The three Gorgon sisters—Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale—were all children of the ancient marine deities Phorcys (or "Phorkys") and his sister Ceto (or "Keto"), monsters from an archaic world. T In a late version of the Medusa myth, related by the Roman poet Ovid (Metamorphoses 4.770), Medusa was originally a ravishingly beautiful maiden, "the jealous aspiration of many suitors," but because Poseidon had raped her in Athena's temple, the enraged Athena transformed Medusa's beautiful hair to serpents and made her face so terrible to behold that the mere sight of it would turn onlookers to stone. Why is it that the ancient Greeks always punished the woman who was raped? Medusa - you were unjustly punished. In most versions of the story, she was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who was sent to fetch her head by King Polydectes of Seriphus. The gods were well aware of this, and Perseus received help. He received a mirrored shield from Athena, gold, winged sandals from Hermes, a sword from Hephaestus and Hades's helm of invisibility. Since Medusa was the only one of the three Gorgons who was mortal, Perseus was able to slay her while looking at the reflection from the mirrored shield he received from Athena. During that time, Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon. Again, what's with the ancient Greeks? The corals of the Red Sea were said to have been formed of Medusa's blood spilled onto seaweed when Perseus laid down the petrifying head beside the shore during his short stay in Ethiopia where he saved and wed his future wife, the lovely princess Andromeda. The poisonous vipers of the Sahara were said to have grown from spilt drops of her blood. Perseus then flew to Seriphos, where his mother was about to be forced into marriage with the king. King Polydectes was turned into stone by the gaze of Medusa's head. Then Perseus gave the Gorgon's head to Athena, who placed it on her shield, the Aegis. Poor Medusa. You got a bad rap in mythology. No wonder Bernini makes her look so sad. Someone should re-write your story. Maybe me.
4 Comments
I confess, I don't watch much TV. I have a few go-to shows that my husband and I watch to wind down after a long week. However, TV does shape and reflect our popular culture. According to this article on Takepart.com it was a banner year for women in TV. African American and Black women are finally getting some of the juicy roles they deserve, more older women are on the small screen, and portrayals of women having an abortion (and humanizing that choice) were even featured in some shows. I take this as a sign that we truly are progressing on women's rights and equal treatment. We've got a long way to go, but it's a start!
I'm quite fond of the new female leads that are sweeping across the silver screen and TV. Detective Beckett in Castle is pretty badass. I'm a fan of Emma in Once, who's so good she's gone bad. And now, women are elbowing their way into the superhero role. Could we be entering a new era of female empowerment for Hollywood? I sure hope so!
I don't know what it is, but I have absolutely no interest in watching Supergirl. Maybe I'm just not into people running around in spandex jumpsuits. Or maybe I'm skeptical that Hollywood can actually make a strong, compelling female super hero. However, after reading this Variety article, perhaps I should give it a shot. I like shows that are purposefully diverse in their casting. However, I've heard that the show isn't really that great for female empowerment. So, what, I wonder, is the disconnect between their intentions and the show?
I completely agree with Olivia Wilde in this article. Female characters often translate as "strong" only if they're perfect. But why should women have to be perfect all the time 24/7? We need strong women characters who are complex and lovably flawed. |
My thoughts:I write about power dynamics in relationships, the empowerment of women, and the ethical and moral dilemmas love can create in our lives. This is a space where I meditate on those themes and share them with the word. Who knows, my next novel may start right here... Archives
February 2017
Categories
All
|