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Medusa in ancient greek art.

Terracotta antefix with the head of Medusa

Terracotta aryballos in the form of a helmeted head

Terracotta kylix: Siana cup (drinking cup)

Attributed to the C Painter

Terracotta stand

Signed by Ergotimos as potter

Part of the marble stele (grave marker) of Kalliades

Terracotta painted gorgoneion antefix (roof tile)

Terracotta amphora (jar)

Signed by Andokides as potter

Terracotta kylix: eye-cup (drinking cup)

Signed by Nikosthenes as potter

Bronze neck-amphora (jar) with lid and bail handle

Terracotta lekythos (oil flask)

Attributed to the Diosphos Painter

Attributed to the Brygos Painter

Terracotta column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)

Attributed to the Orchard Painter

Terracotta gorgoneion antefix (roof tile)

Gold pendant in the form of a gorgoneion (Gorgon's face)

Terracotta pelike (jar)

Attributed to Polygnotos

Bronze greave (shin guard)

Terracotta two-handled vase

Terracotta reilef roundel with head of Medusa

Wall painting: Perseus and Andromeda in landscape, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Marble head and torso of Athena

Madeleine Glennon Department of Greek and Roman Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Medusa is an instantly recognizable figure from ancient Greek art. Her face, whether fierce and grotesque or feminine and composed, appears in virtually all media in varying contexts. The most common interpretation of Medusa suggests she is an apotropaic symbol used to protect from and ward off the negative, much like the modern evil eye. She represents a dangerous threat meant to deter other dangerous threats, an image of evil to repel evil. A close look at her role in Greek mythology and art reveals a nuanced and complex character with multiple iterations and implications.

Medusa is best known for having hair made of snakes and for her ability to turn anyone she looked at to stone, literally to petrify. Multiple works by ancient sources, such as Homer, the eighth-century B.C. poet Hesiod, and the fifth-century B.C. lyric poet Pindar, provide a wide-ranging and diverse picture of the fabled creature. According to Hesiod’s Theogony , she was one of three Gorgon sisters born to Keto and Phorkys, primordial sea gods; Medusa was mortal, while the others, Stheno and Euryale, were immortal. The best known myth recounts her fateful encounter with the Greek hero Perseus. A dishonorable king demanded that he bring him an impossible gift: the head of Medusa. Perseus set out with the aid of the gods, who provided him with divine tools. While the Gorgons slept, the hero attacked, using Athena’s polished shield to view the reflection of Medusa’s awful face and avoid her petrifying gaze while he beheaded her with a harpe , an adamantine sword. Such a violent act resulted in the birth of Medusa’s children, the winged horse Pegasos and the giant Chrysaor, who sprung from her neck. The two immortal sisters pursued Perseus with fury, but the hero escaped with his prize using Hermes’ winged boots and Hades’ helmet of invisibility. Not even death, however, could quell Medusa’s power, and Perseus had to keep her decapitated head in a special sack strong enough to contain it, called a kybisis . On his travels, he used the head to turn his enemies to stone and rescue the princess Andromeda from a sea monster ( 20.192.16 ), before giving it to Athena for her aegis ( 34.11.7 ).

Pindar’s Twelfth Pythian Ode recounts how Stheno and Euryale’s angry pursuit of their sister’s killer resulted in another chapter of the Medusa myth. After hearing their anguished and furious cries, Athena was inspired to invent the flute to mimic them. When the goddess played the flute, however, she discarded it after seeing her reflection; her face distended and became ugly as she played ( 24.97.28 ). While she purposefully and successfully mimicked the wails of the Gorgons, she also unwittingly imitated their wide and dreadful features. The snake-haired Medusa does not become widespread until the first century B.C. The Roman author Ovid describes the mortal Medusa as a beautiful maiden seduced by Poseidon in a temple of Athena. Such a sacrilege attracted the goddess’ wrath, and she punished Medusa by turning her hair to snakes.

While these stories sound fantastical today, to the ancient Greeks they were quasi-historical. Myths, as well as the stories recorded by Homer and Hesiod, were considered part of a lost heroic past when men and women interacted with heroes, gods, and the supernatural . Tales from this period were repeated in every medium; the evidence from Greece presents a world saturated with heroes and monsters in poetry, prose, and art. As such, Medusa was not just a fantastical beast, but part of a shared past and present in the minds of ancient viewers. She signified a historical menace—the story of Perseus vanquishing and harnessing her energy was not just a story, but a chapter in the shared allegorical and historical record of the Greeks.

Just as Medusa exists in multiple types of stories in the mythological record, she is also portrayed in multiple ways in ancient art. Her appearance changes drastically through the centuries, but she is always recognizable due to her striking frontality. It is rare in Greek art for a figure to face directly out, but in almost all representations of Medusa, despite style and medium, she stares ahead and uncompromisingly confronts the viewer.

The term gorgoneion refers to the head and face of Medusa, which was used often as a decorative motif. It is a prolific symbol of her particular power that appears in architecture , vase painting , and metalwork. The gorgoneion was a pervasive image in temple decoration of the Archaic period (ca. 700–480 B.C.). Perhaps the largest example comes from Temple C (built ca. 540 B.C.) at Selinunte in southwestern Sicily—two monumental gorgoneia, one on the east and one on the west, dominated the pediments of the temple. Medusa’s visage was also used to decorate smaller architectural elements. In Sicily, southern Italy, and mainland Greece, temples were decorated with numerous antefixes (ornamental terracotta roof tile covers) that bore gorgoneia ( 27.122.14 ), a phenomenon especially prevalent during the Archaic period. During this time, Medusa is depicted as a monster; she has a round face, wide eyes, a beard, and a gaping mouth with an extended tongue and gnashing, sharp teeth ( 39.11.9 ). Medusa remains a popular image on later architectural components, but her form is more specifically human and female. She loses the frightful teeth and beard, but is still recognizable ( 20.215 ) in Classical and Hellenistic examples with her wild hair and confrontational look ( 98.8.30 ).

Greek vases, cups, and related terracotta objects sometimes included a decorative gorgoneion as well. In some cases it was painted at the bottom of a drinking vessel ( 14.136 ) and served to surprise the drinker as he emptied his cup. Pieces from the seventh and sixth centuries B.C. are decorated with monstrous gorgoneia that can take up the entire surface ( 31.11.4 ), similar to those on contemporary antefixes. The circular shape of many of these ceramics offers a particularly appropriate space to depict the rotund face of the Archaic Gorgon; it is outrageous, with oversized features that combine the feminine (curled hair and earrings) with the masculine (beard). The trend of using Medusa’s face to decorate ceramics continued into the Hellenistic period (ca. 323–31 B.C.). She is present as the central decoration on many vases ( 06.1021.246a,b ), as well as a repetitive ornamental motif . Just as in architecture , these late fourth- and third-century B.C. Gorgons evolve from the grotesque to the feminine but retain their specific frontal quality. The fifth century B.C. saw the emergence of a new artistic emphasis on the ideal form. Perfection and beauty became the standards of this new Classical style, and Medusa, despite her role as a monster, was not exempt.

Medusa is truly ubiquitous—she is represented not only in architecture and pottery, but also in metalwork. Her head is a common ornament on the handles of bronze vessels ( 60.11.2a,b ). The circular shape and protective qualities of her countenance also lend themselves to jewelry; she appears on earrings, pendants, and rings ( 74.51.3397b ). The Gorgon is also reproduced on armor. In the Iliad , her head appears on Zeus’ aegis. Hesiod’s Shield of Herakles describes an illustration of the myth of Perseus and the Gorgons on the hero’s shield. More commonly, the gorgoneion is the central motif on the aegis of Athena. Depictions of the goddess in both vase painting ( 63.11.6 ; 34.11.7 ) and sculpture ( 24.97.15 ) include the head of Medusa on her chest. The most renowned sculpture of Athena, the gold and ivory Athena Parthenos that once stood in the Parthenon, included two gorgoneia: one on her aegis and one on her shield. The Gorgon’s face is not limited to divine armor, however, but also decorated the martial accoutrements of Greek soldiers , such as helmets, shields, and greaves ( 41.162.74 ; 1991.171.45 ). The presence of Medusa on armor reinforces the idea that her presence held significant power to protect the wearer against enemies.

The gorgoneion is not the only artistic representation of Medusa; she is also shown in scenes illustrating the adventures of Perseus. In many cases, the hero flees with Medusa’s head as her body lies nearby, sometimes with Pegasos and Chrysaor at their mother’s side ( 06.1070 ). A monumental example of this type is the central decoration of the early sixth-century B.C. Temple of Artemis on Corfu, though interestingly this depiction leaves out Perseus and the beheading.

Other scenes display the moment before the killing. The iconographic formula consists of Perseus holding his sword to Medusa’s neck, looking away as he delivers the fatal cut to avoid her petrifying gaze. A metope from Temple C at Selinunte depicts such a tableau and includes Athena, who stands by the hero to guide him. In later illustrations from the fifth century B.C., Medusa is asleep while the hero approaches to attack ( 45.11.1 ). Here is a rare instance of a nonfrontal, nonstaring Medusa; in sleep, the threat of her power is canceled. Indeed, she is portrayed as a peacefully sleeping human figure—only her wings suggest that she is a supernatural creature. Some scenes include the other Gorgons, Stheno and Euryale, pursuing Perseus after he has beheaded Medusa. One example, on an early seventh-century B.C. amphora from Eleusis, depicts the two running after the hero while their headless sister’s body lies behind them. The Gorgons are often represented in this running pose, known as knielauf , on pottery ( 01.8.6 ), in architecture, and on relief sculpture ( 55.11.4 ).

Even though Medusa’s appearance changes drastically through the Archaic , Classical , and Hellenistic periods , from a grotesque creature to a beautiful female, her “otherness” remains. The legends of the Gorgons cast them as foreign others living outside of the known Greek world and horrific beings to be feared and ultimately vanquished. Archaic depictions are monstrous and inexplicable—the Gorgon seems to be both male and female, both human and animal. The sixth-century B.C. antefixes, bronze handles, and vase decorations all depict a creature that is as terrible as it is distinctive. Classical and Hellenistic images of Medusa are more human, but she retains a sense of the unknown through specific supernatural details such as wings and snakes. These later images may have lost the gaping mouth, sharp teeth, and beard, but they preserve the most striking quality of the Gorgon: the piercing and unflinching outward gaze.

Alterity is at the foundation of Medusa’s force, which was alive and present in the minds and memories of ancient viewers. Her very presence is foreign, dangerous, and potent, as are her specific characteristics. In the Odyssey , her head was kept in Hades to drive the living from the world of the dead. The Perseus myth provides us with the phenomenon that her face and gaze could turn men to stone. Pindar preserves the tale that the Gorgon’s cries were awesome and awful. Perseus and Athena were required to control such threatening forces and harness their power. This harness was taken up by ancient Greek artists, who represented the Gorgon across all periods and in all media. Medusa is a deadly and cryptic other, but she is also ubiquitous, with an undeniable energy that inspired artists to repeat her semblance and story in diverse ways across literature, lore, and art through ancient Greece, Rome, and beyond.

Glennon, Madeleine. “Medusa in Ancient Greek Art.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/medu/hd_medu.htm (March 2017)

Further Reading

Belson, Janer Danforth. “The Gorgoneion in Greek Architecture.” PhD diss., Bryn Mawr College, 1981.

Childs, William A. P. “The Human Animal: The Near East and Greece.” In The Centaur’s Smile: The Human Animal in Early Greek Art , edited by J. Michael Padgett, pp. 49–72. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003.

Danner, Peter. “Westgriechische Giebeldekorationen, 1. Gorgoneia.” Römische Historische Mitteilungen 42 (2000), pp. 19–105.

Frontisi-Ducroux, Françoise. “In the Mirror of the Mask.” In A City of Images: Iconography and Society in Ancient Greece , edited by Claude Bérard et al., pp. 151–65. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1988.

Krauskopf, Ingrid. “Gorgo, Gorgones.” In Lexicon iconographicum mythologiae classicae , vol. 4, pp. 285–30. Zurich: Artemis, 1988.

Mack, Rainer. “Facing Down Medusa (An Aetiology of the Gaze).” Art History 25, no. 5 (2002), pp. 571–604.

Marconi, Clemente. Temple Decoration and Cultural Identity in the Archaic Greek World: The Metopes of Selinus . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Milne, Marjorie J. “Perseus and Medusa on an Attic Vase.” Bulletin of The Metropolitan Museum of Art 4, no. 5 (1946), pp. 126–30.

Richter, Gisela M. A. “A Stand by Kleitias and an Athenian Jug.” Bulletin of The Metropolitan Museum of Art 26, no. 12 (1931), pp. 289–91.

Vernant, Jean-Pierre. “Death in the Eyes: Gorgo, Figure of the Other.” In Mortals and Immortals: Collected Essays , edited by J Froma I. Zeitlin, pp. 111–38. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991.

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Medusa , in Greek mythology , the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons . She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes; unlike the Gorgons, she was sometimes represented as very beautiful. Medusa was the only Gorgon who was mortal; hence her slayer, Perseus , was able to kill her by cutting off her head. From the blood that spurted from her neck sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus , her two sons by Poseidon . The severed head, which had the power of turning into stone all who looked upon it, was given to Athena , who placed it in her shield; according to another account, Perseus buried it in the marketplace of Argos.

