THE STORY OF MEDUSA: MONSTER, VICTIM OR BOTH?
The story of Medusa is deeper than what meets the eye. It is a story of a woman, so misunderstood that she is frowned upon as a villain. Is she a villain, a victim or both however?
There are relatively so many stories surrounding the snake headed Gorgon, Medusa. According to very many sources of Greek mythology, she was an outcast and a monster whose gaze would turn anyone into stone. Question is however, was she a monster, a victim or was she a villain born out of circumstance?
In account of Roman poet Ovid as pulled from his work named “Metamorphoses”, Medusa was not always the monster with snakes for hair that she has been famously known to be. Ovid describes her as a rare beauty with hair of gold.
He goes ahead to mention that her beauty was beyond comparison for she always left many heads turning at the sight of her, so much that she unintentionally captured the heart of Poseidon the god of the sea. Serving as a Priestess in the temple of Athena (niece to Poseidon), see is described as a virtuous priestess.
Ovid goes ahead to mention that hell broke loose when Poseidon failed to tame his lust towards Medusa and he did the unthinkable. Poseidon forced Medusa into intimacy with him and violated her right inside Athena's sacred temple where she was serving as a Priestess.
Already a victim of Sexual Assault, Medusa was still not spared from Athena's wrath who felt her temple had been disrespected. Athena took it out on Medusa instead of punishing the god who had assaulted the Priestess. She turned Medusa's golden hair into writhing snakes, cursing her with a face so horrifying that any man who looked at it would turn into stone.
Assaulted, angered, cursed and banished, Medusa lived at the edge of the World with her two immortal sisters Stheno and Euryale.
What then was Medusa’s fault? Her beauty that attracted the god of the sea? The fact that she was the only mortal gorgon, making her vulnerable?
Unfortunately, it gets worse.
Many Greek mythology lovers, basing on Roman scripts even argue that Athena must have had it out for Medusa considering that she had a hand in Medusa’s death. How? You may ask. Let me break it down for you.
Since her ability to turn men into stone upon one look at her face was notoriously sought after by Kings, one king named Polydectes of Seriphus sent a hero named Perseus to behead her and bring her head to him as tribute.
Perseus sought help from different gods and guess who offered help? (gasps) Athena!
Athena bestowed upon Perseus a reflective bronze shield which was to aid him in looking at Medusa in it’s reflection so he would not turn into stone upon setting eyes directly on her face.
Some myths even argue that Medusa’s head was used by Perseus to kill King Polydectes and later given to Athena who used it for protection on her Aegis ( shield).
Does the story of Medusa still live on? Very much so. In this era, The Medusa head tattoo has become quite popular. It is carried by women that have been victims of rape.
For some, Medusa is a symbol of resilience. She was never a monster but a hurt girl who chose to survive rather than give in to the cruelty. She is considered a symbol of transformation in dire need for survival.
The question still stands however! Was Medusa really was a monster, a victim or both!
