Women and stereotypes in English and Ukrainian folk wisdom

Abstract

The article examines the image of women and stereotypes in English and Ukrainian-language wisdom. The paper examines the concept of ‘stereotype’ and shows that gender stereotypes are generated by people's generalized ideas about what men and women are like, what specific qualities and behavioral patterns they have and what they should do. As a result, the vast majority of people hold the same view and are usually aware of what behavior is considered appropriate for representatives of one gender or the other. Gender stereotypes often have a negative and erroneous reflection, but their use is due to a person's attempt to simplify their perception of the environment by developing certain patterns of thinking - stereotypes, because in this case there is no need to conduct additional analysis and comprehension of the phenomenon to identify its characteristics. That is why the ideas developed many years ago are still reflected in people's views today, although they may be outdated for our time. The paper also analyses three of the most popular images of women in Ukrainian proverbs, where they are described in some detail. The primary importance is given to the vision of a woman in everyday life, namely, her appearance and her relationships with family members. The emphasis is placed on the concept of ‘woman-hostess’ as the most important characteristic of every woman. Attractive appearance, marriage and motherhood are also reflected in English proverbs. The image of a woman in English proverbs is mainly presented in a positive light, but negative images are also present. The primary importance is given to a woman's beauty and her ability to be a keeper of the home. Both Ukrainian and English proverbs contain many stereotypes about women and their appearance, revealing the image of a wife and describing women's beauty. A special place is occupied by the image of the mother, which has an exclusively positive image and is reflected as a symbol of care and affection. Both cultures are characterised by the image of a woman as a housewife. The image of a woman in English and Ukrainian proverbs is reflected through the same gender stereotypes, but with certain peculiarities due to cultural, historical, domestic and social differences between the English-speaking and Ukrainian-speaking countries.