Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index

Multiple role reversals are at play in this image. Aristotle’s assumption of the posture of a horse metaphorically marks his transformation from man to beast. He is no longer a man of reason, but has become a bestial slave to passion and the flesh. In the thirteenth century, the relation between horse and rider was used as a visual topos to demonstrate relations of power. The act of mounting the back of a beast was a symbol of ancient sovereignty. Here, Aristotle is the horse, meaning that he is being overpowered, and Phyllis assumes the dominant position of the rider, a typically male position. Thus, the image of Phyllis riding Aristotle reflects a reversal of the normative gender hierarchy in which women were not intended to rule, but be ruled. Also, another set of assocations carried by the verbs “to ride” or “to mount” refer to the act of sexual intercourse. Typically, the man was the “rider,” the person in the dominant position during copulation, both over his passions and his partner. The woman was the “horse,” the mindless, submissive, sexual object. But in this image, Aristotle is underneath Phyllis who is the active and controling partner in their sexual relationship. This symbolizes a reversal of sexual dominance between men and women. "