Courtship
For other uses, see Courtship (disambiguation). Ivory French casket with scenes of romances – possibly a courtship gift. Held in the Walters Art Museum. Courtship is the period of development towards an intimate relationship wherein people (usually a couple) get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement or other romantic arrangement. A courtship may be an informal and private matter between two people or may be a public affair, or a formal arrangement with family approval. Traditionally, in the case of a formal engagement, it has been perceived that it is the role of a male to actively "court" or "woo" a female, thus encouraging her to understand him and her receptiveness to a proposal of marriage. Contents 1 Duration 2 Traditions 3 Modern people 3.1 Values 3.2 Courtship in social theory 3.3 Courtship in Australia 3.4 Commercial dating services 4 In other animals 4.1 Sea turtles 4.2 Hippopotamus 4.3 Honeybees 5 See also 5.1 Specific ...