The Erasure of Ovid’s Heroides 10: “Ariadne to Theseus” –How Artistic Representations Aestheticize Abandonment and Marginalize Female Suffering in Myth

Roman poet Ovid’s Heroides, a collection of poems giving voice to women in Greek mythology, focuses on the trope of the forgotten heroine. Ariadne, a figure from the Ancient Greek poet Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad, is often reduced to an object of male desire, and her abandonment by Theseus is depicted as a moment of female desperation. This paper offers a critical analysis of Heroides 10: Ariadne to Theseus and how Ariadne’s abandonment by Theseus is translated into art, particularly in Angelica Kauffman’s painting Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus and the Roman Sleeping Ariadne sculpture. It is interesting to consider how her physicality–often posed in a lying position– reflects broader themes in classical art. Greek female figures are frequently portrayed in ways that fail to engage with the nuances of their emotional perspectives. These particular artistic representations transform Ariadne’s suffering into an object of beauty rather than a critique of her undeserved abandonment. In Heroides, Ariadne is forgotten not only by Theseus but also in the worlds of contemporary and ancient cultures – her devastation and pain become marginalized. The physical representation of passivity emphasizes the erasure of the female voice and continues to support the traditional male gaze, overlooking Ariadne as a woman of multidimensionality. Through intermedial engagement between Ovid’s text and visual representations, this paper examines how these artistic transformations perpetuate a male-dominated lens through which her suffering is viewed, ultimately contributing to her historical erasure, aestheticization, and objectification in both myth and art.

When abandoned by Theseus, Ariadne’s letter reveals the depth of her pain and the sense of betrayal she endures: “You said to me: I swear by the very dangers facing me that you'll be mine as long as we're both alive. / We’re alive, and I’m not yours, Theseus—if a woman is alive / Who’s been buried by the deceit of a perjurer” (Ovid, 73-76). Academic and Feminine Theorist Victor Nordahl Pettersen, in “The Expression of Female Rage: Defining a New Genre,” theorizes the concept of “female rage” and female expectations, explaining it as: 

Equating anger with strength amongst men while simultaneously using it as proof of emotional weakness amongst women. A woman who cannot keep her feelings of anger to herself is inherently more emotional. The opposite side of the spectrum is sadness, an emotion that is socially accepted to be felt and expressed by women (Pettersen 6). 

Ariadne becomes a symbol of female abandonment in Greek mythology, and through her voice, Ovid allows us to understand the emotional and physical impact that Theseus’s desertion has on her. Her grief and anger manifest physically, as she reflects: “Will sea-birds perch on my unburied bones and be my tombs? / My kindness deserved better than that” (Ovid 123-124). Ariadne employs an almost grotesque description of her body deteriorating and merging with the sand, a stark contrast to the idealized depictions of her in art. 

The artistic representations of Ariadne often portray her as a beautiful, peaceful figure, commonly depicted in a sleeping position, thereby erasing the raw and physical manifestation of her emotional pain and anger. Ariadne’s letter, in contrast, emphasizes these vivid and seemingly disturbing physical descriptions– her body almost falling apart– perhaps suggesting that the true recognition of her suffering can only be understood through the tangible effects it has on her body. This sentiment can be understood through the concept of female objectification, prompting the question: Can we truly understand a woman’s emotions solely through her physical state? The description of her declining body becomes a critical part of her emotional narrative, revealing the necessary homogeneity of beauty and suffering in entirely making sense of female emotions. The erasure of her pain in art veils the only tangible image of these effects and contradicts her true testament to Theseus. This, then, can be seen as a reflection of the broader tendency to minimize the emotional complexity of female abandonment.

Kauffman, Angelica. Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus. 1774. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Swiss painter Angelica Kauffman’s neoclassical 1774 painting of Ariadne maintains this beautiful, ethereal-like figure. The painting transforms Ariadne’s suffering into an object of tragic beauty rather than offering a critique of her unjust abandonment. As the viewer, we are positioned similarly to Theseus, viewing Ariadne as a frozen image of beauty, an idealization that becomes problematic. Like him, are we complicit in distorting her reality, presenting her in an untruthful manner– making her appear delicate, naive, and passive? A closer analysis of the composition makes it clear that Kauffman visually underrepresents Ariadne’s emotional state and rage through the color choice and posture. The static nature of the painting represents Ariadne’s “frozen” state, echoing the idea of her being forgotten and accepting this position. The soft brushstrokes create an angelic appearance of innocence, purity, and softness, yet upon closer look, we see minimal disarray in her face. In this painting, Ariadne looks away from the ocean, where we can assume that Theseus has sailed from the boat. However, this is not true in her own letter when she notices his departure; she expresses: “I was lying on my own. Fear shook me awake / and I leapt up, absolutely terrified. / Immediately I beat my breasts, loudly, and/ tore my hair still tangled from sleep” (Ovid 13-16). She is overcome with sudden anger and despair, the opposite of what the painting suggests. She is posed in a queen-like position, appearing on a red-like throne, dressed in white, surrounded by the jewels she used to help Theseus escape from the labyrinth. This stands as a juxtaposition to what Ariadne describes in her letter, where she speaks of tearing off her clothes and “beating her breasts,” an ancient sacrament that suggests grief, anger, and the search for penance. In Kauffman’s painting, although she looks away from the ship, we can identify the sadness in her expression. The way that Kauffman portrays her in this aestheticized position suggests she turns away from her lover and accepts this sadness. In her letter to Theseus, Ariadne describes herself when watching him sail away, “Flailing and wailing out words as well…I signaled with wide waves of my hands, and I placed my white dress on the end of a long branch, to remind those who had clearly forgotten about me” (Ovid 38-42). 

