Reclaiming the Medusa Myth as a Symbol for Modern Day Feminism

Reclaiming the Medusa Myth as a Symbol for Modern Day Feminism

Jedidiah Sokoh

Fashion Institute of Technology

Reclaiming the Medusa Myth as a Symbol for Modern Day Feminism

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the Myth of Medusa, and the impact she has had

on feminism throughout time. It studies several sources that show her history, and what they

mean psychologically. It also analyzes sources that use Medusa as a symbol in contemporary

retellings, and how she is still relevant in present day feminism.

Introduction

In Ancient Greece the first myth of Medusa was born, and since then her story has

become widely known. In the earlier centuries, she was seen through the male gaze and most

depictions of her were misogynistic. She was portrayed as a femme fatale, and the audience was

meant to show her no sympathy. However, over the years feminists and historians have looked at

her story as a means of female power, and a lesson against the patriarchy.

This paper will show how Medusa is a modern feminist symbol, and the importance of it as well.

Cultural and Psychological History Behind the Myth of Medusa

When looking at Medusa as a modern day feminist symbol, we have to look back and

consider the origin of her myth and the evolution throughout time.

Silverman (2016) states that the Medusa myth originated in Greece around the Classical

Greek Period. Similarly, Mento, C., & Settineri, S. (2016) support Silverman (2016)’s idea by

stating that Medusa shares the same features as the Greek mythological creature, the gorgon. In

The Ferocious and the Erotic: "Beautiful" Medusa and the Neolithic Bird and Snake, Dexter

(2010) suggests that “Medusa was a synthesis of the Near Eastern male demon spirit and the

Neolithic European Goddess of the life Continuum.” However, Dexter (2010) also believes that

the earliest origin of Medusa dates back to Ancient Greece.

Reclaiming the Medusa Myth as a Symbol for Modern Day Feminism

According to Silverman (2016) Medusa is the story of a human Gorgon, who was a

maiden to the Goddess of war, Athena. Medusa was raped by Poseidon, the God of sea, in

Athena’s temple. Athena turned Medusa into a monster with snakes for hair, and anyone who

looked upon Medusa would turn into stone. The myth is important in recognising how beneficial

female anger can be to women. Embracing it can be a helpful tool towards healing from trauma

caused by misogyny. (Mento, C., & Settineri, S. 2016).

Misogynistic Interpretations of Medusa

When looking at the Medusa myth it is important we focus on the psychological aspects,

as well as historical because they are necessary in understanding the reasons behind certain

interpretations of Medusa.

In Medusa: Sexuality, Power, Mastery, and Some Psychoanalytic Observations. Studies in

Gender & Sexuality, Silverman (2016) discusses Freud (1940)’s opinion on Medusa. Freud’s

beliefs around Medusa were very misogynistic. He said her story is one that inspires male fear,

as a result of the different genitals men and women have. Medusa’s snake hair is a symbol for a

penis, and when men see Medusa it inspires the fear of castration in them. In “The Present-Day

Medusa: Foregrounding L'ecriture Feminism in the Contemporary Retellings of Mythology”

Kapoor (2021) discusses the essay “The Laugh of Medusa,” by Helene Cixous, and contends

Freud (1940). Kapoor (2021) states that Cixous “contradicts Freud’s recourse to the myth as “a

symbol of terror and unintelligible feminine sexuality.”

Literary Interpretations of Medusa

Medusa’s story is not one that was only told in ancient times, but has also had several

retellings throughout time. According to Sterling (2021), Medusa’s character is an exmaple of

the Femme Fatale Trope. “A dangerous and severe projection of a woman that utilizes her
Reclaiming the Medusa Myth as a Symbol for Modern Day Feminism

promiscuous sense of sexuality, sexual identity, and femininity to manipulate men and society for

her benefit. Upon first glance, this sexual agency can read as feminist and a learned behavior for

women to survive in patriarchal systems of oppression.” (Sterling 2021). Sterling (2021)

emphasizes that Ovid’s portrayal of Medusa did exactly this. Ovid portrayed Medusa as a woman

deserving of punishment, after being raped. Ovid glorifies the abuse of men in Ancient Greece,

and shames the women who are mistreated.