Heracles (Hercules) is said to have obtained a lock of Medusa’s hair (which possessed the same powers as the head) from Athena and given it to Sterope, the daughter of Cepheus, as a protection for the town of Tegea against attack; when exposed to view, the lock was supposed to bring on a storm, which put the enemy to flight.

In the British writer Iris Murdoch’s novel A Severed Head (1961), the heroine is a Medusa figure.

Medusa: Was She a Victim or a Monster?

Table of Contents

Who was medusa, the rape of medusa, perseus and medusa, medusa’s head as a protection symbol, symbols of medusa, symbolism of medusa’s story, from horrible monster to beauty, medusa in modern times.

One of the most recognizable figures in Greek mythology , Medusa is also the most famous amongst the Gorgons , three hideous female monsters with snakes for hair , and the ability to turn someone to stone just by looking at them.

While many have heard of Medusa as a horrible monster, not many know of her interesting, even poignant, backstory. Medusa is more than just a monster. She’s a multi-faceted character, who was wronged . Here’s a closer look at the story of Medusa and what she symbolizes today.

The name Gorgon comes from the word gorgos, which in Greek means horrible. Medusa’s lineage isn’t really clear. In some versions, her mother is said to be Gaia and her father is Phorcys. However, other sources cite Ceto and Phorcys as the parents of the Gorgons. Beyond their birth, there is little mention of the three Gorgons as a group and little is known about them.

Medusa was the only one amongst the Gorgon sisters who was mortal, although how she could be the only mortal daughter born to immortal beings isn’t clearly explained. However, she does have some immortal qualities, because although she ‘dies’ in the myths, her head continues to live on, in a manner of speaking.

In some myths, Medusa and her sisters were born as monsters, but in a popular version of her story, Medusa was a beautiful maiden who served in Athena’s temple.

Medusa’s beauty was so remarkable that even the powerful sea god Poseidon found her irresistible and tried to seduce her. However, when she did not reciprocate his affections, he attacked her and raped her right inside a temple dedicated to the goddess of Athena. The goddess was awakened with anger by what had happened inside her hallowed halls.

For some unknown reason, Athena did not punish Poseidon for the rape he committed. It could be because Poseidon was her uncle and the powerful god of the sea. This meant that technically, only Zeus could punish Poseidon for his crime.

It could also have been that Athena was envious of Medusa’s beauty and the attraction that men had towards her. And so, she used this as an opportunity to destroy Medusa’s beauty. Whatever the exact reason, Athena turned her wrath towards Medusa and punished her. She did this by turning her into a hideous monster, with snakes growing out of her head, and a deadly stare that would immediately turn anyone to stone if they looked into her eyes.

Some stories say that as a result of the rape, Medusa gave birth to Pegasus , the winged horse, as well as Chrysaor , the hero of the golden sword. However, other accounts say that her two children sprang from her head after she was slain by Perseus.

A demigod, the son of Zeus and Danae, Perseus is one of the greatest heroes of Greek mythology. He was sent on a quest to kill Medusa. With help from the gods and his intelligence, courage, and strength, he successfully located and beheaded her. Perseus used his shield as a mirror and avoided direct eye contact while battling her.

Even after her beheading, Medusa’s head was still powerful. Perseus used her severed head as a powerful weapon to slay the sea monster, Cetus. He was eventually able to save Andromeda , the Ethiopian princess who was about to be sacrificed to Cetus. She would become his wife and bore him children.

After his adventures, Perseus gave Medusa’s head to Athena. She placed it on her shield, the Aegis, as a protective emblem. This image of Medusa’s head is also referred to as the Gorgoneion . There’s something ironic, and almost wrong, in the fact that Medusa’s head ended up protecting the very deity who caused her unjust victimization.

However, the power that Medusa gains after her transformation – to turn people into stone with her gaze – can be seen as a symbolic protection against further violation or harm. This was given to Medusa by Athena, perhaps to protect her. If this is so, then did Athena do her a favor by turning her from a beautiful maiden into a hideous monster? Athena’s use of the Gorgoneion could be an acknowledgment of that power. However, this theory doesn’t really hold muster because if so, why did Athena aid Perseus in finding and killing Medusa?

Medusa is one of the most iconic figures from Greek mythology, and as such, her image and what she represents have been used and adapted throughout history in various forms of art, literature, and culture. Here are some of the primary symbols associated with Medusa:

• Medusa’s Head : After being beheaded by Perseus, her head, which retained its petrifying gaze, became a potent symbol of power and protection. It could turn anyone who looked directly at it into stone.
• Snakes for Hair : One of the most distinguishing features of Medusa is her hair made of writhing snakes. Snakes can symbolize various things, including danger, fertility, rebirth, and transformation, depending on the cultural or historical context.
• Petrifying Gaze : Medusa’s ability to turn those who looked at her into stone symbolizes overwhelming power and a dangerous allure. It can also represent paralysis or stagnation, as those who gazed upon her were rendered immobile forever.
• The Gorgoneion : This is the term for Medusa’s head as a protective symbol. Athena placed it on her aegis, a shield or breastplate, as a protective emblem. The Gorgoneion was also used on ancient Greek coins, armor, and architecture as a symbol of protection against evil.

Over time, the symbols and meanings associated with Medusa have evolved, and she continues to be a subject of fascination, adaptation, and reinterpretation in various forms of art and culture.

The story of Medusa, as it is traditionally told in ancient Greek myths, has been a subject of much discussion, reinterpretation, and critique, especially in modern times. Modern feminist interpretations of the myth often view Medusa as a symbol of female rage, power, and the consequences of patriarchal injustice. In these readings, the traditional narrative is challenged, and Medusa’s story is reclaimed as one of empowerment.

1. Silencing Powerful Women

The beheading of Medusa can be seen as symbolic of silencing powerful women who voice their sentiments. As this article from the Atlantic puts it: “In Western culture, strong women have historically been imagined as threats requiring male conquest and control. Medusa is the perfect symbol of this”.

2. Rape Culture

Medusa has been stigmatized and has unjustifiably been blamed for the consequences of male lust. She was unfairly blamed for “provoking” a god with her beauty. Instead of punishing her abuser, Athena, supposedly the goddess of wisdom, punished her by turning her into a hideous monster. It can be said that Medusa is an ancient representation of sexual stigma that still happens today. It’s still a matter of contention that rape victims are often blamed for the rape and, in some cultures, are vilified, ostracized and labelled ‘damaged goods’ by society.

3. Femme Fatale

Medusa is the archetypal femme fatale. Medusa symbolizes death, violence, and erotic desire. Once an enthralling beauty she was turned into a monstrosity after she was raped by a god. Such is her beauty that even powerful men couldn’t resist her charms. She can be equally enchanting and dangerous, and in some cases, she can be fatal. She remains one of the most identifiable femme fatales even today.

4. Female Rage and Power

Modern interpretations, especially feminist readings, often view Medusa as a symbol of female power, rage, and the consequences of patriarchal oppression. Her transformation can be seen not just as a curse, but as a form of empowerment, making her invulnerable to future harm.

Unlike her myths, where she turned from a beauty into a monster, the depictions of Medusa have had the opposite trajectory.

Medusa was originally depicted during the Archaic period as a horrible monster. Painted on pottery and sometimes carved into funerary monuments, she was a terrible looking creature with bulging eyes, full beard, and a lolling tongue.

However, during the Classical period, the representations of Medusa began to change, and her features were increasingly feminized. She had smoother skin and her lips became shapelier. Classical artists gave her a makeover and a few centuries later, Roman and Hellenistic writers also interpreted her story differently in an attempt to explain her origins.

Artists took note of these changes and featured it in their works, making the images of Medusa more human. However, her fate is sealed and regardless of how many makeovers she has gone through, she still dies at the hand of Perseus.

Being one of the most recognizable faces of Greek mythology, Medusa has been extensively represented in modern and ancient art. Her face is also ubiquitous in the covers of mythology books, especially Bulfinch’s and Edith Hamilton’s. She and her sisters have also been mentioned in one of the most famous works of literature of our time, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

Today, the image of Medusa has been taken on by powerful women, who have proudly worn a head full of snakes to depict power, sexuality, and the acknowledgment of their emerging role in society and politics. Some of the most famous female names have been associated with the image of Medusa, including Rihanna, Oprah Winfrey and Condoleezza Rice.  

Medusa is also portrayed on the famous Versace logo, surrounded by the meander pattern. Other instances where Medusa is featured include the Flag of Sicily and on the coat of arms of Dohalice, Czech Republic.

Beautiful, dangerous, powerful and yet a tragic figure – these are just some of the words used to describe Medusa. Such is her appeal that she terrifies and awes at the same time. Yet while many see Medusa as a monster, her back story shows her as a victim of lust and injustice. Her undeniable appeal will live on as her story is told from one generation to another.

Tags: Greek Symbols Mythology

Dani Rhys has worked as a writer and editor for over 15 years. She holds a Masters degree in Linguistics and Education, and has also studied Political Science, Ancient History and Literature. She has a wide range of interests ranging from ancient cultures and mythology to Harry Potter and gardening. She works as the chief editor of Symbol Sage but also takes the time to write on topics that interest her.

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🐍 Medusa :: The Real Story of the Snake-Haired Gorgon

Medusa was one of the three Gorgons , daughters of Phorcys and Ceto , sisters of the Graeae , Echidna , and Ladon – all dreadful and fearsome beasts. A beautiful mortal, Medusa was the exception in the family, until she incurred the wrath of Athena , either due to her boastfulness or because of an ill-fated love affair with Poseidon . Transformed into a vicious monster with snakes for hair, she was killed by Perseus , who afterward used her still potent head as a weapon, before gifting it to Athena .

Medusa’s Sisters and Birth

Gorgon medusa.

Medusa – whose name probably comes from the Ancient Greek word for “guardian” – was one of the three Gorgons , daughters of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto , and sisters of the Graeae , Echidna , and Ladon . All of Medusa’s siblings were monsters by birth and, even though she was not, she had the misfortune of being turned into the most hideous of them all.

From then on, similarly to Euryale and Stheno, her older Gorgon sisters, Medusa was depicted with bronze hands and wings of gold. Poets claimed that she had a great boar-like tusk and tongue lolling between her fanged teeth. Writhing snakes were entwining her head in place of hair. Her face was so hideous and her gaze so piercing that the mere sight of her was sufficient to turn a man to stone.

Medusa and Poseidon

It wasn’t always like that. Medusa – the only mortal among the Gorgon sisters – was also distinguished from them by the fact that she alone was born with a beautiful face. Ovid especially praises the glory of her hair, “most wonderful of all her charms.” The great sea god Poseidon seems to have shared this admiration, for once he couldn’t resist the temptation and impregnated Medusa in a temple of Athena. Enraged, the virgin goddess transformed Medusa’s enchanting hair into a coil of serpents, turning the youngest Gorgon into the monster we described above.

Perseus and Medusa

Soon after this, trying to get rid of Perseus , Polydectes , the king of Seriphos, sent the great hero on a quest which he believed must be his final one. “Fetch me the head of Medusa,” commanded Polydectes . With the help of Athena and Hermes , and after compelling the Graeae for Medusa’s whereabouts, Perseus finally reached the fabled land of the Gorgons, located either in the far west, beyond the outer Ocean, or in the midst of it, on the rocky island of Sarpedon. Medusa was asleep and Perseus, using the reflection in Athena’s bronze shield as a guide (so as to not look directly at the Gorgons and be turned into stone), managed to cut off her head with his sickle.

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The Posthumous Fate of Medusa

Strangely enough, Medusa’s story doesn’t end with her death. In fact, one can argue that the most peculiar fragments of her biography are all posthumous.

Medusa’s Children · The Lament of the Gorgons

For Medusa was pregnant at the time of her death, and when Perseus severed her head, her two unborn children, Chrysaor and Pegasus , suddenly sprang from her neck. The Gorgons were awoken by the noise and did their best to avenge the death of her sister, but they could neither see nor catch Perseus, for he was wearing Hades ’ Cap of Invisibility and Hermes ’ winged sandals. So, they went back to their secluded abode to mourn Medusa. Pindar, a great Ancient Greek poet, says that upon hearing their gloomy lament, Athena was so touched that she modeled after it the mournful music of the double pipe, the aulos.

The Miraculous Head of Medusa

Now that Perseus had Medusa’s head in his bag, he went back to Seriphos. However, while flying over Libya, drops of Medusa’s blood fell to the ground and instantly turned into snakes; it is because of this that, to this day, Libya abounds with serpents. When Perseus arrived in Seriphos, he used Medusa’s head to turn Polydectes and the vicious islanders into stones; the island was well-known long after for its numerous rocks.

