Medusa, The Misunderstood Gorgon

Medusa, the Misunderstood Gorgon

By having the appearance of gruesome scaly skin with pure piercing black eyes, and the uncanny appearance of a snake. This terrifying beast with collective serpent skin tied around her waist like a belt, is the one and only Medusa, as her Mythology name suggests. Medusa is most notably known for her distinctive snakes for hair. Not only did she have snakes for hair that already appalled all of mankind, she also has the capacity to turn anyone who looks into her eyes into stone. It is said, that because Medusa had such a grotesque appearance, anyone who looks into her eyes is petrified with fright, literally (Wilk, Stephen 5-6). However, as scary as Medusa may sound like, she has been the victim of having her

Perseus who was the son of Zeus and Danae, was thrown into the sea by his grandfather. An oracle had said to the grandfather that Pursues was going to be the one to kill him and take his throne. Perseus and his mother Danae were thrown into the sea where they washed up on a beach where King Polydectes found them. King Polydectes had then begun to fancy Perseus mother, Danae. The King, however, was embarrassed to show any affection toward his mother Danae while Perseus was there. So the King requested him to go and Slay the monster Medusa. He believed that Perseus would fail and would have Danae all to himself (Wilk 19-20). But, the gods intervened and helped Perseus. Hermes gave him a curved sword, Athena a mirror-like shield, and Hades gave him a helmet that would turn him invisible. Perseus went to Medusa’s cave and succeeded in killing Medusa. The shield Athena had given him served it’s purpose in acting like a mirror, and allowed Perseus to see Medusa and without being turned to stone. He then used the helmet Hades gave him, and used it to sneak up on Medusa and cut her head off (Wilk

In the beginning she was just an ordinary priestess who loved Athena, but was misunderstood for an atrocious act that was committed against her; making her look like the bad guy. Medusa was once a mortal and lived in Athena’s palace, she lived and served for Athena. But, after Poseidon raped Medusa in Athena’s palace, Athena punished Medusa as the troublemaker. The goddess was upset Medusa, let this happen in her palace, for her punishment Athena transformed her into the iconic image of a snake- like humanoid. She also acquired the power to turn anyone into stone after they looked into her eyes. After she became an outcast from her own home, the Gorgon sisters whose names were Stheno and Euryale took her in and they became the three Gorgon sisters. Many times where they inscribed into historic monuments that detailed their appearance. Yet, they did not capture Medusa’s life as it was. Medusa lived a brutal and cold life after her transformation, her death only added to her misery. She was killed by Perseus, a noble boy who was ordered by King Polydectes to kill Medusa. This was only a trick so the King would be able to have Perseus mother to himself, he hoped Perseus would die trying to kill Medusa. However, after he set out the King did not predict for the gods to help aid Perseus. Athena was one