![]() Monster and woman, good and evil, beauty and ugliness, victim and villain, Medusa’s head gathers all the above contradicting aspects into a single creature. Her face is the perfect representation of the duality of nature. The above painting was inspired by the newer adaptations of Medusa’s myth, on which she acquired both a monstrous and a human side. Why was she turned into a monster? Because she was beautiful, and she was powerful.The Medusa, painting by Arnold Böcklin. In the case of Medusa, it is clear her story comments on the patriarchal society of ancient Greece. However, it is important to consider that the way we interpret ancient myth today is very different to how they may have been understood in the past, especially the ancient past! Side Note – We all know what happened to Pegasus, but did you ever wonder what happened to Chrysaor? Well… Heracles cut his head off, but that’s a story for a different day.Īll jokes aside, myths like the folktales of most cultures often have a meaning or moral. It is said in Edith Hamilton’s engaging novel “Mythology Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes” that Perseus, hoping to save his mother, was sent on a quest to kill Medusa. Here is where she would remain until good old Perseus (son of Zeus and Danae) showed up, ten points to anyone that can guess who helped him? Medusa was * clearly* extremely upset about being turned into a ‘monster’ and so she ran away to live in a cave with her sisters. ![]() In this version Athena was purely jealous of Medusa who subsequently suffered the same fate. Evidence for this lies in another version of the story told by Hesiod where Medusa in all her beauty, caught the eye of Poseidon who seduced her in a “soft meadow amid spring flowers”. The characterisation of Athena is also problematic it indicates a victim blaming culture in Ancient Greece, but it also suggests that women were thought to be irrational and jealous. It is not certain why she was transformed into a ‘monster’ however, according to the Roman poet Ovid in his epic ‘ Metamorphoses’, Medusa was “ravished” by Poseidon in the temple of Athena. Medusa’s beauty caught the eye of many a budding bachelor. However, Giesecke recounts an alternate tale, owing the trios parentage to the Earth Goddess Gaia who apparently “produced them to be her allies in the battle between the gods and the Giants.” I already hear you asking – Why was it unfortunate that Medusa was beautiful? Well, you’ll find out in the next section! According to Hesiod, they were the daughters of the sea deity Phorcys and his sister Ceto * Game of Thrones style*. In case you were wondering, there are two separate stories chronicling the parentage of Medusa and her Gorgon sisters. Unfortunately for her though, unlike her sisters Stheno and Euryale, Medusa was the definition of beautiful, and she was a mortal. Gorgons are described by Annette Giesecke, in her beautifully illustrated book Greek Mythology A to Z, as a type of terrifying mythological creature with * and I quote* “large tusks like a boar’s, hands of bronze and golden wings”. Then I will ask you again, who was Medusa and did she really deserve to be remembered this way?Īccording to our good friend, the Greek poet Hesiod, Medusa was born as one of three sisters, or, more specifically Graiae, known today as Gorgons. ![]() If you haven’t heard of her, where have you been?! Such a curious notoriety leads me to one VERY serious question: Even today her character often plays the villain in several dimensions of modern pop culture, think Clash of the Titans or the Percy Jackson franchise. Medusa is arguably one of the most famous (or infamous) mythological beings in Ancient Greek story telling. *I’m pretty sure he basically just got roped into this* *Not my favourite character in this story I must admit *eye roll*. Poseidon – Olympian God of the sea, brother to Zeus and Hades. *Cough* clearly needs to work on her sense of justice *cough*. ![]() * I think she might be having a rough day.*Īthena – Olympian Goddess of wisdom and war. Medusa * obviously* – Incredible beauty turned snake haired ‘monster’. Lana, Project Director and Lead Content Developer. Now grab yourself a cup of tea, get comfy and well, let’s get on with it! I really hope you enjoy our first official post! Welcome to Phrike October! We are super excited to have you here. If this topic is in any way triggering for you, please click off and we will catch you next time. *Trigger Warning* This post contains themes of sexual violence that may be sensitive to some.
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