After this, Perseus gave Medusa’s head to his benefactor Athena, as a votive gift. The goddess set it on Zeus ’ aegis (which she also carried) as the Gorgoneion . She also collected some of the remaining blood and gave most of it to Asclepius , who used the blood from Medusa’s left side to take people’s lives and the blood from her right side to raise people from the dead. The rest of Medusa’s blood – a vial containing two drops – Athena gave to her adopted son, Erichthonius ; Euripides says that one of the drops was a cure-all, and the other one a deadly poison.

Always the protector of heroes , Athena put aside, in a bronze jar, a lock of Medusa’s hair for Heracles , who subsequently gave it to Cepheus ’ daughter, Sterope, to use it to protect her hometown Tegea. Supposedly, even though it didn’t have the power of Medusa’s gaze, the lock could still cast terror into any enemy unfortunate enough to even accidentally behold it.

Medusa Sources

You can read a prose summary of Perseus’ quest for Medusa’s head in Apollodorus’ “Library.” For a poetic account, see the ending of the fourth book of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses.” Naturally, Medusa’s genealogy is described in full in Hesiod’s “Theogony.”

See Also: Perseus, Adventures of Perseus , Pegasus , Gorgons, Phorcys, Keto

Medusa Video

Who was Medusa?

Medusa was one of the three Gorgons , daughters of Phorcys and Ceto , sisters of the Graeae , Echidna , and Ladon – all dreadful and fearsome beasts. A beautiful mortal, Medusa was the exception in the family, until she incurred the wrath of Athena , either due to her boastfulness or because of an ill-fated love affair with Poseidon .

Where did Medusa live?

Medusa 's home was Sarpedon.

Who were the parents of Medusa?

The parents of Medusa were Phorcys and Keto .

Who were brothers and sisters of Medusa?

Medusa had 3 siblings: Graeae , Echidna and Ladon .

Who was the consort of Medusa?

Medusa 's consort was Poseidon .

How many children did Medusa have?

Medusa had 2 children: Pegasus and Chrysaor .

Which were the symbols of Medusa?

Medusa 's symbols were the Snake hair and the Stone gaze.

Medusa Associations

Cite This Article

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The Beauty and Horror of Medusa, an Enduring Symbol of Women’s Power

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Chariot pole finial with the head of Medusa (detail) (Roman, Imperial, 1st–2nd century CE), bronze, silver, and copper, height: 7 1/4 inches, width: 7 inches; diameter: 4 1/4 inches (courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Rogers Fund, 1918)

The earliest portrayals of Medusa show a grotesque part human, part animal creature with wings and boar-like tusks. By the fifth century BCE, that figure from Greek myth began to morph into an alluring seductress, shaped by the idealization of the body in Greek art. Her writhing hair of serpents became wild curls, with maybe a couple of serpents beneath her chin to hint at her more bestial origins.

Today Medusa, with her snake hair and stare that turns people to stone, endures as an allegorical figure of fatal beauty, or a ready image for superimposing the face of a detested woman in power. For more often than not, she’s depicted just as a severed head — a visual that even has its own name, the Gorgoneion — sculpted, painted, or carved being held aloft by her slayer Perseus.

Bronze greave (shin guard) for the left leg with Medusa head (Greek, 4th century BCE), bronze, width: 4 7/8 inches; length: 15 3/4inches (courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan P. Rosen, 1991)

Dangerous Beauty: Medusa in Classical Art now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art draws on around 60 works from the Manhattan museum’s collections to explore the transformation of Medusa and other classical female hybrid creatures, from sphinxes to sirens to Scylla , a sailor-eating sea creature with twelve legs and six necks who makes an appearance in Homer’s Odyssey . On a 570 BCE terracotta stand, Medusa is comically hideous, and fully bearded, sticking out her tongue between two tusks. Meanwhile, a rotation of 1990s Versace fashions presents Medusa as a modern luxury logo.

“Medusa, in effect, became the archetypal femme fatale: a conflation of femininity, erotic desire, violence, and death,” writes Kiki Karoglou, associate curator in the Met’s Department of Greek and Roman Art and organizer of Dangerous Beauty , in an issue of the  Met’s quarterly Bulletin  on the show. “Beauty, like monstrosity, enthralls, and female beauty in particular was perceived — and, to a certain extent, is still perceived — to be both enchanting and dangerous, or even fatal.”

The story of Medusa shifted over time along with her visage. In Greek mythology, she is one of the Gorgon sisters (derived from the Greek gorgós for “dreadful”), and Perseus uses a reflective bronze shield to defeat her. He then employs her head and its stony glare as a weapon, a tool he subsequently gives to the goddess Athena who wore it on her armor. In a later version, as told by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa is a beautiful human woman, who is turned into a monster by Athena as punishment after she is raped by Poseidon ( woe to mortal women in mythology). A 450–440 BCE red figure pelike container is among the earliest depictions of Medusa as an innocent maiden, with Perseus creeping up on the sleeping Gorgon. The Classical period of Greek art — from 480 to 323 BCE — further associated beauty with danger when Medusa, the sirens, sphinxes, and Scylla all got a little hotter, losing some scales and wings as their bodies were more and more humanized.

Installation view of Dangerous Beauty: Medusa in Classical Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

Terracotta pelike (jar) with Perseus beheading the sleeping Medusa, attributed to Polygnotos (Greek, 450–440 BCE), terracotta, height: 18 13/16 inches, diameter: 13 1/2 inches (courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1945)

Madeleine Glennon  in a 2017 essay on “Medusa in Ancient Greek Art”  for the Met notes that “Classical and Hellenistic images of Medusa are more human, but she retains a sense of the unknown through specific supernatural details such as wings and snakes. These later images may have lost the gaping mouth, sharp teeth, and beard, but they preserve the most striking quality of the Gorgon: the piercing and unflinching outward gaze.”

On a chariot-pole finial from 1st-2nd century Rome, Medusa is almost angelic with her flowing hair (and a pair of snakes peeking through her tresses), yet her penetrating eyes of inlaid silver recall her petrifying gaze. On funerary urns or armor, she was a talisman of protection, those eyes symbolically warding off evil. Even into the 19th century, as the romanticization continued, her eyes did not close. An early 1800s plaster cast from the studio of Antonio Canova shows preparation for the marble statue that now presides over the Met’s European Sculpture Court. In it, a nude Perseus proudly presents the dead Gorgon’s head in one hand, grasping some of the hair that writhes with a few subtle serpents. Her expression is one of surprised, but unblinking, sorrow.

Studio of Antonio Canova, “Head of Medusa” (Rome, 1806-07), plaster cast with modern metal rod (courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fletcher Fund, 1967)

Dangerous Beauty boldly mingles objects from across centuries in the compact exhibition. While the wild red locks of Edvard Munch’s 1902 lithograph “The Sin (Woman with Red Hair and Green Eyes),” or Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s “Lady Lilith” (1867) with the Pre-Raphaelite subject brushing her long hair, are more of a stretch in the narrative, they reinforce the ongoing artistic portrayal of women as dangerous through their looks or power. In her 2017 book Women & Power: A Manifesto , classicist Mary Beard explores how the image of Medusa is used to skewer women in contemporary politics, from Angela Merkel to Hillary Clinton (with Trump as Perseus in a popular manifestation). “There have been all kinds of well-known feminist attempts over the last fifty years or more to reclaim Medusa for female power (‘Laugh with Medusa’, as the title of one recent collection of essays almost put it) — not to mention the use of her as the Versace logo — but it’s made not a blind bit of difference to the way she has been used in attacks on female politicians,” writes Beard.

A soundscape in the exhibition composed by Austin Fisher ( which you can also hear on the Met’s site ) is alternately serene and cacophonous, reflecting how Medusa is pulled back and forth between these seemingly opposed forms. Her story always starts in these objects when her power is possessed, her head severed and turned into a weapon, whether she’s a damsel in distress or a monster. Returning to those startling early images of Medusa, with her bared teeth and frightful snake hair, there’s a narrative here on how transforming her into something benignly ornamental was another level of control. Still no matter her form — or decapitation — her gaze is never averted, looking directly at the viewer as an assertion of her horrifying power that cannot be completely subverted by beauty.

Terracotta two-handled funnel vase with Medusa head (Greek, South Italian, Apulian, Canosan, Early Hellenistic, late 4th–early 3rd century BCE), terracotta, height: 30 3/4 inches; diameter: 17 5/16 inches (courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1906)

Dangerous Beauty: Medusa in Classical Art continues through January 6, 2019 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Manhattan).

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Allison Meier

Allison C. Meier is a former staff writer for Hyperallergic. Originally from Oklahoma, she has been covering visual culture and overlooked history for print and online media since 2006. She moonlights... More by Allison Meier

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Death — Medusa: Unveiling Myth and Symbolism

Medusa: Unveiling Myth and Symbolism

• Categories: Death

About this sample

Words: 841 |

Published: Mar 1, 2019

Words: 841 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Works Cited

• Caillois, R. (1960). Méduse et Cie. Mercure de France.
• Calderón, R. (1966). Medusa. Grove Press.
• Desportes, P. (1573). Amours d’Hyppolite. Paris.
• Gautier, T. (1857). Jettatura. Hetzel.
• Klee, P. (1904). L’esprit a combattu le mal. Collection of the Zentrum Paul Klee.
• Mallarmé, S. (1880). Les Dieux antiques. La Revue indépendante.
• Ovid. (8 AD). Metamorphoses.
• Siebers, T. (1983). The Mirror of Medusa. University of California Press.
• Tobin, S. (2008). Medusa’s Gaze: The Extraordinary Journey of the Tazza Farnese. J. Paul Getty Museum.
• Walter, K. (1972). Das Corgonenhaupt. Berlin.

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World History Edu

• Greek Mythology

Medusa in Greek Mythology – Origin Story & Death

by World History Edu · April 12, 2019

The story of Medusa has instilled fear ever since it was heard for the first time. There have been different variations of the story but none has failed to terrify men than the ones that involved her turning the men that glanced upon her into stone. The following explains the origin story and the meaning of Medusa, the terrifying gorgon in Greek mythology:

Who Was Medusa?

The head of Medusa. | Medusa, by Caravaggio (1595)

Medusa was a Gorgon. She had two other sisters by name Sthenno and Euryale. All her sisters were immortal and dreadful monsters from birth except Medusa. Medusa was in fact the prettiest and most famous among her sisters.

Their parents were Phorcys and Ceto. Other researches on the myth surrounding Medusa also state that she was the daughter of Gorgon and Ceto. According to Hesiod’s Theogony, they were situated in the greatest palace by the Hesperides, beyond Oceanus.

Origin Story of Medusa

Medusa did not come into existence as a woman with a head of snakes. According to Greek myths, she was a very beautiful young woman who had many suitors. She was however raped by the sea god Poseidon in Athena’s temple.

Hearing of the incident, the goddess Athena got infuriated and turned Medusa’s hair into snakes. The snake-filled hair was so monstrous and grotesque that one look at Medusa made the viewer turn into a pile of stone.

Medusa’s terror frightened several people and this got the attention of the king of Seriphus, Polydectes. He sprung to action by sending the hero Perseus to fetch the head of Medusa. Polydectes did this on purpose because he wanted Danae, mother of Perseus, and he knew Perseus was not in support of their relationship. For this reason, he plotted to get rid of Perseus. The ploy behind the mission was for Perseus to die on his quest. Polydectes did not expect him to succeed much less return home to Seriphus.

Perseus and Medusa

Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae. Danae’s father, Acrisius, King of Argos was told that he would be murdered by Danae’s son. He locked up Danae in a bronze chamber.

However, Zeus turned into a gold shower and got Danae pregnant. Acrisius threw Danae and Perseus into the sea in a wooden chest. Dictys, brother of Polydectus, rescued them. He was responsible for taking care of Perseus until the hero reached adulthood.

Medusa’s Death

Greek hero Perseus sliced off Medusa’s head.

With the support of some Greek gods and goddesses , Perseus was fully armed for this adventure of his. He got a hat of invisibility from Hades, the god of the underworld; a pair of winged sandals from the Greek messenger god Hermes ; a reflective bronze shield from Athena ; and a sword from Hephaestus, the god of the forge.

Perseus managed to get Medusa’s location from Graeae. When he reached the land of the Gorgons , using the reflection of his shield as a guide, he cut off the head of Medusa with his sickle while Medusa was asleep.

Medusa’s Children

Medusa was pregnant with Poseidon’s children at the time hence the story goes on to say that when her head was cut off, her two children suddenly popped from her neck. Medusa’s children were called Chrysaor and Pegasus .

The accompanying noise that came with this woke the Gorgons up. They tried to catch Perseus but to no avail. Perseus had on him Hade’s cap of invisibility and Hermes’s winged sandals.

An ancient Greek poet by name Pindar said Athena was so touched by Medusa’s children’s lament that she made the Aulos out of their tears and sorrows. The Aulos is a sad music of double pipe.

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The Head of Medusa

Despite the death of Medusa, it is said that her head still had magical properties. As Perseus headed home, the blood from Medusa’s head dropped on the plains of Libya, causing them to turn into venomous snakes. Another myth holds that this is probably the reason why Libya has lots of snakes. It is said that when Perseus met the Greek Titan Atlas and asked for a place to rest, Atlas refused. He took out the head of Medusa and caused Atlas to turn into a mountain.

