The story of medusa and athena. What is the Story Behind Medusa? Unpacking the Myth of Medusa 2022-10-18
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Medusa was a mythical creature from ancient Greek mythology. She was a Gorgon, a monster with snakes for hair and a gaze that could turn people to stone. According to the story, Medusa was once a beautiful woman who was chosen by the goddess Athena to be a priestess in her temple. However, Medusa was violated by the god Poseidon in Athena's temple, and as punishment, Athena transformed Medusa's beautiful hair into snakes and her face into something so terrifying that it could turn people to stone.
Medusa fled to a faraway land, where she lived in a cave and was shunned by the rest of the world. However, her power remained, and anyone who looked upon her face would be turned to stone. Eventually, the hero Perseus was tasked with killing Medusa. He used Athena's guidance and a reflective shield to avoid looking directly at Medusa, and he beheaded her while she was asleep.
The story of Medusa and Athena highlights the theme of revenge in Greek mythology. Athena, who was known for her wisdom and rationality, took a violent and destructive approach to punishing Medusa for being violated. However, the story also shows the power of the female gaze, as Medusa's ability to turn people to stone with her gaze was a symbol of her own agency and power.
In modern times, the story of Medusa has been interpreted in various ways. Some see her as a victim of rape and a symbol of the way that society punishes and ostracizes survivors of sexual violence. Others view her as a symbol of female empowerment and the dangers of male entitlement. Regardless of how one interprets the story, it remains an enduring myth that has influenced art, literature, and cultural understandings of gender and power.
The Myth of Medusa and Poseidon
Athena was enraged at the disrespect to her shrine and took her revenge. In ancient Greek art, Medusa is an instantly recognizable character. Each day she boasted of how pretty she was and each day her boasts became more outrageous. Was she a victim or a monster? Other authors have stated that the Gorgons inhabited the Gorgades, a group of islands in the Aethiopian Sea. Welcome to Greece Travel Ideas. This myth was the ancient Greeks way of explaining the presence of the Atlas Mountains, the mountain range in the Maghreb i. Why did Athena punish Medusa? She had stunning golden hair, with perfect ringlets framing her beautiful face.
Where does it say that Athena was jealous of Medusa? : classics
People would carve her image over their doors to ward off evil and protect their homes. The people began to Whispers throughout the whole temple and immediately the people began to exit the temple. The story of Medusa is a tragic one. When Medusa saw the artwork, she commented that the artist had done a fine job considering the goddess's thick eyebrows -- but imagine how much more wonderful the painting would be if it was of someone as delicate as Medusa. On and on Medusa went about her beauty to anyone and everyone who stopped long enough to hear her -- until one day when she made her first visit to the Parthenon with her friends. Here is a study guide I made for my students.
She did not appreciate that Medusa and Poseidon were at her temple, but not worshipping her, so Athena turned Medusa into a monster with snake-hair as punishment. There is also another account which states that Perseus and Athena used the head of Medusa to transform the powerful Greek Titan Atlas into stone. Harris thinks her eyes are greener then the sea. But what is interesting is that the gorgon shows up in other cultures. Perseus also used the head of Medusa to keep the lovely Andromeda, princess and daughter of Cepheus, king of Aethiopia.
It does not comfort the sick, teach the unskilled or feed the hungry. This punishment turns Medusa into a monster that is isolated from the world of men — thus she can never be near another man again. Unfortunately the Greek goddess was nowhere to be found. Only 60% of those rockets were captured. She went on and on until she made her first visit to the Parthenon one day with some friends. Enraged by what happened to her, she vowed to turn to stone any man who would venture into her lair ever since. When Medusa had an affair with the sea god Poseidon, Athena punished her.
What is the Story Behind Medusa? Unpacking the Myth of Medusa
Read also: Who was Medusa? Anyone who locked gaze with Medusa was turned into stone. Her head is viewed as a protective symbol and was even used by the French Revolution as a symbol of French liberation and freedom. She admired herself in her darkened window for an hour each evening as she got ready for bed. From Medusa's body came a winged golden horse, Pegasus, and a brilliant fighter named Chrysaor. Even with Apollodorus, that's not necessarily jealousy the way we consider it.
The people who came to the Parthenon is awed by the beauty of the place. What is the theme of the Medusa story? She was given cracked skin, madness, and her signature snake hair and stone eyes. This myth is actually a warning to mortals. Other interesting facts Medusa was absolutely lovely and beautiful. They could not keep from thinking of how grateful they were to Athena, which was known as the goddess of wisdom, for watching over their city of Athens and for inspiring them. And by my powers, your loveliness shall be stripped away completely.
Medusa petitioned Athena for direction and absolution. Image; Bellerophon riding Pegasus and slaying the Chimera, central medallion of a Roman mosaic from Autun, Musée Rolin, 2nd to 3rd century AD Medusa — one of the most misunderstood characters in Greek mythology The Gorgon Medusa is one of the most misunderstood figures in Greek mythology. Apollodorus says that Athena killed her because she was willing to compare her beauty to Athena's, which is more convincing in my opinion however due to the changes to the myth over time it doesn't really track. One day, while she was bathing in the spring, the god Poseidon saw her and was overcome with desire. Athena was one of only three virgin goddesses, so Medusa vowed to remain a virgin while she served her. Why was Medusa cursed by Athena? She was given chicken legs, large metal wings, broken skin, franticness, and her unique snake hair and stone eyes.
If, however, we consider the version where Poseidon and Medusa were willing lovers, the myth reads as a cautionary tale: insolence to the gods, or disrespect of what is considered sacred, leads to perdition. Her face may be stern and ugly or beautiful and composed, appearing in almost every medium in a variety of settings. She was scared of her powers and angry at the gods for cursing her. And by my powers, your loveliness shall be stripped away completely. The painting is now located in the Uffizi Museum in Florence, Italy.
What is the moral of the story of Medusa and Athena?
Medusa 1597 by Italian painter Caravaggio. Athens is the goddess of war and wisdom. What did Athena represent? Read also: How did Medusa got killed? According to Hesiod and Aeschylus, she lived in a town at the coast of Aeolis, in Asia Minor, opposite of the island of Lesbos. One prerequisite to be a priestess for Athena is that the young lady should be a virgin and give her life to the goddess. And as Even in death, the head of Medusa was put to good use by Perseus and other Greek characters in the myth.
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