Superb Ass- Medusa

Medusa is a Greek Mythology character who is seen throughout many different stories and is portrayed in different ways. Her background adds to her media portrayal in modern and ancient times through artwork, music, written stories, movies, video games, and tattoos. She has been carried on as a representation of women in feminism, female rage, and female sexuality. She is a character that has been highly misunderstood and reimagined in many ways. To sum Medusa up in one word, she is a slay! 
== Medusa and Her History (Evans) ==
==== A little about Medusa ====
When you think of Medusa, typically the first thing that comes to mind is the lady with snakes as hair. There is so much more to her history. Medusa is an instantly recognizable figure from ancient Greek art. She didn't become widespread until the first century B.C. Medusa's name means “to guard” or “to protect.”https://www.worldhistory.org/Medusa/ She was one of the three sisters known as the Gorgons (a monster in Greek mythology) born to the primeval Keto and Phorcys, who were mother and son.https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/medusa.htm Her sisters were Stheno and Euryale. According to Hesiod, "Medusa's fate was a sad one because she was mortal (meaning she could die) while her sisters were ageless and lived forever." "There's something monstrous and unfair in that Medusa's the only mortal," says Syropoulos. "Not to mention that she was born from a 'monstrous' relationship." She is usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes.https://www.britannica.com/topic/Medusa-Greek-mythology Medusa is best known for her ability to turn anyone she looks at to stone. Oldest myths cast Medusa as a monster from birth, but later stories describe a sweet young maiden who was punished for the sins of the gods. However, some stories said Medusa wasn’t a monster at first and she was just a maiden with lovely hair that caught the eye of Poseidon. Poseidon raped Medusa and the goddess of wisdom and war was so angry that she punished Medusa by turning her hair into snakes. Medusa is best known for the story of her death, brought upon her by Perseus who decapitated her with the help of the Gods Hermes, Hades, and Athena.
==== Physical Character ====
The term gorgoneion refers to the head and face of Medusa. Her face could be described as fierce and grotesque or feminine and composed. During the Archaic period, 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. The most common interpretation of Medusa is that she is an apotropaic (lucky) symbol used to protect from and ward off evil. 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. According to Madeleine Glennon, “Medusa was not just a fantastical beast, but part of a shared past and present in the minds of ancient viewers.” She is represented not only in architecture and poetry, but also in metalwork. Her head is a common ornament on the handles of bronze vessels. The circular shape and protective qualities of her countenance also lend themselves to jewelry, she is also reproduced on armor.https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/medu/hd_medu.htm
==== Most common myth ====
The most popular myth of Medusa is her encounter with the Greek Hero Perseus. A king demanded that he bring him the gift of Medusa's head. Perseus did this with the help of the gods who provided him with very useful tools. While the gorgon sisters slept, Perseus attacked, using Athena’s polished shield to view the reflection of Medusa’s awful face and avoid her horrifying gaze while he beheaded her with a harpe (an adamantine sword). This violent act resulted in the birth of Medusa’s children, the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor, who sprung from her neck. Medusa’s sisters pursued Perseus with fury, but the hero escaped with his prize using Hermes' winged boots and Hades' helmet of invisibility. Perseus had to keep Medusa’s decapitated head in a special sack strong enough to contain it. On his travels, he used the head to turn his enemies to stone and rescue the princess Andromeda from a sea monster.
== Portrayal in Media (Youngblood) ==
Media is an influential mechanism and can be utilized to express many opinions and ideologies. Medusa is represented in media, new and old. Her first depiction was in ancient Greece, and she is still portrayed today. She has been seen in ancient stories, modern movies and books, video games, art, and music. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_Medusa_and_Gorgons She consistently has a negative reputation, and never escapes it. 
==== Ancient Writing ====
Medusa in the ancient era was a symbolic figure. Many authors including Ovid, and two poets: Hesiod and Pindar, used her in the art of writing.https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/medu/hd_medu.htm#:~:text=The%20snake%2Dhaired%20Medusa%20does,turning%20her%20hair%20to%20snakes In Ovid’s story, he describes Medusa’s origin. Much of which could be described as her, “villain origin story.”He expresses how beautiful her hair is. She was much sought after by men until she was raped in the shine of Minerva. Minerva then punishes Medusa by exchanging her captivating hair for a headful of snakes. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/medu/hd_medu.htm#:~:text=The%20snake%2Dhaired%20Medusa%20does,turning%20her%20hair%20to%20snakes. Kelly Maguire says,”... in retaliation for desecrating her shrine, Minerva turned Medusa's lovely hair into snakes."   Hesiod wrote a story, titled Theogony, in which Perseus set off on a journey for Medusa’s head. In an intensive battle, he successfully acquired her head. After obtaining her head, he had to have a powerful sack to contain it. Madeleine Glinnon explains, "Perseus had to keep her decapitated head in a special sack strong enough to contain it, called a kybisis." He was able to use it to turn people into stone like Medusa would do. In Pindar’s poem, Twelfth Pythian Ode, Medusa’s sisters' journey to find Perseus, Medusa’s killer. This led Athena, the goddess of warfare and wisdomhttps://westportlibrary.libguides.com/athena#:~:text=Athena%20was%20one%20of%20the,rationality%2C%20tactics%2C%20and%20strategy, to invent the flute. Athena mimicked Medusa’s sisters with the flute, which ushered Athena to see her reflection, turned hideous. These stories all contribute to how the ancient world viewed her, and they impact our media today. 
