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Ancient Greek artists originally portrayed Medusa as an almost comically hideous figure, with a lolling tongue, full beard, and bulging eyes. This image of Medusa began to shift when mustache stubble was replaced by smooth cheeks, and fangs concealed by shapely lips, as Classical artists began to feminize her once again. I aim to share everything I know about history on this blog, hope you enjoy reading too! Medusa as a symbol for women's empowerment. The evil eye is similar to the Egyptian wedjat, also known as the udjat eye or the Eye of Horus , which is a symbol of protection and good health. and rebirth and can be inked as a symbol of protection, warding off evil and keeping the wearer safe from harm. She is telling you that you will never have to suffer what she endured. The Greeks believed most snakes to be poisonous as well which represents the end of a life cycle. Athena brandished Medusa's head on her shield similarly to why Ancient Greek soldiers brandished Phobos's face on their shields: to insight fear. You can either pray to her or keep her image with you. Medusa has become an ubiquitous symbol of female empowerment and for good reason. To the Egyptians, it was a symbol of protection and royal power. If men have Medusa in their dreams, according to Freud and Ferencai, it is the terrifying mother syndrome with a castration Medusa, who was once thought of as a boastful mortal who deserved to be turned into a monster, is now seen in a more sympathetic view by modern standards. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. In her 2017 book Women & Power: A Manifesto, classicist Mary Beard explores how the image of Medusa is used to skewer women in contemporary politics, from Angela Merkel to Hillary Clinton (with Trump as Perseus in a popular manifestation). She was a beautiful goddess and was desired by many. Cixous disagrees with this analysis. Crypto Well Medusa's dead, she was the only mortal gorgons. Nowadays Medusas can be seen as a symbol of revenge against the male gaze. This message is meant to keep you alert at all times. American Traditional Medusa Tattoos She is the symbol of what female power looks like in the face of threatened male authority. Still no matter her form or decapitation her gaze is never averted, looking directly at the viewer as an assertion of her horrifying power that cannot be completely subverted by beauty. How might womens stories actually be centered around women? When it comes to relationships, medusa is a lesson to learn. If you also desire wisdom and deep understanding, keep a medusa bracelet with you and mediate on it constantly. Therefore, if you notice a dwindle in your spiritual consciousness, seek help from medusa. Have a tip or story idea? Victim in Stone Benvenuto Cellini , Perseus with the Head of Medusa, 1545-1554, Florence. Now, the same generation has turned her into a feminist icon with a story too many can relate to; instead of being a symbol of fear, Medusa has become the symbol of justice for sexual assault victims. 59 Likes, TikTok video from Sasha Melendez (@sashamelendez15): ""Medusa and her story have been reclaimed as a symbol of strength and power, with her image also being used as a mark of protection against evils." #viral #medusa #saawareness #9thgenaccord". An. The moving image artist will discuss her investigative practice and the implications of digital image proliferation, taking place via livestream and in Philadelphia. Medusa Greek Mythology Quotes. From her severed neck, her child Pegasus is born. Her beauty and wisdom were her confidence and she was respected in the greek world of gods. Athena grows jealous, as many men flock to her, only to glance at Medusa instead. Whenever you see a medusa sign, it is believed to have a close alliance with ancient wisdom and philosophy. Emailus. She was regarded as the patron and protector of various cities across Greece, especially Athens, from which she gets her name. Therefore, the words you speak have consequences. Due to the apotropaic (protective) function of her image, the hydra Medusa motif has been widespread since the Hellenistic period. You only need to maintain a positive approach towards life and have a little faith. Medusa's beautyand, in particular, her femininityremains as dangerous as her original monstrosity. In fact, the name Medusa is derived from the Greek verb that means "to guard" or "to protect." And at the end of the story, Athena takes Medusa's severed head and uses it as her own protection in future battle (a symbol for these dual aspects of a woman becoming integrated.) I know you wrote this comment nearly a year ago, but Im actually writing a paper on this (which got me into Hellenism, but thats a whole other thing). The ability to understand science and ancient myths is also given by the goddess medusa. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Modern women and pagans realize just how powerful Medusa's story is and what it means to women, trans women, the downtrodden and oppressed today. Some stories say that there was one more unnamed Gorgon who was older than the others. This was what attracted Poseidon to her. In this version of the myth, Medusa is instead a beautiful womxn. She wants you to deliberately watch the things you say. It looks particularly sexy on the back or thigh area, where the tattoo will draw attention to feminine body parts. As Karoglou points out, the majority of hybrids (half-human, half-animal monsters like sirens or Gorgons) in ancient Greece were female. Medusa embodies menstruation's protective powers. Her expression is one of surprised, but unblinking, sorrow. What does the Palm Tree Symbolize? The Medusa tattoo features a snake-haired young woman, representing the might of women. Furthermore, she is a goddess that helps young ladies to overcome a lack of confidence. She was the child of Ceto and Phorcys. In the myths, any mortal who set eyes upon it was immediately turned to stone. Other sacred animals to Poseidon were the . While not the best source, Wikipedia seems to support your claim - it has images of her head used in gorgoneions. Athena is one of Poseidons sworn enemies, and through raping her sister, he is able to take power from her. 42. The name Medusa means 'sovereign female wisdom,' 'guardian / protrectress,' 'the one who knows' or 'the one who rules.' It derives from the same Indo-European root as the Sanskrit Medha and the Greek Metis, meaning 'wisdom' and 'intelligence.' (1) Metis, 'the clever one', is Athena's mother. The closest alternative to the evil eye bracelet is the medusas bracelet. Before she was cursed for sleeping the Poseidon, medusa was a beautiful goddess and queen. "Pegasus, poetry, was born of Medusa when her head was cut off." - Joseph Campbell. Save. