Long after many other figures from greek myth have been forgotten, she continues to live in popular culture. Poseidon raped her, but medusa was the one punished for the act, and thus became a gorgon. The gorgon medusa in the oldest greek mythological tales, there were three gorgons, of which medusa was but one. Once upon a time, a long time ago there lived a beautiful maiden named medusa. But after a school field trip she becomes a hero by helping save her worst enemy and one of her best friend.
One of the most popular monsters of greek mythology, medusa was a beautiful maiden with golden hair. Medusa was said to have many suitors who she all rejected until poseidon, the hellenic god of. Text only version acrisius eyes widened in horror as the ancient pythia priestess hissed, king of argos, listen well. We examine how she became the monster that she is so widely regarded as. The snakeheaded, petrifying image of medusa is instantly recognizable in popular culture. Perseus has got medusa s head, which is certainly a kind of reward. The other two gorgons chase him, but perseus escapes with the help of hades helmet of invisibility a.
Medusa, in greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as gorgons. But, as the fairy tales taught, whenever womanly parts draw eyes to them, young women shall also know danger. Medusa the libyan dark moon serpent goddess goddess. But after a school field trip she becomes a hero by helping save her. Such stories serve as a doorway to enter the world of the ancient greeks and romans.
Perseus and medusa greek, issue 1 thors stolen hammer norse, issue 3 the hero twins mayan, issue 4. The medusa myth has enjoyed a renaissance since the story was featured in the clash of the titans movies in 1981 and 2010, and percy jackson and the olympians, also in 2010, where medusa. In later myths mainly in ovid medusa was the only gorgon to possess snake. Medusa jones is a girl in rome very unpopular because of her hair, doesnt fit in and gets picked on everyday at school. The story of medusa, the girl that was turned into a snake monster because she angered athena. Medusa was asleep and perseus, using the reflection in athenas bronze shield as a guide so as to not look directly at the gorgons and be turned into stone, managed to cut off her head with his sickle. Her story has been told and retold by ancient and modern storytellers, writers, and artists.
With a promising plot that gets more complicated as the story progresses, this myth has a typical hollywoodlike scenario with the main character not being born yet at the moment when his destiny was determined. The myth of perseus and the medusa the story of perseus and the medusa is featured in the book entitled greek gods, heroes and men by caroline h. The story of medusa and the greek goddess athena a myth submitted to the site by shainuja many years ago there was a beautiful women called medusa. Be the first to ask a question about perseus and medusa. Medusa was a formidable foe, since her hideous appearance was able to render any onlooker into stone. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the profundity of a mainstream television show placing this reading of medusa s myth at the forefront of the story. Harding, published in 1906 by scott, foresman and company. The timeless myth of medusa, a rape victim turned into a monster.
In these earlier myths then, its assumed that medusa was born a monstercomplete with snakes and stony vision. Perseus was born to the god, zeus, and mortal woman, danae, making him a demigod with great strength and intelligent ingenuity. In this fascinating study of the legend of medusa, stephen r. Arguably medusa is the most famous villainess and monster of greek mythology, for medusa was the monster with hair of snakes and a stony gaze encountered by the hero perseus. She vowed to be celibate her entire life as a priestess of athena until she fell in love with poseidon. Medusas head a greek myth graphic myths and legends paul d. The goddess became angry, and changed medusa into a monster with snakes for hair. Dltks countries and cultures greek mythology the story of medusa and athena written and illustrated by leanne guenther. Today we look at one of the most misunderstood characters in greek mythology, medusa.
Macy digs into medusa s story and learns that she was originally one of three sorceress sisters. He beheaded the gorgon medusa for polydectes and saved andromeda from the sea monster cetus. But as will be the case with many of my generation, the most. This charm was based on medusa, a character from several myths that the greeks knew well. Perseus, in greek mythology, the slayer of the gorgon medusa and the rescuer of andromeda from a sea monster. The magical world of myth and legend the short story and myth of medusa the myth about medusa is featured in the book entitled old greek stories by james baldwin published in. However, there is evidence that the myth changed drastically over time. The latin poet ovid writes in book iv of his metamorphoses that poseidon attacked medusa in the temple of athena. Our swiney hair also aligned us with rapunzel, betrayed, hurt, confined in frail frame of her. The user submitted story below is similar to one version of the medusa myth. As for medusa s head, it supposedly becomes part of the aegis, the shield of zeus carried by athena. In the oldest greek mythological tales, there were three gorgons, of which medusa was but one.
