After the first few episodes we saw of Le3bet Newton (Newton’s Cradle), we asked our readers what they thought about Hazem and Hana’s Relationship. For a lot of us, Hazem is a perfect example of fragile masculinity.
Fragile Masculinity
Fragile Masculinity is a term used to mock society’s idea of what makes a manly man. Along with the popular belief that “real” men don’t cry or wear skinny jeans, real men also cannot be outdone by the women they’re with and must always be the ones wearing the pants in the relationship. They’re the handlers, the protectors, and the saviors, and any threat to their position in these roles “emasculates them”. That’s what makes this masculinity so fragile, a simple display of human emotion can completely shake it up. So, in light of Le3bet Newton’s most recent events, here are 9 times Hazem was the ultimate representation of fragile masculinity.
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Every Time He Made Hana Feel Incompetent
From the very first episode, we see Hazem constantly telling Hana “Msh Hate3rafy”/ “Msh Hate2dary” “Hana Dih Teghra2 f Shebr Maya”. The scene that best showcased this was in the very first episode when Hana was trapped in the bathroom and tried to get herself out. He kept telling her to stop trying. Because he enjoys saving her, he doesn’t allow her to ever save herself.
Also, let’s not forget that he was the one who got the oh so risky idea of giving birth in the US when he told her “El setat el nas7a bte3mel kda, msh enty.” He constantly undermines and underestimates her even when she proves that she’s fully capable of handling herself.
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When His Love Language Was All About Control
A lot of Hazem’s behaviors are justified because he loves Hana and is worried about her. We understand this when he says things like “Hana dih benty, Hana mehtagany”. It’s not right to treat a grown woman and wife like a child but he does so because his false idea of masculinity dictates that he’s responsible for her.
When she didn’t listen to him and didn’t get on the plane, he punished her by cutting her off; all while yelling things like “Hwa ana klamy mabyetseme3sh wala eh?” “enty matrabeteesh fa ana el harabeeky” “enty toskoty khales w t2ouly hader w bas”.
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Every Time He Lashed Out And Didn’t Listen To Hana
Almost every phone call between Hazem and Hana (besides that one time) involved him interrupting her and throwing a tantrum of yelling and threatening and her trying to get him to listen and explain her behavior. He divorced her and accused her of adultery without listening to her side of the story! This behavior all comes out of his wounded male ego and his desperate need to correct what he feels was an attack on his masculinity.
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When he Presented Basic Freedoms As Gifts
In one of Hazem’s flashbacks, we see that he once let Hana drive a car as a birthday present. Even though she drives just fine, he kept telling her to be careful the whole time. Yes, that’s a normal human thing to do, but, this situation is one among many others where Hazem’s need to protect ends up controlling Hana and restricting her freedom. Every time he says “ana 2ebelt el mafeesh ragel ye2balo” also highlights this. It’s 2021, women should be able to travel alone.
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When He Trusted A Strange Man Over His Own Wife
When Hazem found out Hana was staying with Z, he lost it and wouldn’t listen to her. Yet, when Mo2nes told him she was staying at his house and he’s taking care of her he trusted him. He believed a strange man would be able to protect Hana more than she would be able to protect herself. In the end, it was the man he trusted who disrespected both of them, which tells us a lot.
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Every Time He Slut-Shamed Her
Of course, the strongest weapon in a “real” man’s arsenal is to call a woman a slut. When he finds out Hana’s been staying at Ziad’s apartment, he tells her “enty hat3eeshy 3eeshet el amreekan?!!” Also, when he found out she said Mo2nes was the father of her baby he called her “safla” and said “Mashya 3la 7al sha3rek” “Te3rafih mn emta”. Of course, being cheated on is nothing to take lightly, but, the words he uses show a man hurt not just because his wife cheated on him, but because this act emasculates him and this is his defense strategy.
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When He Borderline Harassed Another Woman To Boost His Ego
His move with Amina was also a defense strategy. He knew she liked him and he wanted to feel good about himself. So, he came on to her and stopped way after her first no. He could not handle being the loyal one in his relationship with Hana because it’s usually the man who cheats and not the other way around.
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Every Time He Dehumanized Hana
In the argument they had when Hana didn’t get on the plane, he said “Enty 3shan fata7teelek 3elbet tamatem fakra nafsek bany2adma?! La2 ya mama fou2y!” Funny that he uses this example. This reaction came out of shock and fear that Hana acted independently without needing him.
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Every Time He Felt Good About Himself By Putting Hana Down
When Hana comes up with a logo and marketing strategy for the Honey business, we see Hazem mock her and dismiss her ideas. Even though she’s an experienced agriculture engineer, he doesn’t allow her to take part in any major decision-making. This comes out of his need to be the leader and the only one with great ideas.
Each of these examples probably made you think of someone you know. They’re not foreign or out of this world. In the end, society creates this behavior because its idea of masculinity is in itself false. As he’s said on multiple occasions, Hazem doesn’t control Hana consciously, he just does what he believes is right. What’s great about this show is that it’s shed light on how harmful this can be. We honestly have no clue where this show will take us or Hazem. What we do know is that Hana’s newly developed independence is an action that’s bound to lead to a lot of equal and opposite reactions! We can’t wait to watch the rest of them unfold.
