DEFIANT MAIDENS AND SUBMISSIVE WIVES OUT OF PLACE: NEGOTIATING GENDER NORMS IN OVID’S HEROIDES A FEMINIST CLASSICIST RESEARCH ON THE OCCURRENCE OF GENDER TRANSGRESSION IN OVID’S HEROIDES Klassieke masterproef Aantal woorden: 26 177 Ann- Sofie Adams Studentennummer: 01403702 Promotoren: Prof. Dr. Wim Verbaal (promotor), Prof. Dr. Chia Longman (co- promotor) Masterproef voorgelegd tot het behalen van de graad Master in Gender en Diversiteit Academiejaar: 2018-2019 Deze masterproef is een examendocument dat niet werd gecorrigeerd voor eventueel vastgestelde fouten. In publicaties mag naar dit werk worden gerefereerd, mits schriftelijke toelating van de promotor(en) die met naam op de titelpagina is vermeld. TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE .................................................................................................................................................. 1 ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................ 3 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Feminist classicist research on antiquity and Ovid’s Heroides ................................................................ 6 PART I: THE TANTALISING NATURE OF FEMINISM: REACHING A “DEFINITION” OF FEMINIST CLASSICIST RESEARCH AND GENDER TRANSGRESSION ........................................................................ 11 1. Chapter I- A Sisyphean task: defining feminist classicist research ............................................ 11 1.1. Bra-burning, non-shaving miscreants: what is (a) feminis(m)(t)? ..................................... 11 1.2. One step at a time: what is feminist research? ................................................................. 14 1.3. A problematic union: feminism and classicism ................................................................. 16 2. Chapter II- Walking the thin line between acceptable and wanton behaviour: gender transgression in antiquity .................................................................................................................. 20 2.1. Gender and transgression reconsidered: a feminist classicist perspective ...................... 20 2.2. Crossdressers and manly women: breaking and confirming gender patterns in antiquity 25 PART II: DEFIANT AND COMBATIVE WOMEN: GENDER TRANSGRESSION IN OVID’S HEROIDES .......... 31 3. Chapter III- The transgressive nature of (writing) women and epistolary amorous fiction ...... 33 3.1. The male side of the picture: gender transgression inherent to the author and the genre 33 3.2. The female side: defiant women picking up the pen ........................................................ 36 4. Chapter IV- Gendered spaces transgressed: the faithful wives and helper maidens of the Heroides ............................................................................................................................................ 37 4.1. The subtle deviance of faithful wives in their designated space ...................................... 39 4.2. The not so subtle combativeness of roaming helper maidens ......................................... 51 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 64 Works cited ............................................................................................................................................ 66 Primary sources ................................................................................................................................. 66 Secondary sources ............................................................................................................................. 66 Appendix ................................................................................................................................................ 71 Summary of the Heroides .................................................................................................................. 71 Penelope- Ulysses .......................................................................................................................... 71 Phyllis- Demophoon ...................................................................................................................... 71 Briseis –Achilles ............................................................................................................................. 71 Phaedra- Hippolytus ...................................................................................................................... 71 Oenone- Paris ................................................................................................................................ 71 Hypsipyle- Jason ............................................................................................................................ 71 Dido- Aeneas ................................................................................................................................. 71 Hermione- Orestes ........................................................................................................................ 72 Deianira- Hercules ......................................................................................................................... 72 Ariadne- Theseus ........................................................................................................................... 72 Canace- Macareus ......................................................................................................................... 72 Medea- Jason ................................................................................................................................ 72 Laodamia- Protesilaus ................................................................................................................... 72 Hypermestra- Lynceus ................................................................................................................... 72 Sappho- Phaon .............................................................................................................................. 73 PREFACE Cui dono lepidum novum labellum Arido modo pumice expolitum (Catullus, Carmen I, 1-2)1 What better way to start this dissertation than with the eternalised words that marked the first poem of one of my favourite Latin poets, Catullus? It seems only fitting that these words should form the beginning of the text that marks the end of a life-phase. About seven years ago, I had my first encounter with Catullus and it was love at first sight. Curiously, though, this love was not inspired by those romantic passages in which Catullus confesses his undying love for his Lesbia, but rather by those in which he chides and scorns her for not answering his feelings. In quite an non-feminist manner, these passages always leave tears in my eyes (of laughter, just so we are clear) and a smile on my face. Though I might once have considered these feelings irreconcilable with my feminist principles, I feel like I now know better. Feminism and antiquity, though seemingly contradictory at first glance, can be reconciled, something that my own personal trajectory appears to prove. Thus it seems appropriate to engage with a bit of nostalgia, having come at what (hopefully) will be the end of my academic career as a student. Did I ever think when I embarked on this journey five years ago that I would have ended up where I am now? Absolutely not. Deciding to study languages, and Latin to boot, was a bit of a leap in the dark, not knowing whether I would fall majestically on a hard surface or whether soft cushions were there to break my fall. I started this journey tentatively, not really knowing where I was going. My path seemed to become clearer to me with every step I took, though. I am a firm believer of fate (how could I not, having read all those Latin texts, all those myths where that elusive fate plays such an important part?). And so I believe it was fated that, during the course of those four years I found myself more and more attracted to that elusive thing called “feminism”. This was one of those aha-moments that I would and had encountered in the past few years. In the past few years I have found myself. It may sound like a cliché, but there you have it. Every course that I took, every fellow student I encountered, every professor that bored me to death, or brought me to tears. But also those, that inspired a lasting affection for whatever subject matter they taught me. All these people have made me into the woman I am today. It may have cost me blood, sweat and tears, but somehow, almost like magic, I ended up exactly where I feel I am supposed to be. I belong where I am. Quite an accomplishment, I would think. To whom, then, should I dedicate this unidentified collection of pages? First of all, to all those people listed above. But perhaps, most importantly I dedicate this work to those amazing people, my fellow classicists, who made the past five years unforgettable. As for as I am concerned, they are not only 1 The Latin text and its translation was taken from Goold (1913). “ To whom am I to present my pretty new book, freshly smoothed off with dry pumice-stone?” 1 friends for life, but also family. So, this is for them, to those people who have helped shape me into the person that I am today. 2