Date of Award
Spring 4-29-2020
Document Type
Honors Project
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Classics, Philosophy, and Religion
Department Chair or Program Director
Vasey, Craig
First Advisor
Houghtalin, Liane
Second Advisor
Pitts, Angela
Third Advisor
Romero, Joseph
Major or Concentration
Latin
Abstract
When considering the love elegy of Ovid, there are multiple cases in which love, beauty, or infatuation with a woman is expressed through visual descriptions of her hair. In the Amoresand Ars Amatoria, these descriptions of hair support a seemingly subjective view of beauty when compared to current hairstyle trends at the time. As a result, this view of feminine beauty suggests that the woman holds the power within the amorous relationship described. However, the nature of the hair description reduces Ovid’s view of feminine beauty to an objective one, revealing a disingenuous view of feminine power and therefore supporting Ovid’s claim to masculine dominance in the relationship.
Recommended Citation
Eisenberg, Lydia, "Hair and Power in Ovidian Love Elegy; A Discussion of Feminine Dominance and the Hair Apparent" (2020). Student Research Submissions. 340.
https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/340