University of Mary Washington Eagle Scholar Student Research Submissions Spring 4-29-2020 Hair and Power in Ovidian Love Elegy; A Discussion of Feminine Dominance and the Hair Apparent Lydia Eisenberg Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research Part of the Classics Commons 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 This Honors Project is brought to you for free and open access by Eagle Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Research Submissions by an authorized administrator of Eagle Scholar. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. HAIR AND POWER IN OVIDIAN LOVE ELEGY A DISCUSSION OF FEMININE DOMINANCE AND THE HAIR APPARENT A THESIS BY LYDIA G. EISENBERG SUBMITTED ON APRIL 29, 2020 IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPARTMENTAL HONORS IN CLASSICS ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Liane Houghtalin Angela Pitts Joseph Romero 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 Amores and 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.