In Kauffman's painting, we do not see her represented in this vulnerable state but rather in the distant state that Theseus likely imagined he left her in. Do we romanticize her abandonment by framing it this way rather than recognizing the inner state of despair she is left in? Ariadne’s emotional turmoil in the letter to Theseus reflects her anguish and attempt to make herself feel seen. By neglecting the critical emotional elements presented in her letter, Kauffman arguably contributes to the marginalization of women in art and mythology, and to their reduction to objects of male desire.

Sleeping Ariadne. Vatican Museum, Rome. 2nd century B.C.

The Sleeping Ariadne is a sculpture misidentified as Cleopatra for many years until “Ennio Quirino Visconti recognized it as Ariadne in the late 1700s,” according to the Vatican Museum. The artist of the Sleeping Ariadne remains unknown, and the sculpture’s original title– and its year of creation– are also uncertain. The Vatican Museum houses a likely replica of the piece, estimated to date from the 2nd century BC. This supports the thesis of ongoing historical erasure, particularly of Greek women in art. Like Kauffman, this representation of Ariadne places her in a motionless pose– a polished and refined version of Ariadne with soft edges and white marble. Similar to other artistic representations, this sculpture fails to show Ariadne’s agony. By preserving this frozen image, she maintains her innocence and beauty, perhaps suggesting that she accepts this naivety and cannot recognize her own abandonment. In Ovid’s letter from Ariadne to Theseus, recognizing his sudden absence, she expresses, “dying isn’t as bad as waiting to die. / At any moment, I suspect here or there / wolves will come to tear my flesh with greedy fangs” (Ovid 83-85). How can we accept this piece as an accurate representation of her? Ariadne is a complex and multifaceted woman, consistently neglected in cultural mediums and conversation; her rage, pain, and sadness are necessary to recognize. 

The Sleeping Ariadne reduces her to a passive figure, draped in her white clothing, her gaze points more upward. This pose strongly contradicts and fails to understand her strong expressions. Her abandonment shatters her faith in the Greek gods, which she reflects, ”There was the sky, but I fear divine apparitions. / I’m abandoned, prey and food for ravening animals” (Ovid, 95-96). Far from this serene figure, and considering her strong sentiments, a truthful portrayal of Ariadne would likely have her facing downwards or out to sea. She describes her ripped clothes, torn hair, and shivering body– her vulnerability not only reflects her fragility but supports the brutal state she is left in. 

When examining these ancient and neoclassical representations of Ariadne, it becomes clear how she is reduced to a mere symbol of longing. Her body is painted, smoothed over, and frozen in time, yet her physical and emotional state is far more complex. Like her mind, her body is torn apart as a result of the abandonment she suffered. Through her dialogue, we can gain insight into the depth of her suffering and heartbreak.

Thus, these representations serve as a microcosm of the more significant issues as a whole: how abandoned women, particularly Greek women, are not only abandoned in their stories but also abandoned in how they are represented in art. Both of the pieces discussed emphasize her static beauty; however, they fail to capture the emotional depth of the suffering, a result of her unjust abandonment. We must address how women are represented in ancient and historical art through a holistic lens that moves beyond the male gaze. When researching representations for this essay, I found it difficult to find art pieces dedicated to Ariadne alone. The lack of art is similar to her abandonment by Theseus; as Ariadne was left beyond myth, her story extends beyond literature and is erased from visual culture. The underrepresentation of abandoned women in classical art, particularly powerful women like Ariadne, marginalizes their voices and subjects them to exist in a misogynistic culture many centuries later. Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus and the Sleeping Ariadne aestheticizes Ariadne’s emotional turmoil, turning her sorrow into an idealized image of unchanging beauty. These misrepresentations of Ariadne create discourse on the endless historical erasure of women’s voices, reflecting larger cultural patterns in which female suffering is romanticized and objectified rather than acknowledged. Women from ancient art, particularly those who were abandoned, should have an emotional presence that transcends simple beauty and be given the deserved agency. By continuing this pattern in visual culture, we ultimately perpetuate the male gaze and “freeze” important women in the original texts' lens. It is possible to reexamine the portrayal of abandoned women in art by valuing emotional context while simultaneously preserving the original text; both perspectives can coexist, and inarguably, it is essential for providing a more nuanced and accurate historical and cultural representation in myth.

Kauffman, Angelica. Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus. 1774. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, https://www.pubhist.com/w31286

Ovid. Heroides. Translated by Paul Murgatroyd, et al., Routledge, 2016.

Pettersen, Victor N. "Expression of Female Rage: Defining a New Genre." NTNU, 2023, https://doi.org/no.ntnu:inspera:137204060:99663869. Accessed 12 Nov. 2024.

Sleeping Ariadne. Vatican Museum, Rome. 2nd century B.C., https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/museo-pio-clementino/Galleria-delle-Statue-e-Sala-dei-Busti/arianna.html

Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Emily Wilson, W. W. Norton, 2018.