The Life of Husband and Wife in Sangam Literature

Abstract

If we want to know about a generation, it is enough to study their language and the antiquity of that language and if we want to study and know the antiquity of Tamil language, the best place for that is Sangam literature. The virtues of the Tamil language are love and valor which can be divided into internal and external life. Thus, we should know how lifestyle of husband and wife. In the Sanga, literature, the wife has great love for her husband. A wife is one who spends according to her husband’s income and does not give up her husband in the society. The homeliness of a wife who graciously welcomes visitors is admirable in Sangam literature. Wife suffers a lot when husband goes abroad for his wealth. She regrets for their separation and her body becomes thin. She graciously entertains all the relatives and non-relatives who come to her house at all times. The husband also suffers a lot because of their separation. But soon the husband changes his thoughts in activities like making money and so on. But the Wife maintains hospitality, filial piety, social virtues etc. in love life and as well as in domestic life. One of the reasons for this situation is the Sangam era, the reason for this is that a woman maintains a home, fertility and hospitality. A leader maintains hospitality only for a while. The husband goes to the prostitute's slum and returns, even after knowing all this wife accepts him out of love. In Sangha literature, the wife always mainatains a good moral behaviour. Thus, it is special that the wife gets a special distinction in Sangam literature.