Perseus went on to meet Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia. Cepheus was the Aethiopian King. Andromeda was being offered as a sacrifice to a sea monster sent by Poseidon. This punishment was meted out to Cassiopeia for bragging about Andromeda being lovelier than the Nereids.

It is said that when Perseus met the Greek Titan Atlas and asked for a place to rest, Atlas refused. Perseus took out the severed head of Medusa and turned Atlas into a mountain. Image: Mount Toubkal in Toubkal National Park within the High Atlas, Morocco

Perseus rescued Andromeda with the use of the head of Medusa. He also used it on her uncle Proteus, the usurper of throne of Argos, whom she was betrothed to.

When Perseus got back home, he was very mad at Polydectes for tricking him. In his rage, Perseus turned Polydectes and all of his court members into stone with Medusa’s head. He went ahead and handed over the kingdom to Dictys.

He gave the head to Athena when he was done with it. She adorned her breastplate and shield with it whenever she went into a battle. She kept some of the blood which she gave to Asclepius. Asclepius, however, took lives with the blood from the left side of Medusa and used the one from her right side to bring people back to life. Athena didn’t give all the blood to Asclepius. She had a vial with two drops that she gave to her son by adoption, Erichthonius. The drops cured all things and the second one was a very deadly poison.

Athena put aside a piece of Medusa’s hair for demigod Heracles (also known as Hercules ). Hercules, in turn, took it and handed it over to Sterope, the daughter of Cepheus. It was used to protect Tegea, her hometown. It is actually said that despite the fact that the hair had no power, it was able to cast terror on people, including those who just saw it, even by accident.

Medusa in Greek mythology

Questions and Answers

Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Italian sculptor Benvenuto Cellini (1554)

How many sisters does Medusa have?

M edusa is one of the three Gorgon sisters, the others being Stheno and Euryale. While her sisters were immortal, Medusa was mortal.

How was Medusa like before the transformation?

Story : Medusa was once a beautiful maiden who served in the temple of Athena. She caught the eye of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and the two were intimate in Athena’s temple. This act of disrespect angered Athena, who transformed Medusa into a Gorgon as punishment. From that point on, Medusa lived in isolation, and anyone who looked upon her would be petrified.

Significance of Hermes in Greek mythology

What sort of help did Perseus get from the gods in his quest to slay Medusa?

Perseus, a Greek hero, was tasked with bringing the head of Medusa to King Polydectes. With the help of Athena and Hermes, he was provided with divine tools: a reflective shield, a cap of invisibility, winged sandals, and a sharp sickle. Using the shield to view Medusa’s reflection (thus avoiding direct eye contact), Perseus was able to behead her. From the blood that spurted from her neck, the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor were born, both children of Poseidon and Medusa.

What happened to the head of Medusa?

Despite it being severed from her body, Medusa’s head retained its petrifying power even after her death. The hero Perseus used it as a weapon on several occasions. He eventually gave the head to Athena, who placed it on her shield, the Aegis.

FAQs about Medusa

There are several frequently asked questions about Medusa. Here are some of them, along with their answers:

Why did she have snakes for hair?

Medusa was originally a beautiful maiden. After being seduced by Poseidon in Athena’s temple, a furious Athena transformed Medusa’s hair into snakes as punishment.

How did Perseus defeat Medusa?

A Sculpture work of Perseus holding the Severed Head of Medusa

Perseus was tasked with bringing the head of Medusa to King Polydectes. With the help of the gods, especially Athena and Hermes, he received several magical items, including winged sandals, a cap of invisibility, and a reflective shield. He used the shield to see Medusa’s reflection and avoid direct eye contact, then beheaded her while she was asleep.

What happens when you look into Medusa’s eyes?

In the myths, anyone who directly looked into her eyes was turned to stone.

What became of Medusa’s head after Perseus defeated her?

After using it as a weapon in several instances, Perseus gave the head to Athena, who placed it on her shield, the Aegis.

Did anything special happen when she was beheaded?

When Perseus beheaded Medusa, the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor sprung from her neck, as they were the offspring of Poseidon and Medusa.

Was Medusa always considered a monster?

While she’s often depicted as monstrous in later interpretations, earlier Greek art and literature sometimes portrayed her as being beautiful even in her Gorgon form.

Why is Medusa such a popular figure in modern culture?

The story of this Gorgon touches on themes of beauty, transformation, punishment, and power. Her image has been widely used in art, literature, and popular culture as a symbol of feminine rage, seduction, and the dangers of looking directly at the truth.

Are there any lessons or morals from Medusa’s story?

The story of Medusa has been interpreted in many ways over the years. Some see it as a cautionary tale about the consequences of defiling sacred spaces, others interpret it as a story about the destructive potential of female beauty, and still, others see it as a reflection on the ways society punishes and demonizes powerful women.

How did she compare to her other Gorgon sisters?

While all three Gorgons had snakes for hair and could turn onlookers to stone, only Medusa was mortal. Her sisters, Stheno and Euryale, were immortal.

Tags: Athena Medusa Medusa and Poseidon Medusa Origin Story Medusa the Gorgon Perseus and Medusa Poseidon

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Unveiling Medusa: Myths of the Gorgon Queen

Writing stories of mythical proportions.

• 0.1 Key Takeaways:
• 1.1 Medusa as an Apotropaic Symbol
• 2 The Transformation of Medusa
• 3 The Role of Medusa’s Head in Greek Mythology
• 4 Medusa in Ancient Greek Art
• 5 The Legacy of Medusa in Modern Culture
• 6.1 Empowering Medusa: Quotes from Modern Artists
• 6.2 Reinterpreting Medusa’s Story: A Shift in Perspective
• 6.3 Medusa’s Perspective: Rediscovering Her Humanity
• 7 Conclusion
• 8.1 Who is Medusa?
• 8.2 What is the story of Medusa?
• 8.3 What is the symbolism of Medusa in Greek mythology?
• 8.4 How did Medusa transform into a monstrous being?
• 8.5 What is the role of Medusa’s head in Greek mythology?
• 8.6 How is Medusa depicted in ancient Greek art?
• 8.7 What is Medusa’s legacy in modern culture?
• 8.8 How is Medusa’s narrative being reclaimed?
• 8.9 What is the significance of Medusa in Greek mythology?
• 9 Source Links

Medusa, a captivating figure from Greek mythology, has left an indelible mark on art and storytelling throughout history. Known for her snake-adorned visage and infamous ability to turn those who met her gaze into stone, Medusa’s story is rich with intrigue and symbolism. From her origins as one of the three Gorgon sisters to her encounter with the hero Perseus, her tale has fascinated generations.

Ancient sources such as Homer, Hesiod, and Pindar provide us with various accounts of Medusa’s myth. Born to sea gods Keto and Phorkys, she was destined to become a mythical figure of both fear and fascination. But beyond her curses and monstrous features, Medusa’s story reveals layers of complexity and explores themes of power, beauty, and transformation.

Key Takeaways:

• Medusa, a prominent figure in Greek mythology, is known for her ability to turn people to stone.
• Her story is depicted in various ancient sources, including works by Homer, Hesiod, and Pindar.
• Medusa was one of the three Gorgon sisters, born to sea gods Keto and Phorkys.
• Her most famous myth revolves around her encounter with the hero Perseus.
• Medusa’s portrayal in ancient art varies but always showcases her striking frontality.

The Symbolism of Medusa in Greek Mythology

Medusa, the iconic Gorgon queen of Greek mythology, holds significant symbolism within ancient tales. She is often interpreted as an apotropaic symbol , representing the power to ward off evil and protection from harm. Just like the modern concept of the evil eye , Medusa’s visage is believed to possess the ability to repel negativity and repulse dangerous threats.

Her role as an apotropaic symbol is evident in various mythological stories, where she is depicted as a formidable and dangerous force. Medusa’s terrifying appearance serves as a deterrent, warning potential adversaries and fending off evil forces. As a result, her image has become associated with the concept of “evil repelling evil,” conveying the idea that one evil entity can vanquish another.

“Medusa’s visage, with her serpent crown and petrifying gaze, embodies the concept of evil repelling evil . A mere glimpse of her monstrous form is enough to turn a would-be assailant into stone.”

The symbolism of Medusa extends to artistic representations as well. Ancient Greek art often depicted her visage, known as the gorgoneion , in various forms of decoration. The gorgoneion served as a protective charm, believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune. Her image adorned architecture, pottery, and even metalwork, strengthening the belief in her power as an apotropaic symbol .

Furthermore, Medusa’s symbolism as a protector against evil is deeply rooted in the concept of the evil eye . The evil eye is a belief held by many cultures, where a malevolent stare or envious gaze can cause harm or misfortune. Medusa’s petrifying gaze serves as a potent defense against the evil eye, turning it back on itself and neutralizing its effects.

Medusa as an Apotropaic Symbol

Medusa’s role as an apotropaic symbol highlights humanity’s desire to protect against malevolent forces. By embodying the concept of evil repelling evil , she becomes a guardian figure, warding off threats and providing a sense of security.

Through her symbolism as an apotropaic figure, Medusa continues to captivate the imagination and offer insight into the human desire for protection against evil forces.

The Transformation of Medusa

The classic myth of Medusa tells of her transformation from a beautiful maiden to a monstrous being. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Medusa’s beauty catches the attention of Poseidon, who rapes her in the Temple of Athena. In response to this sacrilege, Athena punishes Medusa by transforming her hair into snakes and granting her the power to turn others to stone. This transformation is a result of Medusa’s violation and serves as a form of punishment for her beauty and the desecration of Athena’s temple.

The Role of Medusa’s Head in Greek Mythology

Medusa’s severed head holds immense power and plays a vital role in Greek mythology. After Perseus defeats her, he wields her head as a formidable weapon, utilizing its petrifying gaze to turn his enemies to stone. The sheer terror and destructive capability of Medusa’s head give Perseus a significant advantage in his heroic endeavors.

Not only does Medusa’s head possess the ability to petrify, but it also holds the key to the birth of two mythical creatures. When Perseus beheads Medusa, her blood gives rise to Pegasos, the magnificent winged horse, known for its association with poetry and inspiration. Additionally, Chrysaor, a giant wielding a golden sword, emerges from her severed neck. Both Pegasos and Chrysaor contribute to the rich and complex tapestry of Greek mythology.

Throughout various Greek myths and epic tales, Medusa’s head remains a symbol of immense power, a harbinger of death, and a catalyst for transformative events. Its ability to freeze mortals in stone serves as a potent reminder of the repercussions of crossing supernatural beings.

“Medusa’s head, held aloft by Perseus, was both the ultimate weapon and a source of dread in the ancient world.”

The symbolic significance of Medusa’s head extends beyond its tangible powers. Its presence becomes a talisman against evil, an apotropaic force capable of repelling malevolence. This belief is evident in ancient Greek art, where the “gorgoneion,” an image of Medusa’s face , is frequently employed as a protective emblem on various objects such as shields, buildings, and amulets.

Perseus’ possession and utilization of Medusa’s head demonstrate the significance of this mythical artifact in Greek mythology. Its power, combined with the birth of Pegasos and Chrysaor, brings forth a multitude of narratives and contributes to the interconnected tapestry of Greek mythology.

Medusa in Ancient Greek Art

Medusa’s image is prevalent in ancient Greek art, appearing in various forms throughout different time periods. The gorgoneion , the head and face of Medusa, is a commonly used decorative motif in architecture, vase painting, and metalwork. It is a symbol of her power and serves as protection against evil. Medusa’s visage is often depicted with her distinctive snake hair, confrontational gaze, and grotesque features. She appears in temple decorations, terracotta roof tile covers, bronze vessels, jewelry, and armor. Her portrayal evolves over time, but she is always recognizable as Medusa.

In architecture, the gorgoneion is frequently incorporated into the design of buildings, particularly in pediments and friezes. It serves as a powerful emblem, warding off evil and safeguarding the sacred space. The menacing gaze and monstrous features of Medusa’s face are intended to intimidate and deter any potential threats.

In pottery, Medusa’s image adorns numerous vases and vessels, adding a touch of mythical allure to everyday objects. Artists skillfully capture her intricate snake hair and the intensity of her gaze, showcasing their mastery in depicting this enigmatic Gorgon queen. These artworks not only serve as decorative elements but also reflect the cultural fascination and reverence for Medusa.

Medusa’s presence in metalwork is equally prominent. Bronze vessels, jewelry, and armor often feature intricately crafted representations of her face. The use of metal emphasizes the enduring nature of her myth and the enduring power of her gaze. These artifacts demonstrate the craftsmanship of ancient Greek artisans and the importance of Medusa as a symbol.

Embedded within the aesthetics of ancient Greek art, Medusa’s image continues to captivate and intrigue. Her portrayal resonates with viewers, evoking both fear and awe. The gorgoneion serves as a reminder of her enduring power and the significance she holds in Greek mythology and culture.

The Legacy of Medusa in Modern Culture

Medusa’s legacy extends beyond ancient Greek mythology and continues to influence modern culture. She remains a popular subject in art, serving as inspiration for numerous artworks, including paintings, sculptures, and even fashion designs. In popular culture, Medusa is often associated with strength, power, and resilience , and has become a prominent figure in feminist interpretations.

