Table 4 Proverbs representing women as a symbol of feebleness and weakness.

From: Ideological representations of women in Jordanian folk proverbs from the perspective of cultural semiotics

هم البنات للممات

distress of the daughters exists till death.

أم البنت مسنودة بخيط وأم الولد مسنودة بحيط

The mother of the girl is supported by a thread, and the mother of the boy is supported by a wall.

اللي يتزوج مره زغيرة يحوز الخير والتدبيرة

If you get married to a young woman, you will get good (often looked at the young woman as easy to obey and submit to the authority of the man, and she is an image of raw material that the man can shape as he wants, and therefore it is a source of good for him)

ظل رجّال ولا ظل حيط

The shadow of a man is much better than that of a wall

اللي مات جوزها يا عوزها

A widow is defeated and is in need

اجى للارملة جوز قالت أعور ما بينفع

A man proposed to a widow, she refused by saying he is one-eyed and useless.

(As if she has to accept marring any man as long as her husband died)

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