Signs/Signifiers/Signified-- Wedding Rings

This weekend I attended my cousin’s wedding. Little did I know it would spark an idea for my cultural studies class blog! The exchange of vows and rings during a wedding is the quintessential part of the wedding, as it consecrates the marriage when the couple says “I do.” As the minister stated, the rings are signs of the couples' “love and fidelity” to each other. A wedding ring is an interesting sign because it signifies different meanings, depending on the audience. The sign of a wedding ring is easily recognized by the rest of society. The ring itself is a sign, as it is what we see. The signifier is the where the ring is placed, on the 3^rd finger of the left hand. Due to conventions of our culture, this allows for the meaning of this signifier to be understood. A ring on the third finger of the left hand signifies that the person is married and is “unavailable.” It is even more interesting to look at the idea of an engagement ring, as that sign carries more connotations about status— including the status of power in the relationship and economic status. First, the engagement ring is worn only by the female, after being placed on her hand by the male. This signifies the idea of the male being the dominant party in the relationship and the woman is the man’s “property.” Engagement rings also have come to be signs for economic status. Again, the ring is the sign. The size of the ring becomes the signifier, and the signified is the economic status of the woman’s fiancé. Wedding bands and engagement rings are some of the most easily recognizable signs found in our western American culture as everyone who is a part of the culture recognizes the meaning (or shall I say meanings) they convey.