How Did Medusa Influence The Modern Day World

Medusa is a being widely known in Greek Mythology. Although she is best known for her monstrous looks, Medusa is also known for her act of destruction and her influence on the modern day world.

As many know, Medusa is the woman with the snaked hair and menacing looks but what many don't know is the reason behind her looks. Before, Medusa served Athena, the Greek Goddess of War, as a priestess. She was a woman with irresistible looks whom many men pursued and felt attracted to. Medusa as one of three Gorgon sisters. A Gorgon is a fearsome monster known for having deadly powers.They have "writhing snakes for hair, staring eyes, hideous grins and protruding fangs" From all three sisters, including Medusa, she was the only one born mortal and the only one that had been beautiful during her youth. (The World Book Encyclopedia383) Medusa was

desired woman who was often objectified by men since they sought her only for men's own pleasure. This was until one day Poseidon "deflowered"(Dexter) her by raping her in Athena's own temple. Athena, furious, cursed her as she saw fit instead of blaming Poseidon. The reason why Athena was so furious was because she was a virgin, thus she is unapproachable and repels all sexual acts. (Bowers217) Medusa was punished for her beautiful looks, turning her into a monstrous creature just like her other two sisters. She then moved away to live in a faraway land with her sisters. She spent many years as a hideous monster until Perseus came into the picture. (McLaughlin) He was a poor demi-god who worked as a fisherman in an island which he didn't belong to. He lived here with his mother, Danae. She was a woman of rich beauty as well as Medusa. The island's king was getting married and it was a custom that the bride-to-be is to receive a gift. Since Perseus had nothing to give he proposed a gift that no one could surpass since he was, of course, trying to impress the king as given Perseus's reputation to be "young and proud and keenly mortified". He proposed to go out, kill Medusa and bring her head back as the gift. Since Athena couldn't manage to kill her by just cursing her, she helped Perseus kill Medusa by giving him weaponry to use against her. He decapitated her by shooting an arrow straight to her neck. Athena also took part in the actual decapitation by guiding Perseus's hand at the time he shot the arrow into Medusa's neck. (Hamilton200) At this moment she was pregnant from Poseidon, the sea God. Therefore Pegasus, a winged horse, sprang from her beheaded body. From the dripping blood coming her decapitated head arose poisonous snakes which are said to be the ones infesting Africa. "Athena saved blood from Medusa's body and gave it to Asclepius, the God of Healing. The blood from Medusa's left side was fatal poison, but that from her right side had the power to revive the dead." (The World Book Encyclopedia383) After triumphantly returning with Medusa's head, he learned that his mother, Danae, was being prosecuted and had been taken refugee after she refused to marry the king. He had been looking at her in the idea to marry her since he found out they had been staying in the island. He liked her but not Perseus so he talked about Medusa's head in order to give him the idea of what he wanted his wife's 'gift' to be. Which was in fact a scheme to get rid of him since he believed that no man alone could kill the infamous Medusa. This was ironic because the wedding that was to take place was with Perseus's own mother as the bride-to-be, which was very clever because the king thought Perseus would die trying to get Medusa's head and after he would marry his mother. A perfect plan, as he thought if would turn out to be. After Perseus learned that his mother was in grave danger, he turned to the evil king and his supporters into stone with Medusa's head in order to protect his mother. This killed them since Medusa's gaze turned any mortal into stone. This was one of the two main powers Medusa possesses. After this, since no wedding took place, Medusa's head was given to Athena, " who bore upon the aegis, Zeus's shield, which she carried for him". (Hamilton208) This wasn't the only use for Medusa as a universal symbol of protection. Her head was carved onto temples and sarcophagi, thud used as an "apotropaic force to defend against hostile attacks" , turning away the danger through her greater threat. (Alban) Eventually, civilizations outgrew these methods and this was the end for Medusa.

Medusa is also broadly know for her acts of destruction.

These include turning any mortal into stone with a simple gaze to her eyes as well as castrating men. This is the power to take away the ability to use the testicles from men, thanks to Athena's curse. (Bowers217) Because -as previously mentioned- Medusa was raped by Poseidon, Athena gave her this power in order for her to take vengeance on any other men she wished for objectifying her and abusing of her against her own will. Even though Athena did this, it still didn't mean she was being kind and generous to Medusa. She jus saw this as the logical thing to do hence the past events. Athena still saw Medusa as an abomination because she took offense in her being raped in her temple. This secondary supernatural power is not often mentioned in books for lower grades since it's not a very appropriate topic for the younger minds, but it is broadly mentioned in higher reading levels. (McLaughlin) On the other hand, her main power which is turning people into stone by as simple sight of her eyes is broadly mentioned and is one of the topics for which she is most universally

known.

Also, Medusa is quite known for her influence on the modern day world by being an important symbol for feminism. Fist of all, what is feminism? Feminism is the advocacy of women's rights. It explicitly states that women and men are in all important respects the same and should be treated the same. They should be treated with equality and have the same opportunities. In the beginning, feminists' main focus was how women are no different than men, but lately this focus has changed. Now, may radical feminists focus on how women are different than men. (Dailey) The feminist remarks and involvement in Medusa's character is one to extensely analyze since she was a vulnerable and innocent woman who as punished unfairly for actions she didn't initiate or provoke. There are many reasons why Medusa is a symbol for feminism, but the main ones are that she was feared, powerful, and most importantly, a woman. (Dexter) She was much more than just a monster in Greek Mythology; she is a good example of how profoundly the male gaze structures both male and female perceptions of women. This is how much the male influences how women see and think of each other and themselves. (Bowers217) Even though most just see her as a symbol for destruction, her name means "ruleress, queen and divine mother". (Alban) This is evidently important to know because the day she was murdered, she was pregnant. She had a lot more to give but she was mutilated merciless. At the time, she was nude, and the nude body of a woman reminds humanity of their own mother, infancy, and vulnerability, since a woman/mother is the one that always protects children from harm. A woman is the origin of nature, and all nature dies. Therefore, it reminds humanity of their mortality. Her cruel death "deforms her body, ridicules it, punishes it, and tries to destroy the power of its presence in our minds." Her death and her strong influence as a mother is what causes rage in feminists. It has become a big movement since they portray her as their own mothers and emphasize on what people would do if this were to be done to their own mother, since Medusa is the divine mother. Her mutilated body after her tragic death is a symbol of how men have been able to deal with women by relegating them to visual objectivity. (Bowers218) Another example implying of her being a victim at the time she was murdered is on the painting on a vase from the fifth century BCE. It portrays Medusa not as a monster, but as a comely maiden while Perseus prepares to decapitate her. Therefore, her death is actually depicted as "perversion" of an "erotic abduction". In this painting, by omitting Medusa's horrific infamous appearance, people can analyze her character in a completely different sense. This is a big idea that drives feminists. That many take Medusa as being the evil nature because of prejudice on her appearance. That's why they praise this vase, because it allows Medusa to be seen as what she once was before she was cursed. An innocent maiden that represented just beauty and feminine power. (McLaughing) The great irony of Medusa is that she has become classic example of how women are objectified, although the great emphasis in Medusa's myth is the terrifying power of her own gaze. (Bowers217) What feminists want and do is empower women, this is why Medusa is a perfect example of this movement. She was a "powerful goddess at a time when female authority as dominant and the power to be feared was feminine." (Bowers218) Yet, she was a victim in the moment of her own death.

Medusa was also known for her act of destruction and her influence on the modern day world, although she is best known for her monstrous looks. In the end, there is a lot more to a person than what most people know or think they know about the person.