Through these renditions of her visage, Medusa is painted into a half-human, half-animal monster. To ensure that you are protected from evil, try wearing medusa as a pendant or amulet. Even into the 19th century, as the romanticization continued, her eyes did not close. Her image was used in Byzantine Greece to protect pregnant women and newborns. One of the most complex drawings is medusa. Without the support of the gods, he would have been petrified like every other warrior. In ancient Egyptian society, the Eye of Horus (Wadjet) was widely used as a symbol of protection, restoration, and royal power. It wasnt the most pleasant of behaviors but history does teach us its lessons and we should learn from them. As weve mentioned, the myth of Medusa can be interpreted in various ways, but I think perhaps the most fascinating analysis is done through a feminist perspective because it unveils just how swift we are to circumvent female rage. This began with the greeks and later flowed down to every other culture. Dark tones enhance her hideous features and present the visage of Medusa as a frightening monster. All content found on Angelical Balance is for informational purposes only.Made with lots of love, hard work, and energy! The Greeks believed most snakes to be poisonous as well which represents the end of a life cycle. What are your opinions on Medusa as a symbol of protection? The earliest portrayals of Medusa show a grotesque part human, part animal creature with wings and boar-like tusks. In order to punish her, Athena curses Medusa by replacing her beautiful hair with a head of venomous snakes and making it so anyone who looks into her eyes will be turned to stone. While there were some hints at Medusa once being a beautiful woman, that narrative didnt really get popular until the Roman poet Ovid wrote Metamorphoses, which contained 15 books and over 250 myths, including his version of the Medusa story. Just like any other figure in Greek mythology, Medusa had her own symbols that represented things in the culture of Greece. Hyperallergic is a forum for serious, playful, and radical thinking about art in the world today. I almost got a Medusa pendent myself but I just never ended up getting one. The phallocentric understanding of Medusa that attempts to claim her as an erotic object denies her of her full power of speech, thought, and importance. Be careful of this. Vanderbilt University If you purchase something through our links, The Mary Sue may earn an affiliate commission., Have a tip we should know? Men are trash even in ancient greece, we been knew. image of intoxication, petrifaction, and luring attractiveness. She went against her vow and married him. The Beauty and Horror of Medusa, an Enduring Symbol of Women's Power For more often than not, shes depicted just as a severed head a visual that even has its own name,the Gorgoneion sculpted, painted, or carved being held aloft by her slayer Perseus. It was said that she protected those who were at war and during the hunt. The Goddess Medusa: Myths, Symbols, & How To Work - Tea & Rosemary Medusa was protective of her chastity and rejected Poseidons advances when the God tried to seduce her. The phoenix is an important symbol of life, death, and rebirth and is a popular image to get tattooed because of its incredible meaning. Google any famous womans name, perhaps Angela Merkel, Nancy Pelosi, or Hillary Clinton along with the word Medusa. For centuries women in power (or fighting for power) have been compared to Medusa, from Marie Antoinette to the suffragettes.Its clear in our society the sexually and intellectually independent woman is a fearsome sight to behold. In a new study, researchers propose that the mind creates an opinion of an artwork after dissecting it into discrete elements. Greek Symbols While the wild red locks of Edvard Munchs 1902 lithograph The Sin (Woman with Red Hair and Green Eyes), or Dante Gabriel Rossettis Lady Lilith (1867) with the Pre-Raphaelite subject brushing her long hair, are more of a stretch in the narrative, they reinforce the ongoing artistic portrayal of women as dangerous through their looks or power. The Gorgon was also a representation of protection and had symbols. Medusa Jewelry That Had the Power to Petrify | DailyArt Magazine It looks particularly sexy on the back or thigh area, where the tattoo will draw attention to feminine body parts. Athena's curse was not a punishment for Medusa, but a punishment for the gods and men who intended to harm her. This is exactly why the story of Medusa continues to captivate us because she is a character that demands to be reimagined, she pushes back against the story that places Perseus at its center, who claims him to be blameless and heroic. The story has always been heavily discussed by classics scholars because of the very gendered image of Perseus cutting Medusas head off and the castration anxiety that became very popular around any type of chopping in psychoanalysis, especially after Sigmund Freuds Das Medusenhaupt (Medusas Head) was published in 1940 after his death. She is the goddess of philosophy and blesses people with this wisdom. More by Allison Meier. Often times, this has allowed us to garner some sort of fable-like lesson from the stories of the Illiad or Metamorphoses. Statues of Medusa were used to guard Pagan Greek temples. From Freuds telling, the entire story takes place through the perspective of the man in the story, reducing Medusa to something sub-human. She calls women to write and express themselves fully. That's why it's considered protective. The Medusa head became a symbol of protection because it wards off invaders and turns anyone who gets top close into stone. Therefore, seeing a medusa sign might speak about protection. If you also desire wisdom and deep understanding, keep a medusa bracelet with you and mediate on it constantly. The mythological symbol of the head of the Medusa can be traced back to this devaluation and loathing, that is, the impression made . and rebirth and can be inked as a symbol of protection, warding off evil and keeping the wearer safe from harm. Snakes shed their skin regularly, which symbolizes the death of their previous self and grow into their new skins during their rebirth. The masculine part is the rigid, convinced, and hard-hearted aspect of us, while the feminine side is the tender, emotional, loving, and caring part of us. Medusa, who is often evil herself in these tellings, is used as a figure to repel other evil forces. Medusa is a female character that is present in Greek mythology. Pastimes include playing with words, using my passport, and eating croissants. In the Artemis temple of Corfu, Medusa is depicted in