She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes. A must have addition to any classroom covering greek mythology for avid and reluctant readers. In ancient greek mythology, medusa is the most famous of three monstrous sisters, known as the gorgons. Some myths try to explain how the universe or natural world was created. The story of how medusa was killed by perseus is one of the most thrilling stories in greek mythology. This book was about perseus and his hunt for medusas head. Jack london uses medusa in this way in his novel the mutiny of the elsinore. Medusa jones by ross collins is a funny book incorporated with some greek mythology. In the british writer iris murdochs novel a severed head 1961, the. It includes the killing of the medusa, the killing of a sea monster, a romance with a beautiful ethiopean queen, a fight with an ethiopean army, and a final encounter with a lustful king who wants his mother. In fact, one can argue that the most peculiar fragments of her biography are all posthumous.
The story of medusa greek mythology explained youtube. Hesiod would write, in the theogony that the three gorgons were euryale, sthenno and medusa, with these three monstrous sisters being the offspring of phorcys and ceto. A beautiful mortal, medusa was the exception in the family, until she incurred the wrath of athena, either due to her boastfulness or because of an illfated love affair with poseidon. He would become one of the great heroes in greek mythology because of his ability to behead the monster, medusa. According to hesiod and aeschylus, she lived and died on an island named sarpedon, somewhere near cisthene.
The myth of perseus and medusa greek myths and greek. As medusa fights back against both gods and mortals, rumors fly about this angry woman with snakes in her hair. Wilk begins by refamiliarizing readers with the story through ancient authors and classical. I remember reading the story of medusa, or at least one version of it, in my fathers edition of bullfinchs mythology when i was a child. Long before medusa faced off with perseus, there was poseidon. Read this book and over 1 million others with a kindle unlimited membership. Although the strict definitions between myth and legend are blurred a legend usually is a tale of a person or adventure where as a myth will explain an aspect of the world or tell a story. In greek mythology, medusa also called gorgo, was one of the three monstrous gorgons. Related irish myth, legend, and st patricks purgatory. Most sources describe her as the daughter of phorcys and ceto, although the author hyginus makes her the daughter of gorgon and ceto. There are various versions of the story, but depending on which one you pick up, either medusa seduced poseidon or he was smitten with her and took her in other words, the mythology of medusa holds within it a classic he saidshe said story of rape and. Medusa, in greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures. Strangely enough, medusa s story doesnt end with her death.
Told with modern language and a darkly energetic score, medusa is an ancient tragedy that is as timely and necessary now as ever. Modern women are retelling classic tales through the. In greek mythology, medusa also called gorgo, was one of the three monstrous gorgons, generally described as winged human females with living venomous snakes in place of hair. The pictures are engaging and the book is a sturdy paperback. The timeless stories of the gods and goddesses of greece, rome and northern mythology are brought to life, and throughout the book bulfinch shows, by extensive and resonant quotation, how these images have enormously enriched the development of english. While compiling this list of 50 classical mythology retellings, i found a link connecting many of the modern retellings a link that will be obvious if youve read margaret atwoods penelopiad or madeline millers circe. Medusa beautiful virgin priestess and a rape victim unjustly turned into a monster by athena, a goddess of justice. Here are some famous myths weve featured in storytime magazine. Around 8 ad, ovida roman poet celebrated for his faithful retelling of popular greek myths produced his famous metamorphoses, an expansive book of myths. In some variations of the myth, medusa was born a monster like her sisters, described as girded with serpents, vibrating tongues, gnashing their teeth, having wings, brazen claws, and enormous teeth.
Perseus finds medusa sleeping and chops off her head. He was, alongside cadmus and bellerophon, the greatest greek hero and slayer of monsters before the days of heracles. The legend of medusa and perseus the full myth of perseus and medusa begins years before they battled. For some people, the myth of medusa and perseus is a metaphor for horror and how its actually possible to save yourself from it through art. Medusa was one of the three gorgons, daughters of phorcys and ceto, sisters of the graeae, echidna, and ladon all dreadful and fearsome beasts. Perseus and medusa graphic greek myths and legends. In some myths it is said that pegasus, the winged stallion, was born of the gorgons blood after perseus slew medusa the one gorgon who was not immortal apparently. In her book literature and fascination, sibylle baumbach argues that the. Medusa, the gorgon, who turns those who gaze upon her to stone, is one of the most popular and enduring figures of greek mythology. Perseus was the son of danae, daughter of acrisius the king of argos, and zeus. What can the myth of medusa tell us about classical myth, perceptions of female power and sexism from antiquity to today. The myth of medusa and perseus stillness in the storm. Each event is narrated in details, no survey quality to it.
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