Question: Dana and Charon feel that they are husband and wife. Most of their friends and coworkers assume that they are legally married. However, on credit card applications and when filling out tax returns, they do not indicate that they are married. What does this show about marriage? Marriage is both a symbolic status and a legal status. It is illegal for a couple to live together without first being married. Before being legally married, a couple must convince their friends and coworkers that they are socially married. Marriage is a mostly a symbolic status, and it has few legal benefits. Need Assignment Help?