What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

I was watching that Jessica Simpson music video and she cuts her own hair in it and is crying and then I also thought about in how the Royal Tenenbaums Luke Wilson chops off his hair too and then tries to kill himself. What does it mean? Just sadness or something?

What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

It depends on context. In some forms, like the samuri's "top knot," the cutting of the hair is a sign of dishonor and disgrace (similarly, we could consider Native American "scalping" of their enemy). In other forms (where we focus on an individual doing the cutting to him/herself), it is sometimes seen as a freedom from the bondage of social norms (like females displaying strength in movies like "V for Vendetta" or "GI Jane"). In some ways, it can be seen as a lose of 'self' since hair is a living, growing part of us--to cut it is to change how we grow and in what ways we grow (or don't grow). Such a change can have positive depictions (like the sign of strength shown in GI Jane) or negative depictions (like the sadness depicted in the Simpson video). Either way, a change is symbolized. The direction of the change is always left to interpretation though.

What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

none

What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

I had always thought it was supposed to mean a loss of honor.

What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

to rid the lice

What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

I feel liberated or polished when I get my hair cut. I really think that it is a neutral act that we bring our own meaning to.

What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

I think it means cutting the "bad luck" out of themselve, which kinda superstitious. It is like what asian ppl would do too after a bad experience like break up from boyfriend/girlfriend, they would cut their hair or remodeled their hair.

What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

That would depend on the context. Simpson and Wilson use the chopping off of their hair as a symbol of being self destructive. I get my hair cut for a whole different reason.

What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

Ones hair has been historically at times, perceived to be ones personal "glory", if you will.

Biblically, Samson's hair - his very long hair - contained the essence of his great physical strength; by means of which he was able to rout all the philistines armed might that they could send against him. And as everyone knows, he lost his strength when Delila drugged him, and cut off his hair.

In WW II ravaged Europe, when a national slept with the enemy, a French woman with a German soldier, following the Germans defeat, the "collaborator" was hauled in front of a public gathering, and shorn of her hair, thereby disgracing her.

Traditionally - prior to the modern era - a person's hair has been looked upon as their crowning glory, man or woman. So to loose it, whether it be cut off by ones self or another, represents taking away their sense of personal beauty.

Does this satisfactorily explain it for you?

Hope so,

Wotan

What is the symbolism behind cutting your hair?

Traditionally the shaving of the head or the cutting off of the hair is a sign of shame. You can see it in the bible and even after world war two.

There are photos of the French shaving off the hair of women who collaborated with German soldiers for food and shelter.

They were publicly shamed.