The myth of Medusa. When the victim of abuse is transformed into a monster

Reflections from Sree Jaya* (India) on Medium's Paperkin blog on March 12, 2021, freely translated by Gionata's volunteers

I love mythologies, and the Greek one is undoubtedly one of my favorites. Among all the stories of Greek mythology, however, that of Medusa, the "crazy lady of the snakes" who transformed stone people until it was stopped by Perseus, has always left me cold. (...)

In a world of Greek mythology where people turn into trees and goddesses arise from the heads, this story was certainly not among the most exciting. No play on words on snakes, I swear.

Then one day I saw a video on YouTube that spoke of the story of Medusa, and I understood how wrong I was wrong. The version of the myth I knew told that Medusa was born Gorgone and had hated his life until the day he was dead. A little depressing, but vaguely understandable.

We all know the terrifying jellyfish: the head full of poisonous snakes and a look that petrifies you. We have heard the story of Perseus infinite times, the hero who defeated the gorgon by suffering his head. What a heroic act, right? But how many of us have wondered what history does not tell us about Medusa? What if instead of seeing her as a monster, we tried to consider it under a new light?

It is not a secret that we live in a world structured on patriarchal values, where the power and heroism of men are enhanced and women are reduced to a secondary role. It happens in the media, in politics, even in our home courtyard. And Greek mythology is no exception.

What is rarely told is as Medusa has become a jellyfish. It was originally a beautiful girl with golden hair, kind and devoted. Medusa had chosen to dedicate his life to the goddess Athena, living in chastity as his priestess. However, his name soon became synonymous with malevolence, hatred and monstrosity.

One day, Poseidone, the god of the sea, saw it and was fascinated by it. Medusa, faithful to Athena, rejected him. And what does Poseidon do? The violent, of course, and to add insult to the damage, does it on the stairs of the temple of Athena, thus humiliating the goddess itself. After the act, Poseidone disappears, leaving Medusa vulnerable and destroyed.

Medusa, devastated, implores Athena to receive guide and forgiveness. But Athena, instead of helping her, gets angry and punishes her for having "betrayed" her vote of chastity. His punishment? Transform it into a monster: snake hair, a look that petrifies, and condemns her to live in isolation on a distant island, avoided by everyone.

The most heartbreaking thing is that Medusa was not a monster. He was a victim. Yet, he was cursed, exiled and deprived of his humanity. When brave men tried to kill her, his gaze stipulated them not by choice, but out of fear. This detail made me feel a deep empathy for Medusa: punished for being raped, transformed into a weapon against itself and relegated to solitude.

Some say that Athena has "blessed" it with the power to protect himself from men. Personally, this justification leaves me cold. It would have been much better if Athena had defended Medusa from the beginning. But perhaps he could not: in mythology, the goddesses must also submit to the will of the gods.

The story of Medusa is still relevant today. It is the portrait of a victim of abuse without support, condemned not only by the abuser but also by society. Today, as then, victims of violence often remain silent for fear of being judged or blamed. Medusa was never seen for what she truly was: a survivor.

Reading this version of the myth, I felt monstrous for not having heard his story sooner. Medusa, if you are reading these lines somewhere, I want to tell you that I am sorry. And that I believe you.

* Sree Jaya is a bisexual Indian student and believer who told online about her journey of discovery about life and the world.

Original text: Dangerous Beauty : The Real Story Of Gorgon Medusa