Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
L + R: Ovids Ars amatoria - Coggle Diagram
L + R: Ovids Ars amatoria
Main points + advice
Part 2: Take care with how you look
Ovid states he is just starting and is hardely rude yet, he believes beauty is a gift from the Gods which not many can boast
He believes women should match the beauty + cultivation of their husbands which now they are in a Roman golden age is high standard
Also states he enjoys Augustan Rome and believes they are living in the Golden age
Analysis
Ovid states he enjoys living in Augustan Rome and its the 'golden age', this is a somewhat differing opinion with many people being nostalgic and believing they needed to reactive the golden age they once had
Ovids
Authorial intent
is prominent with many comments looking to benefit the male audience e.g. tells the women not to outshine the men in their appearance as it can make men flee
Part 3: Taste and elegance in hair and dress
Ovid gives advice to women on how to elevate their appearance depending on factors such as head shape
Ovid also contradicts himself when criticising women for doing unnatural things to try and perfect themselves, such as dyeing their hair
Analysis
Authorial intent
, he picks apart the appearance of women telling them how to wear their hair to make them most attractive for men,
Male gaze
Very much contradicts himself telling women that dyeing their hair trying to appear better is so obvious
eligiac girl
, Ovid in part 3 appears to look to craft women into the elegiac world
Part 4: Make-up, but in private
Ovid gives further advice to women on how to make themselves 'more beautiful' however they cannot do any of these actions in front of anyone or let them know because they look ugly doing it
"Many things that please when done, are ugly when doing"
Ovid centralises women appearance in part 4, they are like a work of art for male attention
Analysis
Visceral imagery
, when describing flaws in women to emphasise the disgust to the reader "rankness of the wild goat under your armpit",
Authorial intent
Contradctory advice, tells women they can't be flawed however also cannot let their lover find the means they use to cover these flats "don't let your lover find cosmetic bottles",
Eligiac girl
+
Male gaze
States the face is only fit to be seen when done
Male Gaze
Ovid shows his only appeal to women is their appearance in part 4
Part 5: conceal your defects
Ovid states he is teaching the flawed and ugly girls after listing renowned beauty's that he is not referring to
He then gives advice on the best ways to conceal any flaws the women might have to perfect them
Analysis
Eligiac girl
, when telling women the best ways to conceal their flaws, he is only instructed in constructing the most appealing version of a women
Male gaze
Part 6: Be modest in laughter and Movement
Ovid further corrects and tries to shape women behaviour in part 6 telling them how to laugh and move
Tells them not to laugh to hardly and how to walk on the street to attract men
Ovid also inserts his own opinion at the end breaking the fourth wall
Analysis
Falsus praeceptor
+
Male gaze
, trying to perfect women again for male pleasure
Umbrian: red necks of rome
ovid breaking the fourth wall suggests this is merely voids opinion and what he wants women to do to make them more attractive for him
Part 7: Learn music and read the poets
Ovid believes women should learn the ability to sing as it can be a better procuress than your looks and compares singing to the Sirens song
He then suggest authors and poets to read and learn from to women
Analysis
When comparing the women to the
Sirens
ovid is acknowledging the power women have over men, that is if they follow his advice,
Ovid as a feminist
Wants them to learn the arts of music and poetry because what's more 'wanton', he wants them to do it for male entertainment
Male gaze
+
falsus praeceptor
part 9: Be seen around
Ovid begins stating women do not have the allotted games to play that men do (sports) but they can be seen walking around in the shades of Pompeys porch (for sex) which was a revered location in Rome
Tells women to go outside because no one will want to sleep with you if they cannot see you (controversial to an extent)
He also puts women very much within the driving seat using similes that portray the women as predators e.g they are fisherman and men are fish because its so easy for them
Analysis
Speaking to Nobiles
, Ovid's 'meet up' spots are in revered locations that would only be familiar to Nobiles women,
Authorial intent
The locations would have also been particularly provocative for
Augustus
with one being in a family garden of his
Feminist
, Ovid again portrays women as predators with his similes putting them in positions of power over men
Authorial intent
Mirrors
Lysistrata
, Acropolis=women, palatine=Rome
part 10: Beware of false lovers
Ovid tells women to avoid men who care about their appearance to much because they are untrustworthy and delicate
Also goes on to say that they shouldn't be seduced by lying men who are dressed well for they will rob them: uses a
double entendre
of theft in a market and theft of virginity here
He states that women shouldn't leave the door open to lying men
Ovid then states women owe it to the man to fulfil their pleasures if they gift
Analysis
Feminist
, Ovid gives good advice to women to avoid some men as they can be deceiving,
Authorial intent
Exclusus Amata trope
, contradicts his previous poem with the trope, this time women should not let the door open to lying men
Part 1: Its time to teach you girls
Ovid in part 1 poses himself as the teacher and educator to the women of Rome and he is going to 'arm' the women with weapons to compete with men in love
Ovid also talks about sleeping about being good for women and specifies throughout this part that he is talking to the inflames population alone
Analysis
Ovid uses the metaphor of war to describe the 'battle' between men and women during sex + seduction and believes the women to be naked and 'unarmed' without his Ars 3
Also states the 'standard' male opinion of women is they are predators who need no more 'venom'
Exclusus Amator trope
, subverts the trope telling women they shouldn't leave men outside banging on their doors whilst their still young and beautiful because before they know it they will be old and saggy and no one will be banging on their door
Main points + advice pt.2
Part 12: Avoid the vices, favour the poets
Ovid continues to try and perfect women by instructing them not to get angry because it makes them look ugly and to not have pride or sadness as a prominent characteristic either because men hate it
Ovid then speaks of poets and the fact they are best suited for love, he advises women to be good to poets because there's a god within 'us' and they know how to love
Analysis
Eligiac girl
+
Male Gaze
, Ovid believes women shouldn't get angry because it makes them look ugly, he wants men to benefit with girls being as attractive as possible to them.
