Medusa: The Woman Behind the Stone Gaze

== Introduction ==
From a beautiful, seductive woman, to a hideous, cruel monster, Medusa has been portrayed in various perspectives, myths, and stories. She is an iconic female in the Greek mythology world that displays fascinating representations of women. Through her origin and later tragedy, Medusa plays an interesting role as a figure of power, yet suppression. As time has moved forward, society continues to view Medusa in a new light. Is she still the villain the world wants her to be? 
== Origin and Background (Knott) ==
Medusa wasn’t always the snake haired, “stone gazed” Gorgon monster she’s most commonly known as. Originally, she was a beautiful mortal woman that served beside Athena (the goddess of wisdom/knowledge and battle). While serving with Athena, also known as Minerva in some mythologies, as a priestess, she committed to celibacy/virginity in honor of her Goddess. Since Medusa was seen as a beautiful woman (“golden-haired, fair maiden, beautiful and kind-natured”Dangerous Beauty: The Real Story of Gorgon Medusa Article), many men wanted to get with her, including Poseidon (the god of the seas). Poseidon was Athena’s uncle (he “is the brother of Zeus,”The Olympians Athena’s father) and they had a deep rooted hatred for each other, leading to a strong rivalry. Unfortunately, he decides the way to win over Medusa is to rape her. He does this on the steps of the temple of Athena and disappears once he is finished. Some versions even say, “she ran to the Temple of Athena seeking protection.”The Real Myth of Medusa Article The gods would claim anyone they had sex with as their partner forever, making Medusa Poseidon’s wife. This situation was humiliating for Athena, a virgin goddess having had someone lose their virginity (albeit against her will) on the steps of her temple. Athena decided to punish Medusa by cursing her, rather than punish her fellow god Poseidon. Despite all of her pleas of mercy, “Medusa was sent to a faraway island and was cursed so that no man would want her. She was given cracked skin, madness, and her signature snake hair and stone eyes.” Many men were sent to this island to kill her for she was the only mortal Gorgon, but they would die trying, only leaving a stone statue in their place as a warning to those who dared to attempt 
to kill Medusa. Even with that warning, some still wanted Medusa dead. One such person was King Polydectes (“Polydectes was the king of the island of SeriphosPolydectes ). Albeit this was a means to an end, to get rid of Perseus (the son of Zeus and Danae) for Polydectes was to marry Perseus’ mother Danae but Perseus seemed to not like him. There are two stories as to why Polydectes wanted to get rid of this obstacle: he claimed that he was marrying Hippodamia and Perseus needed to get him a gift, the head of Medusa or he needed to prevent Perseus from overpowering him and claiming his throne. During his quest Perseus received gifts from a few of the gods, “Hades, god of the underworld, gave Perseus the cap of invisibility. Hermes, god of travel, gave Perseus a pair of winged sandals. Athena, god of women, gave Perseus a reflective bronze shield, and Hephaestus, god of fire and the forge, gave Perseus a sword.”The Myth of Perseus and Medusa Explained Article He uses these gifts to locate, travel, and enter into the cave Medusa lived in. He uses his shield as a mirror to see Medusa without being turned into stone and then uses the sword to behead Medusa. When he beheads her, two children were born from her neck, children born from the rape Poseidon forced onto her. These children were named Pegasus (“Pegasus was an immortal winged horse who could fly and create streams of water just by striking his hoof. Athena gifted Pegasus to Bellerophon for his devotion to her”The Curse of Medusa in Greek Mythology Article) and Chrysaor (“Chrysaor was a young man whose name means ‘he who bears a golden sword). After completing this task, he returns back to the island of Seriphos only to 
find how King Polydectes abused and mistreated his mother. In retaliation, Percues presented the head of Medusa to him in a way that it turned him to stone. The head of Medusa is then gifted to Athena (going full circle in a way) and she places it onto a shield, using it as protection during battle. Rumor has it that Hercules might even have received a lock of Medusa’s hair from Athena and gifted it to Sterope (the daughter of Cepheus) to be used as protection for the town of Tegea because the hair possesses the same powers as Medusa’s actually head. It was said that when the lock of hair was shown, it brought a storm, making the enemy flee. There’s much more behind the “stone gaze” of Medusa, there is a beautiful woman who caught the wrong god’s eye and was punished for it.
== Stereotype and Representation (Williams) ==
Hot or ugly? Seductive or insane? Society has represented Medusa in various lights. Over a period time, she has developed into a significant image of varying perspectives. Medusa is a figure of female power and a symbol of both defense and aggression. Through numerous retellings and myths, Medusa has been both sexualized and wrongfully portrayed. Even with her origins of charm and beauty, Medusa became associated with insanity and malevolence. She has been categorized as a monstrous, rageful, and dangerous woman. The earliest sketches of Medusa portray her as a hideous figure with crooked, large teeth, bulging eyes, a wide nose, and a scruffy beard. Various myths and stories vilify and demonize the representation of Medusa.  Within her story of being a rape victim, Medusa has been analyzed through prejudices. When individuals perceive the issue of rape, they judge based on their own assumptions, rather than a clear basis of facts and evidence. The story of Medusa is an example of a manipulative and seductive stereotype of women. In multiple cases, some may claim, “she knew what she was doing” in the issue of sexual assault. The culture expects the woman to provoke the man within these situations. Although she was a victim of a crime, she became blameworthy for the actions.  When a female is involved in a case of sexual assault, outsiders paint the woman’s side to be unreasonable. As a result, guilty women must be contained and suppressed through laws and hostility. Her tale is a protest to the objectification of the male gaze. Medusa’s curse and punishment constitutes judgment both subjectively and objectively. Her deadly gaze places restrictions on herself and others. She is held captive by her own body, yet has the power to unleash petrified wrath on others. Several viewpoints label Medusa as a dirty, traitorous woman that deserved punishment. 