In Medusa as female eye or icon in Atwood, Murdoch, Carter, and Plath, Alban (2013)

includes and analyzes contemporary retellings of the Medusa trope by the authors Atwood,

Murdoch, Carter and Plath which reinforces Medusa as feminist archetype. Similarly, In

Redeeming the Medusa: An Archetypal Examination of Ted Hughes’ The Iron Woman Nouhy

(2017) argues that feminists have overlooked Ted Hughes as someone who dismantled the

femme fatale trope of Medusa. In Ted Hughes’ novella The Iron Woman, he told the story of a

woman who had toxic waste thrown on her in a marsh, and decided to enact revenge on the men

who caused this. Nouhy (2021) states that “ Hughes made extensive use of the myth of the

Medusa in order to convey a universal message, that Mother Earth cannot be redeemed from

humanity’s insistence on destroying her unless all human beings are able to delve deep down into

their psyche, stare fear in the face and own up to the fact that they are responsible for the decay

that has come upon her. The Medusa here is a metaphor for humanity’s fear of encountering its

own dark deeds.”

However, looking at it through Nouhy's perspective is a bit shortsighted. Although Ted

Hughes was able to portray Medusa without being misogynistic, Nouhy (2021) fails to recognize

the feminists who have also written retellings of Medusa's story. In The Present-Day Medusa:
Reclaiming the Medusa Myth as a Symbol for Modern Day Feminism

Foregrounding L'ecriture Feminism in the Contemporary Retellings of Mythology, Kapoor

(2021) discusses the effect Helene Cixous had on feminist writing.

Cixous created the concept “L’ecriture Feminine Writing,” through her essay, “The

Laughing Medusa.” Kapoor (2021) claims that L’ecriture Feminine Writing “concentrates on the

representation of the feminine body and questions the male oriented thought process which

suppresses female voice. It is one of the most influential theoretical constructs for women

writing in the contemporary times.”

Similarly, Fizee (2019) discusses how Alban in her book, The Medusa Gaze was able to

look at female characters in certain texts in relation to the Medusa Gaze. Fizee (2019) believes

that Alban showed a “powerful feminist perspective,” and was able to highlight the struggles

women face under the patriarchy while suggesting they use their fear as a means of power.

Modern Day Links to Feminism

The beginning of this literature review focused on the historical and psychological

aspects of the Medusa myth, now it will focus on her relevance as a modern day feminist icon.

A statue of Medusa was created by the Italian artist Garbati, which depicted her with

snakes for hair while holding the head of Perseus. The statue, now a symbol for the #MeToo

movement was put on the exterior of the Manhattan courthouse where Harvey Weinstein had

been convicted of several sexual assualt cases. This did not sit right with many women who

argued “Should a pretty, naked woman killing a man really serve as a symbol for women who

have survived male abuse?” (Attiah, K. 2020).

Tan, B. (2021) argues that Medusa’s story is similar to the #MeToo movement because

she represents the anger and fear of female sexual assualt victims, and stands up against the

patriarchy. Just like other victims, Medusa was shamed and villianzed for the crime against her.
Reclaiming the Medusa Myth as a Symbol for Modern Day Feminism

Myisha Cherry (2020) supports this by saying “A common trope that besets lots of women is that

when it comes to moral wrongdoing against them, they are blameworthy and not “real victims.”

According to Myisha Cherry (2020) “This might be is due to our over-sympathy for men as well

as our over-sexualization of women.”

In “Reclaiming My Sister, Medusa: A Critical Autoethnography About Healing From

Sexual Violence Through Solidarity, Doll-Making, and Mending Myth” Reilly (2020) discusses

how Medusa is a relevant symbol for sexual assualt victims by sharing her trauma, and how

Medusa was a source of healing. Reily was in an art group for sexual assault victims where they

would make dolls. Their art practices were an attempt to heal from the trauma they’d face in their

lives. Reily (2020) believes “The Medusa dolls allow us to express our caring and compassionate

qualities, which spilled further into our relationships with each other and ourselves.”

Medusa was also a metaphor for Reiley (2020)’s own story as it showed the usefulness of

myths and how they help form cultural norms.

Conclusion

Looking at all the research presented we are able to determine that Medusa is a modern

day feminist symbol because of all the controversy surrounding her myth. Her myth, birthed in

Ancient Greece, was a symbol for female empowerment and breaking out of the patriarchy. She

inspired fear in men, and now serves as an outlet for women to fight against oppression.

Although, we still live in a patriarchal society, female victims of sexual assualt and rape are now

more able to freely talk and recieve justice for the pain caused by their male oppressors. Slowly,

the world is changing from public opinion to the creation of movements such as The #MeToo

movement, which has helped raise awareness about the continuous abuse men in power inflict on

women, thanks to our new understanding of female mythological figures, such as Medusa.
Reclaiming the Medusa Myth as a Symbol for Modern Day Feminism

References

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Cherry, M. (2020, November 19). Anger: Embracing the Medusa Trope as an Act of Resistance.

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Reclaiming the Medusa Myth as a Symbol for Modern Day Feminism

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