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She is usually portrayed as an evil character who just turns people into stones but I'm sure if you learn the entire story of the girl named Medusa your views of her would change. So, let's dig deeper into who Medusa was and what her story actually is.
Who Was Medusa?
According to Greek mythology, Medusa was a young and very pretty priestess in Athena's temple, the goddess of wisdom, warfare, and purity. People across Greece were enchanted by her beauty, especially her long marvelous hair.
She has many asking for her hand in marriage but she never said yes to anyone and remained chaste as she was devoted to Athena and her priestess were bound by vows to remain pure.
The Assault
Medusa’s beauty also caught the attention of Poseidon, the god of the sea. He pursued her but she remained resolute to her vow of purity. Poseidon then decided to force himself upon her in Athena's temple itself. Mind you Poseidon and Athena weren't on good terms ever.
Medusa’s cries went unanswered, and in the aftermath, she was left humiliated, deeply sorrowful, and scared. To add to the pain, Athena, enraged by the desecration of her temple, did not take out her wrath on Poseidon. Instead, she blamed Medusa, considering her a violator of her temple’s sacred purity.
The Aftermath
As punishment, Athena transformed Medusa into how we know her now. Her beautiful luscious hair was converted into a writhing mass of venomous snakes, and her eyes were cursed with the power to turn anyone who looked directly into them to stone.
Medusa, once a symbol of beauty, became an outcast, fleeing to the edge of the world to live in solitude. She made her home on a desolate island, where she would stay in hiding, avoiding human contact to prevent any more harm.
Medusa’s life became one of loneliness and isolation. She was seen as a fearsome monster, a terror to be avoided, rather than a victim of unjust punishment. Over time, warriors would venture to her island, seeking fame and fortune by defeating her. None succeeded, as they all fell victim to her petrifying gaze.
Victim Blaming
The story of Medusa is quite common with a lot of stories of victims in today's date and age too. Posidon, the one who actually was in the wrong was freed and lived his life to the fullest while Medusa who was a victim of sexual abuse was punished by a women and one which she idolized.
Now, the million dollar question- What was she punished for? What really was her fault? She did all that was asked out of her. She fulfilled her vow, did all her duties, was devoted to her goddess and still she was the one who was blamed.
This is what happens with a lot of victims and how they one who suffered is blamed and punished. Athena's curse isolated Medusa from society, branding her as a monster instead of a victim.
This mirrors how societies often marginalize victims rather than supporting them, seeing them as tainted or dangerous, which in Medusa’s case becomes literal.
Victims are often forced into silence, expected to bear the weight of their trauma alone, much like Medusa on her desolate island. Society often reinforces this silence, as victims may fear being shunned or blamed for what happened to them, just as Medusa was.
Medusa- An Evil Character?
Over time, the original story of Medusa got lost and people started seeing her as this evil monster who turned anyone who came near her to stone. This is exactly what the perpetrators want to happen to the victim.
Instead of Posiedon getting punished by the society, Medusa was made into an evil character and him as this esteemed high lord who can move seas and oceans.
In most movies and shows too Medusa's character is shown in a negative light and is used to put some hindrance in the protagonist's journey to do some good.
This distortion of Medusa’s story into one of monstrosity rather than victimhood is similar to how, in victim-blaming scenarios, the character or behavior of victims may be vilified, while the perpetrator escapes scrutiny.
Final Thoughts
Medusa is one of the most misunderstood characters of all time. A girl who was abused is now seen as a symbol of evil in today's time but her actual story is one of pain and tragedy.
The story was Medusa is a classic example of how society treats abuse survivors even in today's age. A young priestess abused by a God-like man, punished for it by a woman who she idolized and turned into a monster and left for isolation of her entire life.
However, slowly but steadily the perception is changing. Medusa's story is now being retold by some as a metaphor for the harm that victim-blaming causes. In some modern interpretations, she has become a symbol of both the trauma that victims endure and the potential strength they find within that trauma.
As the perception changes regarding Medusa's story, there's also hope that the perception of society also changes regarding actual abuse survivors and the society becomes as accepting of them as they are starting to become of Medusa's story.
Written by Suhaanei
This article has been authored exclusively by the writer and is being presented on Eat My News, which serves as a platform for the community to voice their perspectives. As an entity, Eat My News cannot be held liable for the content or its accuracy. The views expressed in this article solely pertain to the author or writer. For further queries about the article or its content you can contact on this email address - suhaanei2765@gmail.com
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