The Laugh Of The Medusa Analysis

Throughout the history, women were considered below men. Then it led to believe that only men can write but not women. However, women managed to enter literature world like men did. However, most people believed that only writing style that exists in literature is men’s style not feminine. Almost to the point, people believed that there is no feminine style of writing. Helene Cixous is a writer of The Laugh of The Medusa. This book is about women’s writing from Cixous’s view and explanation of feminine writing. Cixous believed women should write their own style in order to break and destroy male dominated society.
Cixous supported the idea of feminine style of writing. Also, key theme of The Laugh of The Medusa is about breaking rule of writing. Cixious said, “what I say has at least two sides and two aims: to break up, to destroy; and to foresee the unforeseeable, to project.” (Cixous, 27) This showed what kind of view that Cixous had. She believed that feminine writing is about breaking rules that was existed in

literature. Also, Cixious mentions, “I shall speak about women’s writing: what it will do. Women must write her self: must write about women bring women to writing.” (Cixious, 27) This means that Cixous was aware that women were excluded in writing and most of writing style was considered as masculine not feminine.
Also, when she means by break up and destroy, this means women’s writing requires breaking of rule of masculine writing. In the world of literature, masculine writing style is dominant style then it lead to extinct of feminine writing style. Female writers existed, but they only wrote in masculine style to fit in, instead of writing in feminine style. Cixous was aware of struggles that female writers had to go through. According to Cixous, “When I say “woman,” I’m speaking of woman in her inevitable struggle against conventional man.” (Cixous, 27) However, Cixous believed that female writers must write for themselves instead of just to fit in the male dominated society.
In addition, Cixous believed that destruction of rules in writing is necessary for women to establish their own writing style.

Cixous believed that writing is a powerful tool that women could possess in order to destroy oppression that women faced. Also, she was strongly expressed that writing is the way to set women free from oppression. Cixous says, “Writing is for you, you are for you. I know why you haven’t written. Because writing is at once too high too great, too great for you, it’s reserved for great men.” (Cixous, 29) This showed that what kind of view that Cixous had about women’s writing. Cixous saw women didn’t realized what kind of power that writing has. Cixous considered writing as unstoppable tool that women could have. Cixous mentions, “Write, let no one hold you back, let nothing stops you: not man.” (Cixous, 29) This passage showed Cixous thinks writing is one way to destroy any kind of oppression and obstacle that women

have.
Medusa is a metaphor Cixous used. Medusa is a mythical creature that has a power to turn anybody into stone, if anyone looks directly to its eye. Cixous used Medusa to describe what kind of fear that men actually have toward women. Cixous describes, “Men say that there are two unpresentable things: death and feminine sex.” (Cixous, 38) This means that Cixous believed men are terrified about women and their sexuality. Just like Medusa, if men ever look directly on women and their sexuality, they believed that will end their life. Then Cixous wanted to point out that women were oppressed because men were afraid of them.
In conclusion, Cixous believed that writing is a powerful tool to use to break and destroy male dominated world. Also, Cixous believed that the reason male was trying to be dominant, because they were insecure and uncertain about women.