==== Percy Jackson ====
Every Greek Mythology fan has read, seen, or heard about Percy Jackson. These books and movies are series-based, all focusing on journeys Percy (child of Poseidon)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Jackson ventures through. She is featured in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/percy-jackson-change-medusa-book-rape-myth-1235850337/ Her story is referenced without much clarity, due to the sensitive topic of rape. The co creator of the series says, “If you know what she’s talking about, you know what she’s talking about. If you’re too young to be in that conversation, it won’t bother you. You’re just in a scene about this woman who seems complicated. And everybody’s got an opinion about what went down. There’s no version that is the version. If Athena and Poseidon were in that room, you’d get three different versions of that story.”
==== Castlemania (video games) ====
The Castlemania Wiki says, “ Medusa has appeared in nearly every Castlevania game to date and is generally portrayed as having a serpent tail from her waist down (a trait borrowed from the Lamia, another Greek mythological creature), although she has also appeared as a giant floating head.” This is different from most visualizations of Medusa, as she is normally a human figure with snake hair. She is an enemy in the game, and attacks by spawning snakes, having a petrifying gaze, and she is classified as a “master of ancient Greek weaponry.” https://castlevania.fandom.com/wiki/Medusa This furthers the claim that Medusa is an enemy. Video games use and portray her as such.
==== Art ====
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio painted two versions of Medusa. Both are painted to be picturing the battle between Medusa and Perseus. Wikipedia says, “The painting is said to display Caravaggio's unique fascination with violence and realism.” She represents violence due to her story, as her whole person is centered around being mistreated and punished. Her representation in art is similar to other representations, as she is a villain.
==== Music ====
left|thumb|Blizzard S. on Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@BlizzardSatan
In 1985, Anthrax released a track titled, “Medusa.” The Heavy Metal Classicist Blog describes the song to have, “cemented the Gorgon’s status as a heavy metal femme fatale, an evil, deceitful temptress who uses her sexual power to subjugate men.” https://heavymetalclassicist.home.blog/2020/11/03/femme-metal-medusa-in-heavy-metal-music/ The songs says, "Hey you, you can’t escape, wicked smile, full of lies, head of snakes, approach her cave, but don’t look in her eyes, oh, her eyes." The lyrics explain her evilness, her deadly stare, and the way she manipulates. This song describes Medusa in the literal sense but figuratively could represent a woman who hurt the artist. This shows Medusa as a manipulator, never releasing her from her negative connotation.
== Representation with Women (Jerome) ==
==== Male Gaze vs. Feminism ====
Medusa has had many stories and roles throughout history but she is most known for her role and being an icon for feminism. Medusa Is an example of female sexuality spanning from ancient times to the present day. Medusa is typically seen through two lenses: male gaze and feminism.  The male gaze turned Medusa into the monster she is today. Medusa is seen as sexy, scary, and a monster. All of this comes from men. In reality, she should be seen as mistreated, misunderstood, and strong since she went through so much and still continued to go on. Although she should be seen as these things and seen as a feminist icon she would still get a bad rap because feminism is seen as a hate all men and only women are right organization. When in reality feminism is just wanting equality for both men and women and if they had this the whole story and life of Medusa would be completely different. 
==== Unfair Judgement towards Women ====
Medusa was raped by the god Poseidon and because of this she was turned from a beautiful maiden to a monster in the hands of Athena. She was turned into a monster with snakes as hair because of her loss of purity and virtue. This can be related to how women nowadays are looked down on or even mistreated when they are sexually assaulted or raped. Judgments are usually made claiming that the woman was asking for it and that they were in fact not pure. This is very important when it comes to women. Clothes and looks are most of the time blamed for a crime that has happened. People say that when a girl is wearing too short clothes or too showy clothes they are asking for trouble and asking for something to happen. The blame is never on man. This is the same when it comes to Medusa. Athena knew she couldn’t punish or do anything to Poseidon because he was a man and much stronger than her, so instead she took her anger out on Medusa. This leads to Medusa being cursed and disrespected long throughout her life and even after she dies just because she is a woman and seen as weak. Isabel Panadero wrote, "Nevertheless, during the 20th century and the first waves of feminism, women turned Medusa’s story into the tale of a woman who suffered under the weight of a patriarchal society. Medusa was always sought out by men, first for her beauty and then for glory. She was a trophy for men to hold and show off."https://www.byarcadia.org/post/off-with-her-head-medusa-and-feminism This quote shows that like most women Medusa was just seen as a trophy and and never got the justice she deserved even in her afterlife. 
==== Sexuality in Women ====
Medusa’s curse can also be compared to the treatment of lustful women in ancient Greek society. According to Faith Roush, "Through Medusa’s transformation from a beautiful, erotic young maiden into a grotesque gorgon at the hands of Athena, regulation and disregard for female sexuality in ancient Greece is made prevalent." Women’s sexuality was compressed and it was seen as not right or distasteful when a woman was seen as sexual. When it came to men though they were praised for being sexual and “conquering” women. This is the same in the present day. When guys have sex it is celebrated but when a girl wants to have sex she is a slut or just wants attention. This comes from the utter lack of disrespect for women and the over-praising of men. Medusa was seen this way even though she was raped they saw her as a slut.https://oaks.kent.edu/ugresearch/2019/medusa-example-female-sexuality-both-ancient-and-present-times 
==== Female Rage ====
Medusa is also a great example of female rage. “ A woman that is beautiful and angry is no woman at all but a monster, something to be avoided at all costs and destroyed as soon as possible.” - Isabel Pandero. Medusa was angry after her assault, rightfully so, because of this she punished men by turning them to stone with her hair. Even though this was her curse she used it for herself and got the label of a monster and horrible. Women cannot be angry and they have never been able to. When a woman gets angry she is seen as hysteric and crazy. Oftentimes we are told we are overreacting and that it is not a big deal. The same thing has happened all throughout history and is even portrayed in Greek mythology as Medusa. Overall Medusa can be seen as a powerful women figure that was demonized by Men.