Godin-...... half of the document ......html http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/29/356408/gay-marriage-legalized-in-england -wales/ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?s=Marriage+%28Same+Sex+Couples%29+Act http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/03/28 /gay-marriage-now-legal-england-and-wales http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/index.php/gay-marriage-proposal-overturns-reality/ http://guardianshorts.co.uk/ amarriageproposal/ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2592290/WE-Youngest-gay-bride-joins-dozens-pairs-country-day-sex-marriage-legal-Britain.htmlMagazineshttp:// www.ibiblio.org/gaylaw/issue5/transbre.html http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/30/gay-marriage-happy-day-equality-tolerance-same-sex-weddings http: //guardianshorts.co.uk/amarriageproposal/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/10728807/Nigel-Farage-on-gay-marriage-I-think-we-are-opening- a-huge-can-of-worms-here.html