Furthermore, she advocates for the respect of the feminine gender. The earliest portrayals of Medusa show a grotesque part human, part animal creature with wings and boar-like tusks. Therefore, seeing medusa might be telling you to embrace your inner beauty. The answer you seek might just be around the corner. Some people tend to connect Medusas story with self-reflection and link Medusa to the darkest parts of ones soul. Just like movies like clash of the titans, she is a powerful spiritual entity that exists in ancient greek mythology. Among them, the most prominent was the horse, a symbol of valor and beauty since he himself fathered many horses, the best-known being the winged horse Pegasus by the Gorgon Medusa. Allison C. Meier is a former staff writer for Hyperallergic. She was one of the three Gorgons, or literally "the terrible ones.". In 1976, Hlne Cixous, a noteworthy French feminist theorist, wrote an essay called The Laugh of the Medusa, in which she unpacks this myth. It also tells you to be confident in your physical looks. Protection Symbol #9 The Eye of Horus. For example, a sun and moon tattoo, which you can view as a coming together of opposites and a representation of two opposing forces. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgoneion. Simi is very passionate about talking about women of color in media, politics, and the arts. Dangerous Beauty boldly mingles objects from across centuries in the compact exhibition. Love this, I decided half an hour before seeing this post to get or make one myself, as an apotropaic symbol. Oftentimes, this message comes with the message of wisdom and spiritual understanding because they are intertwined. While there have been myths about Medusa in the past, the most famous myth is her being the monster that Persuses had killed. Reading Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife has got me thinking about historic women, particularly Medusa. Although Athena had the power to prevent this, she chooses not to. Medusa's head as a symbol of horror was classically worn upon her dress by the virgin goddess Athena. All content found on Angelical Balance is for informational purposes only.Made with lots of love, hard work, and energy! Lets go ! 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. From Freuds telling, the entire story takes place through the perspective of the man in the story, reducing Medusa to something sub-human. Some believed that Medusa was the Libyan Goddess, Neith, who was the Goddess of Hunting and War. Answer (1 of 6): The functional identity of human vital functions with the functions of the primitive organial forms of movement reaches much more behind and beyond the jellyfish known as Medousa [1] [2] These two photographs clearly show that the ancient Greek mythologists probably knew ana. Dark tones enhance her hideous features and present the visage of Medusa as a frightening monster. Of course, one must never mention psychoanalysis and phallic imagery without then mentioning Sigmund Freud, who, during the 20th century, wrote prolifically about the intersection of sexuality and psychology. Use this symbol to keep you safe on your travels as did ancient sailors who would paint it on the sides of their boats. How might womens stories actually be centered around women? This seems odd as she was originally a very beautiful mortal. Without the support of the gods, he would have been petrified like every other warrior. While not the best source, Wikipedia seems to support your claim - it has images of her head used in gorgoneions. The evil eye is similar to the Egyptian wedjat, also known as the udjat eye or the Eye of Horus , which is a symbol of protection and good health. She is an advocate of the exaltation of femininity. I heard somewhere (that is not a very reliable source I know) that the story of Medusa is actually a story ancient Greek women would look to for empowerment. Athena holds her head and Hades her soul. 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. Before we talk about the different messages of medusa, let us discuss medusas symbolism. Historically, the figure of Medusa has been used to ward off evil. Your email address will not be published. a protection against . The myth of Medusa lies at the nexus of conversations about symbolism, feminity, rage, and the ways women are symbols of generativity, desire, and power. Snakes were often connected to deception as well which reflected on the trust men put in women back in those days. feelings originating in powerful oral impulses, and, for women, a means for resolving in fantasy the resentment arising from the lack of a penis. Many people have heard about Medusa and her tragic tale but not much is known about the Gorgon herself. Open March 31 through April 2. What does it mean when Animals Come to You? She keeps evil far away from her. In Greek