Medusa’s story has been reimagined and retold in various mediums, reflecting the ongoing fascination with this enigmatic Gorgon queen. Artists and creators have embraced Medusa’s symbolism and incorporated her into their works, exploring themes of feminine power, empowerment, and the suppression of women .

Medusa has become a powerful feminist symbol, representing the strength to confront and overcome adversity. Her story resonates with women who have been silenced or vilified throughout history, and her image is often reclaimed as a symbol of empowerment and resilience.

In modern art, Medusa is depicted in a variety of styles and interpretations. She is portrayed as both beautiful and terrifying, capturing the dual nature of her character. Artists use different mediums and techniques to convey the essence of Medusa, from oil paintings that bring her to life on canvas to intricate sculptures that capture her mesmerizing gaze.

In popular culture, Medusa’s influence can be seen in films, literature, and even video games. She appears as a character or a source of inspiration, often representing female strength and the subversion of traditional gender roles. Her image is also widely used as a decorative motif, appearing on clothing, accessories, and home decor.

Medusa’s enduring presence in modern culture is a testament to the timeless fascination with her story and symbolism. Whether portrayed as a monstrous threat or a powerful feminist icon, Medusa’s legacy continues to captivate audiences and inspire artists and creators worldwide.

Medusa: Reclaiming Her Narrative

In traditional interpretations of the Medusa myth , she is often portrayed as a monstrous figure, focusing solely on her role as a threat and overshadowing her own experiences and perspective. However, contemporary artists and authors have started to reclaim her narrative and give her a voice, presenting a different side of this enigmatic character.

By exploring alternative viewpoints and reinterpreting the myth, Medusa emerges as a complex and sympathetic character. These new narratives highlight the injustices she endured and challenge the traditional portrayal of her story as a mere cautionary tale. Through these retellings, we gain a deeper understanding of Medusa’s humanity, shifting away from the demonization of powerful women.

These modern interpretations of Medusa’s story give her an opportunity to reclaim her agency, shedding light on her perspective and experiences. By challenging the conventional narrative, we are forced to confront our own biases and assumptions, encouraging a more nuanced understanding of this iconic figure from Greek mythology.

Empowering Medusa: Quotes from Modern Artists

“Medusa’s story has been misrepresented for centuries, and it’s time to give her a voice. By reimagining her story, we can challenge the way powerful women are portrayed in folklore and empower Medusa to reclaim her narrative.” – Artist Name

“Through my art, I aim to show Medusa’s strength and resilience. She is not just a monster, but a woman who has gone through tremendous struggles. When we reinterpret her story, we can provide a platform for her to share her side and remind the world of her humanity.” – Artist Name

Reinterpreting Medusa’s Story: A Shift in Perspective

Medusa’s story is being reinterpreted in various forms of media, including literature, art exhibitions, and theater performances. These new interpretations offer a fresh lens through which to view her narrative, emphasizing her struggles, resilience, and the injustices she faced.

By portraying Medusa not as a villain but as a complex individual, these works challenge our preconceived notions and invite empathy and understanding. They shed light on the social, cultural, and political context surrounding the original myth, encouraging us to question the traditional narratives that perpetuate harmful stereotypes.

Medusa’s Perspective: Rediscovering Her Humanity

Through the reinterpretation of Medusa’s story, her humanity is brought to the forefront. These retellings explore her emotions, her desires, and the impact of the world around her. Medusa becomes more than just a terrifying creature; she becomes a character with depth, complexity, and agency.

By reclaiming Medusa’s narrative and allowing her voice to be heard, we gain a greater appreciation for her as a multifaceted figure in Greek mythology. We can challenge the traditional portrayal of powerful women as monstrous and embrace a more inclusive and empathetic understanding of Medusa’s journey.

Reinterpreting Medusa’s story allows us to recognize the complexities and nuances of her character, offering a more inclusive and compassionate perspective. Through art, literature, and other forms of expression, Medusa’s voice can finally be heard, reclaiming her narrative and challenging centuries-old misconceptions.

Medusa’s story in Greek mythology has captivated audiences for centuries. From her origins as a mortal woman to her transformation into a monstrous Gorgon, Medusa’s tale is filled with symbolism, power, and tragedy. She embodies the complexities of human nature and the consequences of divine intervention. Medusa’s impact is evident in the enduring presence of her image in ancient art, where her visage continues to captivate and confront viewers.

Furthermore, Medusa’s significance extends beyond the ancient world, as her story continues to inspire and resonate in modern culture. In literature, art, and popular culture, she is seen as a symbol of empowerment, strength, and resilience. Medusa has been reinterpreted as a feminist icon, challenging traditional narratives and reclaiming her voice. By exploring her story from different perspectives, we gain a deeper understanding of the broader themes she represents – the complexities of power, betrayal, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Medusa’s story reminds us of the interplay between beauty and danger, vulnerability and strength. She invites us to question established narratives and champion the voices of those who have been marginalized. Ultimately, Medusa’s impact and significance lie in her ability to provoke thought, evoke emotions, and ignite conversations that transcend time and culture.

Who is Medusa?

Medusa is an iconic figure from ancient Greek art and mythology. She is one of the Gorgon sisters and is known for her snake-crowned visage and ability to turn people to stone with her gaze.

What is the story of Medusa?

Medusa’s story is multifaceted and is depicted in various ancient sources. According to Greek mythology, she was born to sea gods Keto and Phorkys. Her most famous myth revolves around her encounter with the hero Perseus, who beheads her using divine tools.

What is the symbolism of Medusa in Greek mythology?

Medusa is often interpreted as an apotropaic symbol, representing the power to ward off evil. She is seen as a dangerous threat meant to deter other dangerous threats and is believed to protect from and repel negativity, much like the modern concept of the evil eye.

How did Medusa transform into a monstrous being?

In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Medusa’s beauty catches the attention of Poseidon, who rapes her in the Temple of Athena. In response, Athena punishes Medusa by transforming her beautiful hair into snakes and granting her the power to turn others to stone.

What is the role of Medusa’s head in Greek mythology?

After her death, Perseus uses Medusa’s head as a weapon, utilizing its petrifying gaze to turn enemies to stone. Her head also gives birth to the winged horse Pegasos and the giant Chrysaor, further contributing to the mythological narrative.

How is Medusa depicted in ancient Greek art?

Medusa’s image is prevalent in ancient Greek art, appearing in various forms throughout different time periods. She is often depicted with her distinctive snake hair, confrontational gaze, and grotesque features, serving as a symbol of power and protection against evil.

What is Medusa’s legacy in modern culture?

Medusa remains a popular subject in art and has become a prominent figure in feminist interpretations. Her story has been reimagined and retold in various mediums, reflecting the ongoing fascination with this enigmatic Gorgon queen.

How is Medusa’s narrative being reclaimed?

Contemporary artists and authors have begun to explore alternative viewpoints and retell Medusa’s story, portraying her as a complex and sympathetic character. These retellings challenge the traditional narrative, highlighting the injustices she endured and shifting away from the demonization of powerful women.

What is the significance of Medusa in Greek mythology?

Medusa’s story captivates audiences with its symbolism, power, and tragedy. Her enduring presence in ancient art and influence in modern culture showcase the impact and significance of this fascinating figure.

Source Links

• https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/medu/hd_medu.htm
• https://windswaves.wordpress.com/2019/08/26/hidden-from-view-the-medusa-myth-from-ovids-metamorphoses-to-peter-paul-rubens/
• https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/legend-medusa-and-gorgons-002773

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The Tragic Tale of Medusa: From Beautiful Priestess to Monsterous Gorgon

Last updated on October 30th, 2022 at 10:25 pm

The story of Medusa is a tragic one, and her backstory isn’t one that myths often reveal. She was once a beautiful and powerful woman, but the Gods turned her into a monster despite her inability to control the events in her life.

What exactly happened to cause her transformation? Let’s take a closer look at how Medusa became the monster we know today.

Medusa’s Story Throughout History

Almost anyone you talk to will be able to tell you that Medusa was a monstrous creature with a head of writhing snakes instead of hair. What they might not know is why she looked that way.

Over the years and as cultures morphed and changed, so did the story of Medusa. Most of the time, these changes suited the societal needs of the time, but her story is one of the oldest myths in recorded Greek history .

The tale of Medusa has captured the interest of storytellers and historians for centuries because her story is one filled with betrayal, heartbreak, and tragedy.

It’s a cautionary tale about the dangers of being too trusting and the power of anger and vengeance. It’s also a story that shows how circumstances can turn even the most beautiful among us into hideous creatures if we’re not careful.

There is some contention about how Medusa became a monster. When her origins are considered, it’s difficult for the many retellings to agree.

The earliest stories depict her as a monster from birth. Later stories describe her as a beautiful maiden turned nightmare. Either way, it seems that Medusa was a victim of the horrible treatment of the gods. So let’s explore the most popular origins a bit deeper.

The Gorgon Sisters

One of the oldest versions of Medusa’s origins is written by the poet Hesiod (c. 700 BCE). In his work, Theogony, he describes the Gorgon sisters as monsters born from the blood that spurted out when the castrated Uranus was chopped up and tossed into the sea.

These three sisters, Euryale, Stheno, and Medusa were so hideous that anyone who looked upon them would turn to stone.

Medusa was the only mortal one of the three sisters, while her sisters remained ageless and immortal. This was unfair, considering that Medusa was the only mortal among her siblings. 

It was this great injustice that would eventually lead to her downfall.

Who Turned Medusa into a Monster?

You first need to know about Medusa because she was a priestess of Athena, the god of wisdom and battle. Servicing Athena requires young women to be virgins and give their lives to the goddess.

Many men vied for Medusa as her beauty was unique among mortals. Because of her position and her beauty, Poseidon, the god of the sea, took an interest in her.

In addition, Poseidon and Athena were rivals. Seeing Medusa, Poseidon hatched a plan to get back at Athena.

Poseidon humiliated Athena by raping Medusa on the steps of her temple.

At this point, the Sea God left his victim on the temple’s steps, weak, vulnerable, and alone. Medusa, fearing the worst prayed for forgiveness from Athena.

However, Athena was enraged and cursed Medusa for betraying her and her oath as a priestess.

If that wasn’t punishment enough, Athena also banished her from society to a faraway island where she would live her cursed days alone. Many considered Medusa a beautiful maiden.

However, Athena ensured that no one would be able to look upon her again. Athena gave Medusa chicken legs, cracked skin, giant metal wings, a terrifying madness, and snake hair, and stony eyes.

Anyone who looked upon Medusa would turn to stone from that point onward. Men came to her island only to chase her while trying to kill her.

Eventually, her fear of her powers turned to anger, and she cursed the gods for ruining her life. In turn, Medusa took her revenge on all of the men that came to kill her.

The only way he could free them was if Perseus, the son of Zeus, beheaded her. Some say that she longed for this end. 

It would come years later as Perseus ventured to her island to save his mother. Armed with weapons and gifts from the gods.

Using a mirrored shield from Athena, flying shoes from Hermes, and a sword and crown from Zeus, Perseus outsmarted Medusa and cut off her head.

When Perseus eventually killed Medusa, her blood gave birth to Pegasus’s winged horse and a golden warrior named Chrysaor.

Athena used her head to decorate her shield, protecting her against her enemies, while her body was laid to rest in the underworld.

How Medusa’s Injustice Relates To Modern Society

The story of Medusa has been retold countless times throughout history. It’s a story of tragedy, heartbreak, and ultimately revenge. Yet, the circumstances can relate her story to modern society in many ways.

Like Medusa, women have been mistreated, abused, and belittled by men for centuries.

It wasn’t until recently that women began to fight back and demand their respect. Like Medusa, women have been made to feel like monsters through no fault of their own.

Over time, Medusa became synonymous with ugliness, anger, and terror. Where possible, resistors demonize women by depicting them as Medusa.

However, her story is also of strength, courage, and resilience. Medusa persevered and fought back against her oppressors despite the many obstacles she faced. In many ways, she is an inspiration to women everywhere who have been made to feel like monsters. 

Just as Medusa avenged the men who wronged her, women now take a stand and fight back. It’s time for society to see them as beautiful and robust creatures without fearing or mistreating them.

The story of Medusa is a tragic one, but it’s also one of hope and strength. No matter how dark or complicated life may seem, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

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Medusa: The Monster Who Turned Men to Stone

If you think you know the whole story of Medusa, think again – here’s everything you never knew about the mythical Gorgon.

The story of the monster Medusa’s death at the hands of the great hero Perseus is one of the most widely told myths from the Greek world. The image of the brave hero slaying the hideous beast endures in art, poetry, and song.

Medusa is remembered, more than anything else, for a face that was so hideous that one look at it would literally turn men to stone.

With monstrous features and snakes in place of her hair, she was a frightful creature that the Greeks believed could scare off even the most potent evil.

But there is much more to the legend of Medusa than just her beheading, and her legacy is far more complicated than that of any other ancient monster.

Lost in the telling are Medusa’s tragic origins and the unbelievable fate of her famous head.

There was a lot more to the Gorgon than just the snakes in her hair!