archaic form as a symbol of fertility with a belt of intertwined snakes on her body. Your email address will not be published. severed head, capable of transfixion even in death, is carted away to help him defeat the villain of his story. Ancient Egyptians used the Eye of Horus to provide protection. This week, a Black Southern quilt collection is donated to a Mississippi museum, the fascinating AI-generated ceramic glazes, a map of Italian Fascist monuments, and can clothing ever truly be recycled? Here we discuss Medusa as a goddess, gorgon, and icon AND we teach you 8 ways to work with her fierce energy. She was very lovely once, the hope of many An envious suitor, and of all her beauties Her hair most beautifulat least I heard so From one who claimed he had seen her. The snake-like strands of hair also represent the cunning ability of snakes, which gives additional wisdom. Other sacred animals to Poseidon were the . We dont have many of her temples around today, but she was once worshipped as a goddess in the past. Snakes were often connected to deception as well which reflected on the trust men put in women back in those days. Image Courtesy: pixabay.com. Our image of Medusa is one of pure evil, but in reality, she is raped and impregnated by her rapist. I know it has a name but I can't think of it. The rebooted TV series Charmed just did an episode touching on this, and it was really powerful because of all the work done to reclaim the character by pop culture. Love this, I decided half an hour before seeing this post to get or make one myself, as an apotropaic symbol. The myth tells us that the only way to defeat Medusa is by looking at our reflections through a mirror and this tells us that we should reflect upon ourselves to defeat our darkest demons. (1) The history behind the association is unclear. The Gorgon, Medusa, was said to have been raped by the God of the Sea, Poseidon, but were there any children that were a product of this animosity? On funerary urns or armor, she was a talisman of protection, those eyes symbolically warding off evil. Medusa can be a symbol of female strength and safety for women. While she may be known for her monstrosity, her beauty remains just as dangerous. The myths and stories about medusa are true. This is another caution sign from medusa. The closest alternative to the evil eye bracelet is the medusas bracelet. Whether you see her as a monster or more of that, the fact is that Medusa slithering her way into being more than meets the eye. Therefore, if you notice a dwindle in your spiritual consciousness, seek help from medusa. Athena is one of Poseidons sworn enemies, and through raping her sister, he is able to take power from her. From her severed neck, her child Pegasus is born. When it comes to relationships, medusa is a lesson to learn. Chariot pole finial with the head of Medusa (detail) (Roman, Imperial, 1st2nd century CE), bronze, silver, and copper, height: 7 1/4 inches, width: 7 inches; diameter: 4 1/4 inches (courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Rogers Fund, 1918). However, what people dont know is that medusas bracelet carries the same power. She was the child of Ceto and Phorcys. In recent years, Medusa has been reformed into a tragic figure who was slut-shamed and victim blamed, simply because punishing a male god (Neptune/Poseidon) would have been considered unthinkable. Medusa in Jewelry. The beginning of the cycle represents an opportunity to bring in new life while the later parts represent the end of life. Luciano Garbati's sculpture "Medusa With the Head of Perseus" was unveiled Tuesday in Lower Manhattan. All of this points to one thing, which is Intellectual power. 9 Powerful Protection Symbols Explained - Welcome To Wicca Now Now, many are claiming that Medusa is not an evil figure, but a strong person who had to overcome enormous pain and trauma. It was this sort of power dangerous, beautiful, and connected to women that both ancients and more modern people felt needed curtailing, oftentimes at the end of a sword. What does this mean? Fortunately, the times have changed and people have started to realize the flaw in their reasoning. It means that medusa can encourage men to embrace their feminine selves. The inclusion of Medusa in the center implies the protection of the goddess Athena, who wore the Gorgon's likeness on her aegis, as said above. Save. You might have asked questions about the reason behind medusas plight. The mythologically beheaded woman is seen (or at least partially seen) does not see; she is blinded and those who have beheaded her are blinded to her real nature. Its Medusas fault for being so beautiful. One day Neptune Found her and raped her, in Minervas temple, And the goddess turned away, and hid her eyes Behind her shield, and, punishing the outrage As it deserved, she changed her hair to serpents, And even now, to frighten evil doers, She carries on her breastplate metal vipers To serve as awful warning of her vengeance.. This is a powerful combo to enjoy protection from the evil eye. If you have committed to accomplishing a task, stay true to it no matter what. Female Symbols - Ancient Symbols Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The Gorgon as a symbol of protection TW: Mention of r*pe. As she became more and more attractive, Medusa's allure became a symbol of her power in the world, a might that was often distinctly feminine. Medusa has 11 spiritual meanings, which we look at in this article. In order to unpack the feminist implication of the mythology, lets begin with the narrative of her story. Although other greek mythology claimed that she was a priestess and one of the 3 monstrous gorgons, which are known as 3 winged females. Medusa Teaches Women How to Turn the Patriarchy into Stone These later images may have lost the gaping mouth, sharp teeth, and beard, but they preserve the most striking quality of the Gorgon: the piercing and unflinching outward gaze.. In this version of the story, it is said that Medusa was in the temple of Minvera and that one day Neptune, the god of the sea, found her and sexually assaulted her. Angered by this, Athena placed a curse on her by turning her hair into snakes and making her gaze dangerous. She helps females to attain their primes and become who they choose to be. The Gorgon as a symbol of protection TW: Mention of r*pe Unfortunately, the Goddess Athena didnt see it that way and punished her because she couldnt punish the God for his defilement. The Story Of Medusa In Greek Mythology Explained Why Kill Medusa? What does Medusa Represent? Mishandling the Myth of Medusa. A Feminist Perspective on Medusa | by
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