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.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. Her face is also ubiquitous in the covers of mythology books, especially Bulfinch’s and Edith Hamilton’s. She remains one of the most identifiable femme fatales even today.īeing one of the most recognizable faces of Greek mythology, Medusa has been extensively represented in modern and ancient art. She can be equally enchanting and dangerous, and in some cases, she can be fatal. Such is her beauty that even powerful men couldn’t resist her charms. Once an enthralling beauty she was turned into a monstrosity after she was raped by a god.
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Medusa symbolizes death, violence, and erotic desire. Femme Fatale – Medusa is the archetypal femme fatale.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. It can be said that Medusa is an ancient representation of sexual stigma that still happens today. Instead of punishing her abuser, Athena, supposedly the goddess of wisdom, punished her by turning her into a hideous monster. She was unfairly blamed for “provoking” a god with her beauty. Rape Culture – Medusa has been stigmatized and has unjustifiably been blamed for the consequences of male lust.As this article from the Atlantic puts it: “In Western culture, strong women have historically been imagined as threats requiring male conquest and control. Silencing Powerful Women – The beheading of Medusa can be seen as symbolic of silencing powerful women who voice their sentiments.However, her fate is sealed and regardless of how many makeovers she has gone through, she still dies at the hand of Perseus. 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.Īrtists took note of these changes and featured it in their works, making the images of Medusa more human.
#Did poseidon rape medusa skin#
She had smoother skin and her lips became shapelier. However, other accounts say that her two children sprang from her head after she was slain by Perseus.ĭuring the Classical period, the representations of Medusa began to change, and her features were increasingly feminized. 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. Whatever the exact reason, Athena turned her wrath towards Medusa and punished her 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. It could also have been that Athena was envious of Medusa’s beauty and the attraction that men had towards her. It could be because Poseidon was her uncle and the powerful god of the sea, which meant that technically, only Zeus could punish Poseidon for his crime.
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The goddess was awakened with anger by what had happened inside her hallowed halls.įor some unknown reason, Athena did not punish Poseidon for the rape he committed. However, when she did not reciprocate his affections, he attacked her and raped her right inside a temple dedicated to the goddess of Athena. Medusa’s beauty was so remarkable that even Poseidon himself found her irresistible and tried to seduce her. Beyond their birth, there is little mention of the Gorgons as a group and little is known about them. However, other sources cite Ceto and Phorcys as the parents of the Gorgons.
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Gaia is said to be the mother of all Gorgon sisters while Forcis is the father. 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. The name Gorgon comes from the word gorgos, which in Greek means horrible. Artistic depiction of Medusa by Necklace Dream World.