Medusa was Once Beautiful

Medusa and her sisters, the Gorgons, were the children of the primordial gods Phorcys and Keto.

Phorcys and Keto were also the parents of three other monstrous sisters – the Graeae. Their other siblings included the monsters Echidna , Scylla, and Ladon.

Keto was synonymous with sea monsters that her name was later used for the great serpents Poseidon conjured from the deep.

The earliest versions of the Gorgons connected them to sharp reefs and the storms that could drive ships onto them. They were associated with rocks, which when hidden below the surface of the water spelled disaster for ships passing by.

Their parents were early sea gods, predating the Olympians. The Graeae represented sea foam, while the other children of Phorcys and Keto were monsters of the ocean.

The Gorgons personified just one of the many dangers of the sea.

Stheno and Euryale, Medusa’s sisters, were immortal. Medusa was the only one of the three who could ever be killed.

Some stories say that there was one more unnamed Gorgon who was older than the others. She was killed by Zeus before he fought his father and the Titans for power.

Early accounts placed the Gorgons in a faraway place on the edge of night. Later stories had them living in Libya, a favorite setting for myths taking place outside of the Greek world and its cultural influence.

The earliest stories of Medusa said that she always had a terrible, inhuman form. But it didn’t take long for that to change.

As early as the 5th century BC there were mentions of Medusa being a beautiful woman in her youth. By the time of Ovid, she was one of the world’s great beauties.

According to him, as the only mortal Gorgon, Medusa was also the only one not born a monster. She had many suitors and was especially known for her beautiful long hair.

Medusa in this telling was separated from her monstrous family members and lived a more human life. Despite her family connection to monsters, she fit the mould of many beautiful young human women in mythology.

In these versions of her story, Medusa’s beauty would end up being her undoing. Like many pretty young women in Greek legend, she attracted the attention of a god.

Cursed by Athena

Even in the stories that came before descriptions of her beauty, Medusa’s tale was bound to the god Poseidon.

The god of the sea, like many of his peers, had frequent affairs with mortal women and minor goddesses.

The earliest version of the story describes Poseidon’s seduction of the Gorgon as taking place in a meadow filled with flowers. But later depictions tell a much darker tale.

In these, Poseidon not only took Medusa by force, but did so in a temple of Athena.

Greek mythology, like the culture that created, often made little distinction between seduction and rape. The gods often carried their lovers away or used deceit to get their way.

Kidnapping was a valid form of marriage in Greek mythology and women were often described as fleeing from or fearing the amorous gods.

Ovid, however, makes it very clear that Poseidon’s actions were not romantic.

Poseidon did not seduce or charm Medusa in the later myths. His actions were described as a forceful violation.

Poseidon and Athena were often at odds in the myths, and the disrespect of raping Medusa within her temple infuriated the goddess . As a virgin goddess, the act was particularly loathsome.

Unfortunately, as was often the case in the ancient world, the victim bore the brunt of the punishment.

Athena took her anger out on Medusa. She turned the young woman into a terrible monster.

Medusa’s famously beautiful hair was transformed into a writhing mass of snakes.

Once a renowned beauty, Medusa was now so horrifying that any man who looked upon her would be turned to stone. The fairest of the three Gorgons became the most hideous of them all.

In art, Medusa and her sisters had every terrifying feature the Greeks could imagine.

In addition to the serpents on their heads, they had tusks like boars, lolling tongues, and bulging eyes. Some images gave them wings, others a thick black beard.

Hesiod said they flicked their tongues, much like snakes. They wore snakes around their waists instead of normal belts.

Medusa’s body was often shown as abnormally large and disproportionate. Her large head and thick legs gave her a notably inhuman appearance that contrasted with the perfect forms of the gods and heroes.

Some versions of the story claim that Medusa’s sisters underwent the same change from beautiful to horrible, reconciling the disparity of showing only Medusa herself in that way. In this case Athena punished the sisters as well, although they had no involvement in the desecration of her temple.

The Gorgons were sent far from the civilized world to make their lair in a dark cavern. While Medusa was the only one whose gaze petrified men, her sisters killed and mutilated many.

Even after this terrible punishment, Athena had not finished the punishment Medusa.

The Death of Medusa

The most famous story of Medusa is that of her death at the hands of the great hero Perseus .

Perseus was the child of Zeus and the human woman Danae. King Polydictes wished to marry Danae but Perseus , by then an adult, opposed the union of his mother and the untrustworthy king.

Seeking a way to get her grown son out of the way, sent Perseus on a seemingly impossible quest.

He challenged the young man to kill Medusa and bring back her head.

Athena offered to help the hero on his quest. She gave her shining shield of bronze, the aegis, for protection.

Athena also told him where to find further assistance. After creating Medusa herself, the goddess seemed especially eager to aid the hero in the monster’s destruction.

The Hesperides, a sisterhood of nymphs , were guardians of a wondrous garden at the edge of the world. They had in their possession other items belonging to the gods that would help Perseus survive an encounter with the monster and her sisters.

His first mission was to find and defeat the Graeae. Only they knew the location of the Hesperides and their garden.

The three gray-skinned sisters of the Gorgons were born with only one eye which they shared between them. Passing their eye back and forth, one could be watchful at all times.

They also shared a single tooth, taking turns to eat their meals.

Perseus hid, waiting in the dark until two of the Graeae were passing the eye between each other. Quickly and deftly, he snatched the eye from their grasp.

Horrified, the Graeae demanded the return of their sight.

Perseus made a deal with the monsters. He would return their eye when they revealed to him the location of the Hesperides.

Some say he honored the agreement and left the watchful Graeae in peace. Others claim he threw the eye into the depths of Lake Tritonis.

Either way, the Graeae had shown him the way to the hidden garden of the Hesperides.

The nymphs gladly lent Perseus the treasures Athena had sent him for . The first was a strong bag in which to hold his trophy, the head of the Gorgon.

The second treasure was the magical helmet of Hades , given to him by the Cyclops in the Titanomachy. It had the power to make its wearer invisible.

The final treasure of the Hesperides was the winged sandals of Hermes .

Perseus was equipped to kill Medusa .

When he arrived at the sisters’ lair, the Gorgon was sleeping. Perseus used the same stealth he had practiced with the Graeae to sneak close.

This was where Athena’s bronze shield became invaluable.

Perseus could not look at Medusa or he would be turned to stone. Looking only at the monster’s reflection in the shining metal of the shield, he could creep forward without danger.

Perseus, therefore, with Athena guiding his hand, kept his eyes on the reflection in a bronze shield as he stood over the sleeping Gorgones, and when he saw the image of Medousa, he beheaded her. -Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 2. 36 – 42 (trans. Aldrich)

Medusa’s last scream in death woke the sleeping Gorgons, and the two sisters chased after the man who had killed her.

Now, Perseus took advantage of the treasures he had gotten in the garden.

Using the winged sandals, he was able to speed out of the cavern and avoid the angry monsters. Putting the helmet on his head kept them from seeing him, so they flailed blindly in their rage.

Perseus stuffed the head of Medusa in the bag and made his escape.

As Perseus fled the cave, however, he and the Gorgons were no longer alone.

The blood that spilled from Medusa’s severed head gave birth to two children – Chrysaor and Pegasus .

Little is known of Chrysaor, as he did not play a major role in later myths, except that he was later the father of a giant with three heads. But Pegasus, the winged horse, became a figure in many legends.

While a few tellings say that Pegasus helped Perseus escape, most agree that the mythical horse would not be tamed until Bellerophon fought the Chimera.

As Perseus used the sandals to fly over the sands of Libya, the droplets of blood that fell to the ground created enormous vipers. The creatures would remain common in North Africa forever after.

The death of Medusa had another immediate impact.

When Athena heard the cries of the Gorgons as they cried for their sister, she sought to emulate their mournful sounds. She invented the flute for this purpose.

The most common type of flute in ancient Greece had two bodies, a reflection of the two surviving Gorgons.

This was the last mention of Sthenno and Euryale in mythology. With their mortal sister gone, the other two Gorgons faded out of legend.

Her Head’s Continued Adventures

While the tale of her death at the hands of Perseus is one of the most famous moments in Greek mythology, it was not the end of Medusa’s story. In an unusual and macabre turn of events, Medusa’s death was only the beginning of her adventures.

When Perseus ran from the surviving Gorgons, he took their sister’s head with him as proof of his deeds. Even with the monster dead, Medusa’s true power lived on in her remains.

Some stories say that Perseus first used the Gorgon’s head while travelling back to his homeland. On his journeys, he came across the Titan Atlas holding the world on his back and used the head to turn him to stone.

This myth, a later addition to the story of Atlas , explained the creation of the Atlas Mountain range in North Africa. The power of Medusa’s head was so potent that it could petrify even the largest and strongest of the Titans.

Other tales say that Medusa’s head was used to destroy the great sea monster that threatened to devour Andromeda. Perseus killed the monster and later married the princess.

Although those details aren’t always included in Perseus’s legend, the writers do agree on what he did when he returned to his home in Greece. He turned his mother’s duplicitous suitor, Polydictes, to stone.

He did the same to many citizens who supported his would-be stepfather, creating the rocky terrain of the island of Seriphos.

Perseus later gave the head to Athena, who affixed it to her shield. Many depictions of Athena show the fearsome head of the Gorgon on her aegis .

Athena furthered her connection to Medusa by placing rows of snakes around her robes. While they didn’t have the power of the Gorgon’s head, they served as a frightening reminder of Athena’s curse.

Even this was not the end of the story for Medusa’s head, however. Throughout many Greek myths, it reappeared.

• When Perseus laid the head on a bed of seaweed, its magic caused the plants to harden. This created the first coral.
• Fighting the Ethiopian king Phineus, Perseus used the head against his enemies. Two hundred soldiers were turned to stone, including at least one of his own men who accidentally looked at the artefact.
• Phineus himself was the last of his army to be killed in this way. His petrification was slow and painful.
• Perseus later fought Dionysus and used the head against the god’s retinue of satyrs. The god held a diamond in front of his eyes to protect himself from the head’s curse.
• Ariadne, the wife of Dionysus, is said by a 5th-century writer to have been turned to stone in the war between her husband and Perseus. This story only appears in one source, however.
• Athena gave some of the Gorgon’s blood to the legendary surgeon Aesclepius. The blood could be used to destroy or restore and enabled him to bring people back from the dead.
• Athena also gave Heracles a bronze snake cut from Medusa’s head in a jar. He, in turn, gave the jar to Sterope to protect her city from invasion.

Medusa’s head, the gorgoneion , appeared constantly in Greek art. Athena used it to terrify her enemies and even a crude representation of it could strike fear into evil spirits and malicious beings.

The menacing face of the monster became a totem of protection.

Even a piece of Medusa’s head, like the one Heracles gave to Sterope, was enough to repel enemies and cause uneasiness even if it didn’t have the power to petrify.

Medusa wasn’t just mentioned again on earth. In the underworld, too, she appeared.

When Heracles was sent there, all the souls of Hades fled from him. Medusa’s spirit stayed and faced him down.

The hero drew his sword, prepared to fight, but realized she was nothing more than a hollow wraith.

Medusa is one of the spirits often said to lurk at the gates of the underworld, lifeless but unable to fully pass into the next realm.

Medusa in Late Antiquity

While the early Greeks depicted Medusa as truly monstrous, later artists began to change this image.

At the same time as writers began to show Medusa as a former beauty afflicted by a terrible curse , the face of Medusa underwent a similar transformation in art.

In sculpture, mosaics, and painting, the Gorgon began to lose her more beastly attributes. Her features softened.

The pointed tusks and extended tongue disappeared. Her face took a more traditionally human appearance.

Medusa began to look more like the woman she was described as in the texts.

By the time the Roman Empire was established, the face of Medusa was almost indistinguishable from that of any other woman. The only difference between Medusa and a human, or even a goddess, was the snakes that crowned her head.

Even in its more beautiful form, the gorgoneion was used as a symbol to ward off greater evils. It was often placed at the entrance to buildings, either in a relief carving or a floor mosaic, to prevent malicious spirits from entering.

Soldiers used Medusa’s head on their shields and armor, emulating the image of Athena, in an attempt to ward off death itself. The practice was so widespread that it is seen on the famous mural that depicts Alexander the Great’s battle against the Persians.

In this, the Gorgon was not only a symbol of protection. It tied the Macedonian kind directly to Greek heritage.

As the Roman world embraced Christianity and its texts, Medusa’s evil status was furthered. Judeo-Christian belief had always seen snakes as part of mankind’s fall from perfection and her serpentine hair made Medusa more recognizably evil than ever.

Medusa’s head was still treated as a frightening object, even when it was shown as being almost entirely human.

Images Today

The head of Medusa was the single most frequently used symbol in ancient Greek art. Because of this, it has become a widely-recognized icon.

Artists of the Renaissance made the slaying of Medusa one of their favorite subjects in sculpture and painting. To them, the scene was a vivid illustration of the triumph of human ingenuity and heroism.

Perseus allowed them to recreate a male form that fit classical notions of perfection.

Medusa’s severed head provided the shock factor of gore and violence. The blood and gore that dripped from her neck were portrayed in graphic detail.

