25/06/2022
Good quick read. Please note "impregnated" in the second paragraph should be preceded by "r***d and."
I've always read Athena's response to Medusa as a commentary on the way violence against women divides us from each other, causes us to side with our abusers rather than support and uplift one another.
This is a very different interpretation, which is interesting, and not necessarily exclusive of my own, though I'd argue with it in these ways:
- We might also see the story as Athena asking Medusa to hold *all* women's rage instead of holding it with her.
- We might see it as a call to be careful about whom you align yourself with.
- We might see it as a demand for solidarity among all oppressed people.
Other thoughts?
The story of Medusa is a story of the natural response to injustice, and of the vilifying of feminine rage.
Medusa was said to be born exceptionally beautiful, and because of this she caught the eye of Poseidon, who impregnated her in the temple of Athena. When Athena learned of this, it is said that she punished Medusa by turning her into a Gorgon and exiling her.
For ages the story of Medusa has put fear into people, but the true story here is that Medusa was a victim because of her physical beauty, and then she became empowered and as a result was feared.
What if Athena exiled and turned her it into a gorgon not as a punishment, but as an act of grace and empowerment? That never again should Medusa be violated? She gave her space and a powerful means to protect herself. Medusa now had the ability turn to stone anyone who came after her with the intent to harm or violate.
Even after Perseus managed to kill Medusa by her severing her head from her body, her power wasn’t diminished. It’s said that the blood from her head had the ability to both kill and to raise from the dead. A lock of her hair was used to protect an entire city!!
Medusa is a symbol of feminine rage. Patriarchy sees the female body as either something to exploit, to fear or to distain, rather than respect and revere. It certainly doesn’t want push back or empowered rage. So we’ve been spoon fed these ghastly distorted tales, warning women to “know their place”. But reading between the lines we see a while other story.
Righteous Rage alway has a place in society and within each of us.
In yesterday‘s post I spoke of the goddess Durga, with her many arms and her ability to destroy demons and to protect and liberate. What if Medusa is really just a vilified archetype similar to Durga? Imagine stopping violence and lies dead in its tracks just by one’s gaze ? By calling it for what it is?
Read between the lines, we see a whole other story of Medusa than what we’ve been fed. We see the story of righteous rage and feminine justice. And the power it has to destroy, heal and protect.
Image: statue by Luciano Garbati - reimagining of Medusa
