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, devastata, implora Atena per ricevere guida e perdono. Ma Atena, anziché aiutarla, si infuria e la punisce per aver “tradito” il suo voto di castità. La sua punizione? Trasformarla in un mostro: capelli di serpenti, uno sguardo che pietrifica, e la condanna a vivere in isolamento su un’isola lontana, evitata da tutti.

La cosa più straziante è che Medusa non era un mostro. Era una vittima. Eppure, è stata maledetta, esiliata e privata della sua umanità. Quando uomini coraggiosi cercavano di ucciderla, il suo sguardo li pietrificava non per scelta, ma per paura. Questo dettaglio mi ha fatto provare un’empatia profonda per Medusa: punita per essere stata violentata, trasformata in un’arma contro se stessa e relegata alla solitudine.

Alcuni dicono che Atena l’abbia “benedetta” con il potere di proteggersi dagli uomini. Personalmente, questa giustificazione mi lascia fredda. Sarebbe stato molto meglio se Atena avesse difeso Medusa fin dall’inizio. Ma forse non poteva: nella mitologia, anche le dee devono sottostare al volere degli dèi.

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