Authorial intent
Ovid also wants them to be like statues, dehumanising them = unrealistic
Eligiac girl
part 11: Take care with letters
Ovid teaches women how to effectively cheat on their husbands through sending letters to your secret lovers
gives them advice such as write to a 'Female" and make sure a suitable slave receives the message
Analysis
Authorial intent
, poor women generally could not read or write, by including love letters it suggest that Ovid is really referring to the Nobiles women
Augustus
, would not have been happy with Ovid giving this contradicting advice to women, disrupting his order
"its your concern to deceive your lovers", furthermore Ovid is referring to married women, a direct conflict to
Augustus' Leges iuliae
Part 13: Try young and older Lovers
Ovid starts by highlighting the differences in young and old lovers with the use of the metaphor of the bit and the horse
He says that younger lovers must be surrounded by "high hedges" and rivals must be kept away because they are less sensible
On the other hand, older lovers are sensible and wise and will treat you better (they won't attack you or beat you) and an older mans love is more sure
Analysis
Authorial intent
, Ovid is about 45 around the time of writing this which was old for the ancients, is ovid just trying to make it easier for him as an older man to sleep with younger women
Women appear to have a shelf life in Ars 3 but men appear to only mature and improve
Feminist
, Men having the bit in their mouth gives the perception that women are in control. However, Ovids reasoning for choosing older men because they will beat you less bursts the bubble of women control
Part 14: use jealousy and Fear
Ovid states he's "unbarred the gates to the enemy" believing he's giving to much advice to the women
Then says men want the pursuit so give him the odd rejection, continues to state things men want and don't want such as they like bitterness as it renews their taste
Continues to give a step by step guide on what to do with the men and says that pleasure that comes with safety is less enjoyable and sneaking around a husband is more fun
Analysis
Authorial intent
, Ovid appears to be writing Ars 3 for male benefit, he is guiding women step by step on what to do with their men in order to give the maximum pleasure and excitement for the men
Authorial intent
, Ovid appears to be speaking to the Nobiles women who are married (the matron not the meritrix's) as he speaks of enjoyment coming out of sneaking around husbands,
Augustus
Part 15: Play cloak and dagger
Ovid is giving illegal advice on how to allude your husband as a women as he believes its rubbish to be locked away as a women
Describes all the ways to send secret letters through their maids "concealed in the deep curves of her warm breasts"
Goes even fuirther to describe way on how to drug your men in a didactic forma
Tells the Women to have sex with guards and slaves and they will be a guardian for them who won't say anything as not even Jupiter himself denies gifts
Analysis
Augustus
, directly contradicts his legislation and the advice given would have been illegal, ovid is testing his luck by telling married women all the way they can deceive their lovers (adultery illegal)
Falsus preceptor
+
Eligiac girl
, he's trying to make the Matrona of Rome as promiscuous as possible, is he really trying to help the women in seduction or make it easier for the men to sleep with women
Feminist
, women appear to be in control when Ovid speaks of the women ability to sleep with their slaves and they will forever guard information for them, they are weak and lustful and will always surrender to a women sex
Part 17: Watch how you eat and drink
Ovid teaches women what do at dinner with a man
Tells women to come late and charmingly and when eating to stop before their full and to not be to eager
Suits women to drink as long as they don't get to drunk as that's unnatractive
Analysis
states "with drink you will become beautfiul", it will conceal the women failures, failures to become the perfect
eligiac girl
: doesn't exist
Authorial intent
, Ovid is giving the girls a list of things to do at the dinner table in order to benefit the man, he's not really trying to help them
Eligiac girl
, Ovid gives impossible advice surrounding eating in this part suggesting the perfect elegiac girl doesn't exist,
Falsus preaceptor
Part 18: And so to bed
Ovid gives women advice on what to do once in bed with the men
advice such as if your beautiful lie face upwards for the man however let the back be seen if your not so known for your face
Shouldn't feel shameful if they loosen their hair like a maenad
if you have childbirth wrinkles do reverse cowgirl to avoid them being seen
Tells women to fake orgasm "delight with artful sounds"
Got to be payed before sex if they want to actually be given it
Analysis
Male Gaze
, The actions ovid is instructing the women to do are to make the women as best looking as possible for the male gaze
Authorial intent