Additionally, the famous snakes on her head gave the artists a chance to display their skills with shape and texture. The loops and curves of a snake’s body have always been a favorite subject in art for this reason, and the figure of Medusa provided many of them for the artist to show off their skill.

It was after the French Revolution that the Gorgon herself began to take on more heroic connotations. Still portrayed as a human woman, albeit with an increasingly thick nest of snakes on her hair, Medusa became a symbol of the Jacobin faction.

The connection to the French Revolution and a famous story of beheading is obvious, but Medusa had also begun to be portrayed more sympathetically. Radicals saw the Gorgon herself as a type of revolutionary, taking power from the monstrousness that made her vulnerable.

This was in contrast to English liberty, which had been depicted as wise and powerful Athena. French liberty was not heroic, but it was not content to resign itself to victim hood.

The vision of Medusa as a victim of tyranny continues today.

The story of Medusa’s punishment following her rape by Poseidon has a much different meaning in the modern world than it did in Greek times. Her continued portrayal as a more feminine and human figure furthers this difference in interpretation.

When the feminist movement reexamined the legend, they came to a much different interpretation of Medusa than the Greeks subscribed to.

Being punished for her own victim hood made Medusa an emblem of the discrimination and violence faced by real women. In turning men to stone, however, Medusa’s anger reflected the rage women felt about these experiences.

Feminists reinterpreted Medusa as a woman who used her anger to avenge herself on the male gaze. They noted that in the myths there was never an instance of Medusa turning a woman to stone.

As art interpretation focused on the ways in which art represented the female body for the view of men, Medusa’s ability to punish men for looking at her became a powerful symbol.

Although men may have found her name synonymous with monotonousness, in Medusa women could find a reflection of their own fury.

Italian fashion company Versace took a completely different view of Medusa when they made her their logo. Completely devoid of monstrous connotations, they explained the use of the Gorgon’s head by praising its classical beauty.

In popular culture, Medusa has retained the duality between a sympathetic female figure and a dangerous monster. She frequently appears as a villain in comic foods, video games, and fantasy movies.

In these she takes two forms. Some versions of the character emphasize her feminine features, while she is given more attributes of a snake at times when she’s shown as particularly monstrous.

The modern take on Medusa often emphasizes her femininity by making her a seductive, sexual figure. From a monster to a passive victim, Medusa evolved into an example of the femme fatale archetype.

As a more sensual villain, Medusa’s snakes are, once again, linked to Biblical notions of sin and evil.

Medusa and the Gorgons are used as characters in stories with direct links to Greek mythology , but also in general fantasy and horror settings. Outside a specifically Greek context the monsters are now seen as a universal type.

In these roles, Medusa is more of an active monster than she ever was in Greek myths.

In the original story she was killed in her sleep with no chance of fighting back, and most of the deaths caused by her powers were when she was used as a weapon by someone else.

While her sisters killed men with their fangs and claws, Medusa’s power was passive. She didn’t even have to look at her victim – it was their gaze that caused their death.

In games and books, however, she actively attacks her enemies or lures them in with her sexuality. Unlike Perseus, the protagonists in these stories actually have to fight her.

Her powers are expanded in modern media. While she always retains the power to petrify her enemies, now she scratches, poisons, and grapples as well.

Medusa has survived in art as a popular motif in tattoo culture. Combining two traditionally popular images, that of a beautiful woman’s face and that of coiling snakes, she is chosen to represent both her modern power and her ancient demonism.

Her name is even used in politics, being invoked in unfavorable descriptions of female politicians. In that usage, the image of Medusa as a woman who can petrify men takes a more negative connotation than it does in feminist circles.

Despite reinterpretation by feminists and revolutionaries, Medusa’s name retains its connotations of monotonousness and deformity.

It is used, for example, in the scientific names of many animals to reference some particularly unsightly species and, of course, some snakes.

More than ever before, the popular view of Medusa is a complex one. The interpretation can vary by image, person, and context.

Medusa’s Complicated Legacy

The ancient Greeks saw Medusa as a particularly terrifying monster of legend.

They continued to believe this even after the development of the story that told of her punishment by Athena. To them, the initial punishment and the subsequent death were both justified.

It’s hard for a modern reader to accept this version of events. 21st century morals would see Medusa as a victim who was deserving of sympathy instead of punishment.

The myth of Medusa forces readers to confront an ugly truth – the victim isn’t always avenged.

The good guy sometimes doesn’t win and innocent people are sometimes harmed.

Medusa is seen by some today as the first example of victim blaming. While Poseidon walked free, Medusa was villainized for the crime of attracting his attention.

Rape was often a feature of Greek mythology, as much as the stories hide it in terms of seduction and marriage. And very often in mythology, as in life, the victim paid the price.

Zeus’s lovers were harassed by his jealous wife. Nymphs who fled the gods were cursed or turned into trees and flowers.

It was more rare for a victimised woman to be helped and avenged than it was for her to be punished.

Medusa’s punishment was more explicit and harsh than most victims in the Greek myths, but it was not entirely out of place.

The complicated nature of Medusa’s crime and punishment is something our culture still grapples with today.

From a vicious monster to a symbol of justified rage, the changing interpretations of Medusa’s nature reflect the changing morals and views of culture itself.

My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) I have been in love with all things related to Mythology. I am the owner and chief researcher at this site. My work has also been published on Buzzfeed and most recently in Time magazine. Please like and share this article if you found it useful.

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A Summary and Analysis of the Myth of Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Perseus’ defeat of Medusa, one of the Gorgons, is well-known. Famously, to look upon snake-haired Medusa (the snakes were her punishment for being vain and proud of her hair) was enough to turn the viewer to stone, so Perseus cunningly used a mirrored shield to approach the Gorgon, Medusa, in her cave so that he could cut her head off without looking directly at her.

However, this is a much-condensed version of a somewhat longer tale, and the above summary leaves out some of the most magical and exciting – not to mention most human – aspects of the story of Perseus and Medusa. So let’s analyse this myth in more detail.

Perseus and Medusa: plot summary

Perseus was the son of the Greek god Zeus and the woman Danae. He was conceived when Zeus came to Danae disguised as a shower of gold. Danae’s father, Acrisius, discovered that his daughter had given birth to a son, and threw both Danae and Perseus into the sea, in a wooden chest.

However, the chest washed up ashore on the island of Seriphos, where the fisherman, Dictys, discovered it. He took them into his home and raised Perseus as if he were his own son. Perseus grew up to be a brave and handsome young man.

Dictys had a brother, Polydectes, who took a shine to Danae and wanted to seduce her. Perseus, however, protected his mother from Polydectes. When Polydectes invited his friends to dinner, he asked each of them for a gift. The other guests all offered a horse, but Perseus said he could bring something far more valuable: the head of the Gorgon, Medusa.

The next day, all of the other guests brought their horses as gifts to Polydectes, but Perseus turned up with nothing. So Polydectes ordered him to make good on his bold promise to bring him the head of Medusa. If Perseus returned empty-handed, Polydectes said he would take Danae by force.

So Perseus set off on his mission. As is so often the case with Greek heroes, Perseus had some help from the gods, as well as the nymphs. The latter gave him several magic items which would help him in his quest: winged sandals that enabled him to fly, a shoulder bag, and the helmet of Hades. This last magic item was especially useful, as it made whoever wore it invisible.

Meanwhile, the god Hermes gave Perseus the harpe , a special sickle made of adamant (an imaginary stone said to be of impenetrable hardness – not unlike diamond).

Armed with these weapons and instruments of protection, Perseus set off to find Medusa, one of the three Gorgons (the other two, Stheno and Euryale, are far less famous; their extremely difficult and forgettable names probably didn’t help). Medusa was the only one of the Gorgons who was mortal. They all had snakes for hair.

However, looking directly at the Gorgons, it was said, turned the viewer to stone. Thankfully, Perseus had help from the goddess Athena, who held a shield (made from polished bronze) just over Medusa’s head, so that Perseus could use his winged sandals to hover off the ground, look in the mirror provided by the bronze shield, and decapitate Medusa.

From Medusa’s neck the famous winged horse, Pegasus, is said to have sprung after she was decapitated. Less well-known is the story that a giant, named Chrysaor, is also said to have been formed from the Gorgon’s severed body.

Satisfied that the Gorgon was dead, Perseus placed Medusa’s severed head into his shoulder bag and returned home. Although Stheno and Euryale, Medusa’s two immortal sisters, pursued Perseus on his journey home, he was protected by the helmet of Hades, which prevented them from locating him.

Thus Perseus could return home, present Polydectes with the head of Medusa, and protect his mother, Danae, from Polydectes’ unwanted attention.

Perseus and Medusa: analysis

One of the most intriguing things about famous Greek myths is how they came about. We will doubtless never know the origins of the Perseus and Gorgon story for certain, but the branch of mythical interpretation known as euhemerism , which seeks to uncover the historical basis for classical myths, is intriguing, if often somewhat speculative in nature (as it almost certainly has to be after so many millennia).

One such example of euhemeristic interpretation of myth is the idea that the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece arose from real practices which involved panning for gold using wool. In the Arthur legend, the practice of the true king drawing the sword from the stone may have been based on Dark Ages techniques for forging metal swords, which involved the finished sword being yanked from its stone mould.

In the case of the Gorgon Medusa, although it is similarly speculative, numerous mythologists have put forward the idea that the story of Perseus’ slaying of Medusa may be a sort of ‘origin myth’ created to explain the Gorgoneion , a protective pendant worn by followers of Athena and Zeus and displaying the ugly head of a woman, surrounded by serpents.

After he had slain Medusa, Perseus was said to have used her head as a weapon against his enemies, since it retained its power to turn to stone those who looked at it. Eventually, Perseus gave Medusa’s head to Athena to place on her shield, and this, one surmises, is meant to be the origin of the Gorgoneion.

There are other theories which also see Medusa as representing a particular religious idea. Joseph Campbell, for instance, who was probably the most influential comparative mythologist of the twentieth century after James Frazer, suggested that Perseus’ beheading of Medusa is mythologising of a real historical event, namely the sack of a temple (in the 13th Century BC), during which Greek invaders killed priestesses who wore Gorgon masks.

Herodotus, the ancient historian, meanwhile, stated that the Gorgons lived in Libya, and it’s been suggested that they originated in a north African Berber myth, which may have been co-opted by the Greeks.

Jane Harrison, the great classical scholar whose work was so influential on Robert Graves when he wrote his ‘grammar of poetic myth’, The White Goddess , argued that Medusa was the one true Gorgon: her sisters were probably a later invention, to replicate the ‘triple goddess’ feature found elsewhere in myth (compare the Three Furies and the Three Fates, among others). Certainly, it’s odd that Medusa was mortal while her two sisters were not.

Of course, one of the key elements of the story of Perseus and Medusa is the important of sight and vision. Medusa cannot be looked upon: to look directly at her is to be turned to stone. This detail has been interpreted as an example of the misogyny we find in many of the patriarchal Greek myths: here’s a woman so ugly that merely looking at her will literally petrify you.

But even this interpretation carries its fair share of problems, not least the fact that a number of classical writers, from Pindar onwards, described Medusa as beautiful as well as terrifying: for Pindar, she was ‘fair-cheeked Medusa’.

About Greek mythology

The Greek myths are over two thousand years old – and perhaps, in their earliest forms, much older – and yet many stories from Greek mythology, and phrases derived from those stories, are part of our everyday speech. So we describe somebody’s weakness as their Achilles heel , or we talk about the dangers of opening up Pandora’s box . We describe a challenging undertaking as a Herculean task , and speak of somebody who enjoys great success as having the Midas touch .

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• What Caused the Titanomachy War and Who Was Involved in It?
• How Did Greek Mythology Influence Christianity?
• Did Zeus and Apollo Have Anything in Common?
• How Does Fate and Destiny Work According to Greek Mythology?
• What Is the Story of Giants in Greek Mythology?
• How Was the Stonehenge Made According to the Myth?
• What Is the Most Unbelievable Myth You Find in the Greek Mythology?
• How Does Zeus Play Into Modern-Day Religion?
• What Is Something You Learned by Reading Homer’s Odyssey?
• Why Did the Goddess Athena Help the Hero Perseus Defeat Medusa?
• What Role Did Eros Play in the Life of Helen?
• Who Was the First Mortal to Be Made a God?
• Were the Trojan War and the Fall of Troy Necessary?
• What Is the Significance of Pandora’s Box?
• Did Jason Care for Medea or Exploit Her?
• What Was the Significance of Prometheus’ Gift to Man?
• Was the Trojan Horse a Clever Trick or an Act of Treachery?
• Who Were the Key Figures in the Trojan War, and Why Was It Fought?
• How Were Greek Myths Used to Keep Order in Society?
• Can We Criticize the Gods, or Are They Always Perfect in Their Actions and Behavior?
• Who Were the First Storytellers, and Why Were They Valued in Ancient Societies?
• What Is the Difference Between an Epic, a Legend, and a Myth?
• Poseidon Topics
• Pseudoscience Topics
• Medea Topics
• Homer Titles
• Allegory Essay Titles
• Culture Topics
• Roman Empire Ideas
• Achilles Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 27). 122 Greek Mythology Essay Topics & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/greek-mythology-essay-topics/

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IvyPanda . 2024. "122 Greek Mythology Essay Topics & Examples." February 27, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/greek-mythology-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "122 Greek Mythology Essay Topics & Examples." February 27, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/greek-mythology-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "122 Greek Mythology Essay Topics & Examples." February 27, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/greek-mythology-essay-topics/.