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The lotus flower is largely symbolic and has implied different concepts through history, such as purity, detachment, enlightenment, and spirituality. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. Born of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto, it is often forgotten that Medusa herself is a goddess of the sea. GameStop Moderna Pfizer Johnson & Johnson AstraZeneca Walgreens Best Buy Novavax SpaceX Tesla. Meanwhile, a rotation of 1990s Versace fashions presents Medusa as a modern luxury logo. Medusa represents feminine power. On a chariot-pole finial from 1st-2nd century Rome, Medusa is almost angelic with her flowing hair (and a pair of snakes peeking through her tresses), yet her penetrating eyes of inlaid silver recall her petrifying gaze. It wasnt the most pleasant of behaviors but history does teach us its lessons and we should learn from them. Medusa can be a symbol of female strength and safety for women. All three are originally described as having tusks, wings, and the infamously iconic snake hair. "In a male-centered society, the feminization of monsters served to demonize women," she said. The story of Medusa continues to provoke renewed perspectives on its symbolism including through the lens of feminism and psychoanalysis. Throughout the essay she encourages women to come closer in relation to her sexuality, to her womanly being, giving her access to her native strength. She goes on to say that in doing so she will get back her goods, her pleasure, her organs, her immense bodily territories. Cixous continues on, saying that for too long women's bodies have been occupied and deemed guilty guilty of everything, guilty at every turn: for having desire, for not having any; for being frigid, for being too hot; for not being both at once, perhaps even from being both woman and angry. For example, a sun and moon tattoo, which you can view as a coming together of opposites and a representation of two opposing forces. The inclusion of Medusa in the center implies the protection of the goddess Athena, who wore the Gorgon's likeness on her aegis, as said above. The archive, belonging to lawyer Linda Coffee, contains nearly 150 documents and letters related to the historic case. She is an advocate of the exaltation of femininity. There are numerous images of Medusa in an almost angel-like state, or even once she had been cursed, images where the snakes in her hair function as more of an accessory rather than something fearsome. Angered by this, Athena placed a curse on her by turning her hair into snakes and making her gaze dangerous. Ironic how a woman seen as a monster to men is used as a symbol of protection for the same people who wrote about her story. . Therefore, seeing her should remind us of the power of faithfulness. She helps females to attain their primes and become who they choose to be. Hyperallergic is a forum for serious, playful, and radical thinking about art in the world today. Our image of Medusa is one of pure evil, but in reality, she is raped and impregnated by her rapist. From Freuds telling, the entire story takes place through the perspective of the man in the story, reducing Medusa to something sub-human. Only to be stalked and haunted constantly by status-seeking men, and inevitably, murdered by Perseus. Since Ancient Greece, the snake-haired Gorgon has been a sexualized symbol of womens rage. 9 Meanings, 9 Vertigo Spiritual Meanings: Random Dizziness. It speaks about the ability to handle complex situations, and deal with hard tasks. . It keeps your spiritual atmosphere thick enough to repel every negative force. In the 1994 book, Female Rage: Unlocking Its Secrets, Claiming Its Power, the authors claimed that when they asked women what female rage looked like to them, it was always Medusawho came to mindIn one interview after another they were told that Medusa is the most horrific woman in the world. None of the women they interview could remember the details of the myth, and perhaps, had they been able to, they would have had a different perspective. If you ever find yourself in Sicily, you will see the Trinacria being sold in all forms: magnets, key chains, pins, postcards and most stunning of all: ceramic Trinacria plaques that are hand-crafted by local artisans. Medusa is also seen as a symbol of freedom and liberation for women, as she was used as a symbol of French liberation during the French Revolution. In 1976, Hlne Cixous, a noteworthy French feminist theorist, wrote an essay called The Laugh of the Medusa, in which she unpacks this myth. She turned anyone unlucky enough to stare directly at her face into stone. Romans were part of the Greek world, and yes a Gorgon head was an apotropaic symbol in the broader Greek world too. She works with birth, death, and rebirth. In ancient Egyptian society, the Eye of Horus (Wadjet) was widely used as a symbol of protection, restoration, and royal power. In myth Medusa was the granddaughter of the earth (Gaia) and the ocean (Oceanus), a beautiful mortal Gorgon maiden sworn to celibacy to fulfill her duties as an attendant to Athena.