, Ovids advice is to make the sex most pleasurable for the man with all flaws hidden from them, is the Ars 3 really to arm the women with seduction
Ziogras
, "don't think it shameful to loosen your hair, like a maenad", Ovid is stripping the Matrona women physically to turn them into meretrixes for male pleasure: emphasised through his mentioning of payment for the sex, this is just Ovids ideal situations for sex
Womens only purpose in Rome was to give birth however Ovid critiques birth marks, women can't win in ancient Rome
Falsus praeceptor
, Ovid teaches the women how to fake orgasm, brings no benefit to the women or pleasure and is merely for the mens pleasure
Eligiac girl
, The women are further being crafted by Ovid into something unrealistically perfect, he wants to create the elegiac girl
Feminist
, shows feminist tendencies through stating both should delight equally during sex and advising women to take money prior to sex otherwise they will be used by the man
Scholarly views
Laura Mulvey
The idea of the
Male Gaze
, women are constructed by society for male enjoyment and pleasure
Examples within the Art Amatory
Merriam
Ovid is really just trying to make a guide to fit women into the elegiac world and create an elegiac women
Watson
Says Ovid is playing the
Falsus Preaceptor
to trick women into having more sex with men
Ioannis Ziogras
"Stripping the Romand ladies"
Augustus' legislation attempted to polarise women into two categories, prostitiutes and mater familias
Ovid strips the Nobiles (matrona) women physically (hair down + less clothing) and metaphorically to turn them into meretrixes' for male pleasure
Sharon James
The deliberate textual confusion between Matronas and meretrixes in Are 3 makes it impossible to tell if the preceptor seeks mobiles or infames
Context
Augustus
Ovid was living under the rule of Augustus and his leges iuliae, much of his references to his content being made for Nobiles women with families would have angered Augustus greatly
Augustus wanted women to be more domesticated and the rulers of the home (much like in Athens) with the leges iuliae introducing rules such as:
women with three or more children would be financially rewarded
Adultery became a crime
people were banned from marrying outside their social circle
we are unsure who Ovid truly speaks to in Art 3 making It hard for Augustus to prosecute him
Augustus' leges iuliae intended to restore order to the population, order that he believed to have been lost within recent years
The Elegiac girl
Ovid followed many elegiac poets who he would have read and taken ideas from
It is evident in his overall attempt to create the perfect elegiac women, an idea proposed by Merriam
Themes
Ovid as a feminist
Important to note that Ovid shows both feminist and non feminist tendencies within Ars 3
For
He states he wants to 'arm' the women in seduction comparing them to the amazons and
penthesiliea
When
Authorial intent
Ovids
Authorial intent
should be questioned throughout Are 3, who is Ovid actually speaking to and is his intention to actually help 'arm' women or make them easier to sleep with for men + create perfect elegiac women fitting the 'Male gaze'
Make sure to argue both sides e.g is trying to help the women when he belittles men and portrays women as the predator who can 'control' men, also appears to have good intention when he tells women to not open their doors to lying men and to not let themselves be seduced by men who appear to be wealthy
On the other hand Ovid intentions can be questioned through his constant attempts to create more attractive women for the pleasure of men telling women to not let the men see the process as its an ugly one. Ovid also looks to just want to make women easier to sleep with throughout Ars 3 telling youthful and beautiful women to not let their themselves go to waste and to be promiscuous as possible whilst their still beautiful
Must also consider Ovids authorial intent on what kind of women he is speaking to, either Nobiles or Infames women
The elegiac girl
The elegiac girl is a concept proposed by
Merriam
and throughout Ars 3 appears to try and create a perfect elegiac women for men.
The elegiac girl is not real and a concept created by men, these women are always available, beautiful and very promiscuous
Ovids attempts to fit the women of the time into the elegiac world would have challenged Augustus' legislation directly
Didactic nature of Ovid
Exclusus Amator trope
A trope within poetry of a young man shut out from a women house, he is banging on the door wanting to be let in by his 'lover' or the women
Ovid plays around with this idea throuhgout Ars 3 and has contradicting advice surrounding the trope
e.g tells the women to let in men at the door before they get old and saggy and there's no one left banging on the door and then tells the women to not let lying men in they will just bang them and leave
Love + seduction as a war
Ovid often refers to love as a fight using numerous metaphors to do so such as:
In part 1 Ovid has given the greek arms and he must now give the amazons (the women) such weapons