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THE MEDUSA AND THE SNAIL and other Lewis Thomas Essays

Welcome to Throwback Reviews , a monthly review of a science book that has been available to the public for some time, but the impact of which is still prevalent.

The natural world needs its observers. Charles Darwin is arguably the prime example of a good observer of nature. With his insightful eye, he was able to produce one of the grandest theories of all of science. But writing and being an observer was a lost art for many scientists of the twentieth century, with many books focusing on processes and theories, but forgetting the art of producing beautiful writing. It’s usually one way or the other: some are great observers but don’t know how to compose good essay about it, and some do know how to write but are terrible watchers of science.

The Medusa and the Snail and other Lewis Thomas Essays

The medusa and the snail: more notes of a biology watcher by lewis thomas.

Lewis Thomas doesn’t fall on either side of this category. He’s one of those rare exceptions, a terrific writer with a keen eye for biology and the natural world in general. In his 1974 book, The Medusa and the Snail: More Notes of a Biology Watcher , Thomas, the great physician and etymologist, gives an array of notes on the natural world that makes us fall into deep reflexion.

Thomas opens rapidly with an excellent essay on the self and what nature can teach us. The Medusa and the Snail — the title of the essay— brings attention to the trend in humans on elevating the feeling of self, with Thomas stating , “ We tend to think of ourselves as the wholly unique creation in nature, but it is not so .” Further, Thomas takes on the journey on what he describes an interaction of two organisms where two selves make a single organism.

Thomas beautifully describes this phenomenon that involves the nudibranch— a colorful sea snail, which can be found in a bright orange color in Naples — and the Medusa in the Bay of Naples:

“When first observed, the nudibranch, a common sea slug, was found to have a tiny vestigial parasite, in the form of a jellyfish, permanently affixed to the ventral surface near the mouth. In curiosity to learn how the medusa got there, some marine biologists began searching the local waters for earlier developmental forms, and discovered something amazing. The attached parasite, although apparently so specialized as to have given up living for itself, can still produce offspring for they are found in abundance at certain seasons of the year. They drift through the upper waters, grow up nicely and astonishingly, and finally become full grown, handsome normal jellyfish. Meanwhile the snail produces snail larvae, and these too begin to grow normally, but not for long. While still extremely small, they become entrapped in the tentacles of the medusa and the engulfed within the umbrella-shaped body.” 

Thomas then goes all in on this exciting pair of invertebrates:

“ Soon the snails, undigested and insatiable, begin to eat, browsing away first at the radial canals, then the borders of the rim, finally the tentacles, until the jellyfish becomes reduced in substance by being eaten while the snail grows correspondingly in size. At the end, the arrangement is back to the first scene, with the full-grown nudibranch basking, and the nothing left of the jellyfish except the round, successfully edited parasite, safely affixed to the skin near the mouth. ”

Thomas, being the great observer that he is, notes that they can’t live in any other way. “ They are not really selves, they are specific others .” Thomas makes this distinction based on how we humans concentrate on the self, the I, and forget the contemporary world that makes everything depend on each other.

On Other Topics

The hazard of science.

The book goes into other territories too. He describes the rise of biomedical science and the prospect of cloning and modifying an organism. In the essay The Hazard of Science , Thomas explains how some sectors of society disapprove that the scientist does the job that God is supposed to do.

Thomas writes, “ if man starts doing things reserved for the gods, defying himself, the outcome will be something worse for him, symbolically, that the litters of wild boar and domestic sows were for the ancient Romans .”

Evident of the atrocious thinking of the public and those who don’t want the advancements of biomedical science, Thomas pushes back on this notion:

“Indeed, if there is any single attribute of human beings, apart for language, which distinguishes them from all other creatures on earth, is in their insatiable, uncontrollable drive to learn thing and then to exchange the information with others of the species. Learning is what we do, when you think about it. I cannot think of a human impulse more difficult to govern.” 

Thomas then adds to the dialogue of the prospect of modern science by saying,  “ Now, that we have begun exploring in the earnest, doing serious science, we are getting glimpses of how huge the questions are, and how far from being answered.”

Eventually, he gives his final thought on the topic, asking  “ Is this hubris? Is there something fundamentally unnatural, or intrinsically wrong, or hazardous for the species in the ambition that drives us all to reach comprehensive understanding of nature, including ourselves? I cannot believe it.”

On Transcendental Metaworry

There are even some laughable blunders, especially in the essay On Transcendental Metaworry . Here, Lewis gives a meditation guide for worrying — the opposite of what meditation is . Looking at it in 2018, it is incredibly obvious how Thomas laughs at some of the new age gurus and gives us the contrary message that modern contemplative practices on mediation give us. The essay is straight up hilarious.

The books end on two strong essays, one on punctuation and the other on the history of medicine. Here is where Thomas is at his finest, explaining how punctuation is one thing, but detailed writing of the honor of his profession is another. As Thomas writes, “ Like a good many revolutions, this one began with the destruction of dogma.”

He then adds, “The history of medicine has never been a particularly attractive subject in medical education, and one reason this is that it so unrelievedly deplorable story.”

Last Word on Lewis Thomas and The Medusa and the Snail

Overall, Lewis Thomas could write about everything about his everyday life and still give a unique insight into details that we don’t notice. We often find topics on cell, bacteria and organisms challenging to comprehend, but in this classic book, Thomas can correlate with everyday life. Moreover, his witty points add ups to the broad topics in The Medusa and the Snail . In honor of the 25th anniversary of his death — he died at 80 in 1993 — I recommend everybody to pick up this classic and be amazed by the rare phenomena of the natural world.

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Medusa Summary & Analysis by Carol Ann Duffy

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

"Medusa" first appeared in Carol Ann Duffy's 1999 collection The World's Wife . The poem is a dramatic monologue written in the voice of Medusa, a mythical figure with venomous snakes for hair and whose stare turns people to stone. Medusa is both terrifying and sympathetic in the poem, a woman transformed into a monster by her anger over her husband's affairs. The poem points to the destructive potential of jealousy and rage, and to the way that men use women, only to discard them when they're no longer young and beautiful.

• Read the full text of “Medusa”

The Full Text of “Medusa”

“medusa” summary, “medusa” themes.

The Destructive Nature of Jealousy and Rage

Misogyny and Female Suffering

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “medusa”.

A suspicion, a ... ... in my mind,

which turned the ... ... on my scalp.

My bride’s breath ... ... yellow fanged.

Lines 10-12

There are bullet ... ... Be terrified.

Lines 13-17

It’s you I ... ... you were stone.

• Lines 18-23

I glanced at ... ... spattered down.

• Lines 24-29

I looked at ... ... heap of shit.

Lines 30-35

I stared in ... ... of a mountain.

Lines 36-39

And here you ... ... girls, your girls.

Lines 40-42

Wasn’t I beautiful ... ... at me now.

“Medusa” Symbols

• Line 10: “There are bullet tears in my eyes”
• Line 17: “So better be for me if you were stone.”
• Lines 18-29: “I glanced at a buzzing bee, / a dull grey pebble fell / to the ground. / I glanced at a singing bird, / a handful of dusty gravel / spattered down. / I looked at a ginger cat, / a housebrick / shattered a bowl of milk. / I looked at a snuffling pig, / a boulder rolled / in a heap of shit.”
• Lines 1-5: “A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy / grew in my mind, / which turned the hairs on my head to filthy snakes / as though my thoughts / hissed and spat on my scalp.”

“Medusa” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• Lines 18-32

Alliteration

• Line 3: “hairs,” “head”
• Line 5: “spat,” “scalp”
• Line 6: “bride’s,” “breath,” “soured,” “stank”
• Line 7: “bags”
• Line 8: “foul,” “foul”
• Line 9: “fanged”
• Line 10: “tears”
• Line 11: “terrified”
• Line 14: “Greek,” “God”
• Line 17: “So,” “better,” “be,” “stone”
• Line 18: “glanced,” “buzzing,” “bee”
• Line 20: “ground”
• Line 21: “glanced”
• Line 22: “dusty”
• Line 23: “down”
• Line 35: “mouth,” “mountain”
• Line 1: “suspicion,” “jealousy”
• Line 3: “hairs,” “head,” “snakes”
• Line 4: “thoughts”
• Line 5: “hissed,” “spat,” “scalp”
• Line 7: “grey,” “bags,” “lungs”
• Line 8: “foul,” “foul,” “tongued”
• Line 9: “yellow,” “fanged”
• Line 10: “bullet,” “tears”
• Line 14: “perfect,” “Greek,” “God”
• Line 15: “betray,” “stray”
• Line 19: “dull,” “grey”
• Line 21: “glanced,” “singing,” “bird”
• Line 22: “handful,” “dusty,” “gravel”
• Line 23: “spattered,” “down”
• Line 24: “looked,” “cat”
• Line 25: “housebrick”
• Line 26: “bowl,” “milk”
• Line 27: “looked”
• Line 28: “boulder,” “rolled”
• Line 31: “gone”
• Line 32: “Gorgon”
• Line 33: “stared,” “dragon”
• Line 34: “spewed”
• Line 39: “girls,” “girls”
• Line 41: “fragrant”
• Line 2: “my,” “mind”
• Line 7: “grey,” “lungs”
• Line 8: “foul mouthed now, foul,” “tongued”
• Line 10: “my,” “eyes”
• Line 12: “terrified”
• Line 14: “own”
• Line 15: “go,” “betray,” “stray”
• Line 16: “home”
• Line 17: “be,” “me,” “stone”
• Line 19: “pebble fell”
• Line 27: “snuffling,” “pig”
• Line 29: “in,” “shit”
• Line 33: “dragon”
• Line 38: “tongue”
• Line 41: “young”
• Line 1: “A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy”
• Line 6: “soured, stank”
• Lines 8-9: “I’m foul mouthed now, foul tongued, / yellow fanged.”
• Line 14: “perfect man, Greek God, my own;”
• Lines 15-16: “but I know you’ll go, betray me, stray / from home.”
• Lines 18-23: “I glanced at a buzzing bee, / a dull grey pebble fell / to the ground. / I glanced at a singing bird, / a handful of dusty gravel / spattered down.”
• Lines 24-29: “I looked at a ginger cat, / a housebrick / shattered a bowl of milk. / I looked at a snuffling pig, / a boulder rolled / in a heap of shit.”

Parallelism

• Lines 15-16
• Lines 37-39
• Lines 40-41
• Line 8: “foul mouthed,” “foul tongued”
• Line 11: “Are you terrified?”
• Line 12: “Be terrified.”
• Line 18: “I glanced at a buzzing bee,”
• Line 19: “a dull grey pebble”
• Line 21: “I glanced at a singing bird,”
• Line 22: “a handful of dusty gravel”
• Line 24: “I looked at a ginger cat,”
• Line 25: “a housebrick”
• Line 27: “I looked at a snuffling pig,”
• Line 28: “a boulder”
• Line 30: “I stared in the mirror.”
• Line 33: “I stared at a dragon.”
• Line 37: “a shield for a heart”
• Line 38: “a sword for a tongue”
• Line 39: “your girls, your girls”
• Line 40: “Wasn’t I”
• Line 41: “Wasn’t I”
• Lines 18-35
• Lines 37-38
• Lines 18-39

Rhetorical Question

• Lines 40-41: “Wasn’t I beautiful / Wasn’t I fragrant and young?”

“Medusa” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• (Location in poem: Lines 13-14: “It’s you I love, / perfect man, Greek God, my own;”)

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Medusa”

Rhyme scheme, “medusa” speaker, “medusa” setting, literary and historical context of “medusa”, more “medusa” resources, external resources.

Another Poem From "The World's Wife" — Listen to Duffy herself as she reads and discusses another poem from "The World's Wife." This one comes from the perspective of another mythological character: the wife of King Midas.

A Short Biography of Duffy — Read a brief introduction to Carol Ann Duffy from the Poetry Foundation.

Images of Medusa — Take a look at the many different ways Medusa has been portrayed throughout history.

Feminist Retellings In ‘The World’s Wife’ — Read an essay on the subversive poetry collection that "Medusa" comes from. 

A Reading of the Poem — Listen to the poem read aloud.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Carol Ann Duffy

A Child's Sleep

Anne Hathaway

Before You Were Mine

Death of a Teacher

Education For Leisure

Elvis's Twin Sister

Head of English

In Mrs Tilscher’s Class

In Your Mind

Little Red Cap

Mrs Lazarus

Mrs Sisyphus

Pilate's Wife

Pygmalion's Bride

Queen Herod

Recognition

Standing Female Nude

The Darling Letters

The Dolphins

The Good Teachers

Warming Her Pearls

War Photographer

We Remember Your Childhood Well

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