Susan R. Bowers, author of Medusa and the Female Gaze, asserts, “Her mutilated body is a symbol of how men have been able to deal with women by relegating them to visual objectivity.”Medusa and the Female Gaze Article Male interpretations of Medusa tend to create a narrative that protects their ego, fears, and dominion. A woman that displeases male authority must be suppressed. Her transformation into a hybrid was a patriarchal move to restrain female wisdom and power. However, as time pushed forward to the Classical period, she was depicted as mesmerizing, feminine, and charming. Her once raggedy facial hair was replaced with smooth, rosy cheeks, sharp teeth transformed to full lips, and harsh eyes modified to a seductive stare.  Society has altered the legends of Medusa to represent a tantalizing, mysterious, and alluring woman. She has been labeled as the femme fatale, a French word meaning “fatal woman.” The appearance of Medusa has been stereotyped as the unreachable, dangerous, yet desirable woman.  She has become an image of something that produces a sense of dare, thrill, and risk. The danger of encountering Medusa adds an urge to play with chance. Instead of the once hideous creature, she is now an enthralling image. Natalie Haynes, author of Greek retelling novel Stone Blind, suggests, “I’m wondering if you still think of her as a monster. I suppose it depends on what you think that word means. Monsters are, what? Ugly? Terrifying? Gorgons are both these things, certainly, although Medusa wasn’t always. Can a monster be beautiful if it is still terrifying? Perhaps it depends on how you experience fear and judge beauty.”Stone Blind Amazon Page The overall judgment of Medusa has strayed from her true identity. Perhaps, the outside viewer has created her to become a character that is acceptable through a male lens. 
== Modern Perspective (Perez-Tolon) ==
For a long time, Medusa has been thought of as this monster with snake hair that could turn men to stone with a simple stare and nothing else. Her story has gone from beauty to ugliness and disappointment for breaking celibacy all the way back to beauty and becoming an inspiration for today's society. As we know, Medusa fell victim to Poseidon's advances, which broke her vows of celibacy and caused Athena to transform her into a gorgon and later be beheaded by Perseus. After Perseus beheads Medusa, her head is given to Athena, who displays it on the front of her shield as a warning to others not to cross her. This punishment highlights the suppression of female sexuality, where a woman's beauty was simultaneously prized and feared. Along with this, many people saw her as a symbol instead of as a woman and as haunting and eerie rather than beautiful. However, in the modern day, we are able to examine her overlooked past and find the truths of being objectified for her beauty, victim-blamed, and demonized by the world.
thumb|2023 Percy Jackson and The Olympians - Teaser--From: [https://youtu.be/bzHMAXqFFvc?si=XzN_2LBa4NE3vRJJ Disney Plus/ YouTube][https://inkhappened.com/medusa-tattoo-meaning/ Disney Plus/YouTube]
Percy Jackson, a set of series and movies that highlights Medusa multiple times and in various different ways, recently released a new series named “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” where they feature Medusa in a different light compared to past series and movies. For example, in the 2014 “Percy Jackson's Greek Gods”, they suggest Medusa as “a tall woman with slithering green vipers for hair (which gave off a nauseating "reptilian smell"), long hands with sharp brass talons, and bat-shaped wings of Imperial Gold.”Riordan Wiki In the new series Jessica Parker Kennedy, playing Medusa, highlights her victimization by Poseidon and unjust punishment by Athena. The way her character is being played portrays her as a victim of the gods' cruelty, betrayal, and, abandonment. It also allows us to reach part of her true story. In Rick Riordan's "The Lightning Thief," released in 2005, Medusa is mainly seen as a monstrous figure, turning people to stone and being decapitated by Percy. Meanwhile, in the new series, we get to see Medusa in a sympathetic light and as a lot more than just a monster. 
When people thought of Medusa they thought of her as “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.”Hypoallergic
Today, many modern artists use her as a symbol of female empowerment, as someone beautiful; which she was; rather than seeing her as a monster, weird, or evil. In 2008, Artist Luciano Garbati created a sculpture of Medusa holding Perseus’ head, inspired by Medusa’s story and as a response to the sculpture of Perseus holding Medusa’s head. The sculpture "Medusa with the Head of Perseus" originally symbolized a simple twist to the original plot but later came to represent a triumph for victims of sexual assault. A decade later, the sculpture became associated with the #MeToo movement. The #MeeToo movement is a survivor-led movement against sexual violence. During this movement the sculpture is seen as a symbol of female rage, highlighting Medusa as a strong woman who can protect herself and seek justice. It aims to change the narrative about Medusa, revealing the woman behind the monster and empowering women to take a stand against injustice.Education is Power
However, some modern interpretations of Medusa still turn her into a sexual object and depict her in little clothing with a voluptuous body, similar to how perpetrators of sexual harassment blame the victim. For example, Medusa, by denying Poseidon her body, sought respect and equal treatment from a god. This also draws a connection between mythology and the #MeToo movement, highlighting the issue of perpetrators who see themselves as above the rules of society.Education is Powerful In the book “Good and Mad” there’s also a thought-leaving quote that says “You cannot look like that and not expect attention. She is asking for it, surely?”Good and Mad 
Medusas story has came a long way and today’s positive modern view of her has a whole new outlook. It's even inspiring people to get Medusa tattooed on their bodies, as a symbol of survival, strength, and overcoming assault. “Medusa has become a figure of protection to women who have experienced sexual assault or assault on some level, particularly by men.”Well and Good 
== References ==
== Links and Resources ==
Medusa in Percy Jackson and the Olympians Video
Medusa in Video Games Article 
Evolution of Medusa in 22 Different Games Video