ball and chain

"ball and chain"とは人を束縛するものの比喩として使われる慣用表現です。

囚人の足に繋がれた重い鉄球（ball）のついた鎖（chain）というのが字句通りの意味です。

Marriage is not worth it for men. It’s not worth the practical and financial sacrifices, the lost romantic and sexual opportunities, and the “lack of freedom.” All in all, marriage is a ball and chain, of little benefit to the average man interested in pursuing his own happiness and well-being.

In light of both the survey data and the continuing decline in the marriage rate for men, it’s fair to say that this viewpoint is becoming more and more entrenched in our society, particularly among younger men.

(Debunking the Ball and Chain Myth of Marriage for Men. Institute of Family Studies. February 7, 2017.)

結婚しない若者が増えているというのはかねてより言われていることですが、それは、

marriage is a ball and chain

と思われているからというのが大方の見方です。結婚して所帯を持てば独身の自由は無くなりますからね。

ところでこの"ball and chain"はこのような意味から発展して（？）、妻、女房の意味でも使われるそうです。

“It’s my night to cook,” one man chuckled while clutching takeaway pizzas. A harmless joke to fill dead air. But a regular theme of conversation emerged. Another man leaned over the counter to my dad and described his wife as his “ol’ ball and chain”, a person who was too demanding and no longer fun.

(Abbir Dib. Unhappy wife, unhappy life: Does anyone actually enjoy marriage any more? Sydney Morning Herald. September 11, 2023.)

夫婦は対等であるべき（！？）ですが、"ball and chain"というのが妻に対してだけというのは差別的というべきか、あるいは女性上位は英語文化においても普遍的というべきか。

好きで始めたことがいつしか重荷になり、義務感から続けているというようなコンテクストでも用いられるこの表現ですが、以下の話は個人的にはよく分かる気がします

While I struggled on throughout that summer, squeezing myself into running like a garment that no longer fitted, I began to regard it as a ball and chain, a drain on my resources. This was a big inconvenience for someone whose career was largely built around running.

(Sam Pyrah. A moment that changed me: I thought fitness was my superpower. Then I realised it was a ball and chain. The Guardian. May 8, 2024.)