We may have a myth that uses the element of “rape” as we understand it to mean something else. The second thing that’s wrong is that it assumes the specific context of the myth.
However, this doesn’t happen in all religions, specially in pagan religions. The bible in christian traditions is read sometimes literally, and even if its not, the stories told there are of vital importance to the religion. Myth literalism is a normal thing in our society because of christianity’s fundamentalism. The first thing that’s wrong is that it assumes ancient myth literalism.
Her hair of snakes and reptilian skin are symbolic of the natural cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.There are many things implied with this logic. Medusa could have been a very prototypical goddess of a matriarchal society.
Perseus was somehow able to overcome this challenge of killing her by looking at her reflection in a mirror. Medusa is known for being so ugly that if men even look at her face, they would immediately be turned into stone statues. Athena could not punish Poseidon for what he did to Medusa. Thus, transforming Medusa was not an act of rage, rather, it was an act of protection. When Poseidon raped Medusa, she called out to Athena for both forgiveness and guidance. Was Athena protecting Medusa?Īthena is a virgin goddess, one who was the patron of Medusa. She went against her vow and married him. She vowed to be celibate her entire life as a priestess of Athena until she fell in love with Poseidon. One of the most popular monsters of Greek Mythology, Medusa was a beautiful maiden with golden hair. In Greek mythology, Medusa (/mɪˈdjuːzə, -sə/ Ancient Greek: Μέδουσα “guardian, protectress”) also called Gorgo, was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. You might be interested: Often asked: Who founded the Republic of Texas? What was Medusa’s real name? Medusa was raped by Poseidon, but instead of being defended by her patron goddess, Athena, she was punished for being raped. Medusa was sent to a faraway island and was cursed so that no man would want her. Athena looked down in anger and cursed Medusa for betraying her. After all, in those days, the gods claimed their mates as their partner forever, and Medusa was now Poseidon’s wife. Medusa prayed to Athena for guidance and forgiveness. Today Medusa, with her snake hair and stare that turns people to stone, endures as an allegorical figure of fatal beauty, or a ready image for superimposing the face of a detested woman in power. The earliest portrayals of Medusa show a grotesque part human, part animal creature with wings and boar-like tusks. She turned Medusa into a hideous hag, making her hair into writhing snakes and her skin was turned a greenish hue. When Medusa had an affair with the sea god Poseidon, Athena punished her. Legend states that Medusa was once a beautiful, avowed priestess of Athena who was cursed for breaking her vow of celibacy. How did Medusa look before she was cursed?
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. Medusa symbolizes death, violence, and erotic desire. Accordingly, Ovid relates that the once beautiful mortal was punished by Athena with a hideous appearance and loathsome snakes for hair for having been raped in Athena’s temple by Poseidon. In later myths (mainly in Ovid) Medusa was the only Gorgon to possess snake locks, because they were a punishment from Athena. In classical sources, in fact, she’s not always monstrous. Athena then punished her for this violation, by turning her into the monstrous, stony-glanced creature that we know. She was lovely, according to the poem-until she was raped in Athena’s temple by Poseidon. Athena was aware of Poseidon’s hunger for Medusa and knew of Medusa’s vow of celibacy.
In examining the myth of Athena and Medusa further, the story also seems to be a suggestive fable, slyly teaching women how to look out for and protect one another in a society dominated by men, where rape is a constant threat.