mythology, Medusa was a Gorgon, one of three monstrous sisters comprised of Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale. The Gorgon as a symbol of protection TW: Mention of r*pe. The first depiction of Medusa can be dated back from a poem by Homer as being part of the three gorgon sisters, Stheno and Euryale. Because I want to look into pendants that I can wear as protective talismans, and I think a Medusa one would be a good fit, but Im worried about drawing the attention of a vengeful monster. Sculptors and painters would use the Medusa head as an apotropaic symbol to ward. When the artist Luciano Garbati made his sculpture . It might come as a surprise but the name Medusa actually means to protect and this actually reflects in the mythology. 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Wade Case Documents Fetch Over $600K at Auction, At the Outsider Art Fair, Passion Trumps Prestige, The Photography Show Presented by AIPAD Arrives in New York. Beyond the curse she sustained, medusa is known for her deep wisdom and understanding of the world. She helps females to attain their primes and become who they choose to be. Evil Eye. Only to be stalked and haunted constantly by status-seeking men, and inevitably, murdered by Perseus. She was a beautiful goddess and was desired by many. Medusa embodies menstruation's protective powers. What does this mean? Medusa was a monster in Greek mythology but she represented some real-world problems for the Greeks and the rest of the world. To ensure your safety from spiritual attacks, try to keep a medusa symbol in front of your home. The story of Medusa continues to provoke renewed perspectives on its symbolism including through the lens of feminism and psychoanalysis. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Flower tattoos are associated with beauty . Ironic how a woman seen as a monster to men is used as a symbol of protection for the same people who wrote about her story. 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. 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. It keeps your spiritual atmosphere thick enough to repel every negative force. In other words, symbolic decapitation, is a symptom of the real dangers that women face in a culture that is anxious about the powers of masculinity. Cixous demonstrates these points by claiming Freud himself is reductive and neglects to address the female experience in the Medusa myth, thereby erasing her experience, or, symbolically decapitating her as well. Medusa can be given to you as a sign and message. The Classical period of Greek art from 480 to 323 BCE further associated beauty with danger when Medusa, the sirens, sphinxes, and Scylla all got a little hotter, losing some scales and wings as their bodies were more and more humanized. She wants you to deliberately watch the things you say. People often come to secure their lives with some supernatural rituals and symbols when they do not feel secure with physical protection. By the fifth century BCE, that figure from Greek myth began to morph into an alluring seductress, shaped by the idealization of the body in Greek art. Medusa is often seen as a strong and powerful woman, who has the ability to destroy her enemies. She was killed by Zeusbefore he fought his father and the Titans for power. Stepping on a Crack Superstition and Meaning: Its a Bad Omen? Originally from Oklahoma, she has been covering visual culture and overlooked history for print I Need To Know What 'Very Bland' Opinion Got J.K. Rowling Kicked Out of a Harry Potter Forum, Disney Found a Way To Make Us Care About Peter Pan Again, 'The Mandalorian' Makes It Pretty Clear Where Gina Carano's Cara Dune Went, 'Quantumania' Writer Shares Painful Thoughts on All the Negative Reviews, 14 Dead By Daylight Characters We Want to See in the Dead by Daylight Movie, The Mary Sue Book Club, March 2023: Powerful Magic, Sensational Secrets, & Public Policy, Was Ellie Gay in The Last of Us Game? She was regarded as the patron and protector of various cities across Greece, especially Athens, from which she gets her name. Image Courtesy: pixabay.com. This was to ensure that no man will ever be able to look at her anymore. mustache stubble was replaced by smooth cheeks, and fangs concealed by shapely lips, a male-centered society, the feminization of monsters served to demonize women, represents a conflicting view of femininity, one that is seemingly alluring but with a threatening or sinister underside. The god of the sea and of earthquakes, Poseidon had also some animals sacred to him. The present ptient is a female. The tattoo design is empowering for women and can also be seductive. The story of Medusa is such a famous Greek myth told in today's world, both to kids and adults alike. The consequence led to a lifetime of living beneath her powers. This is why she has been made into many ceramics, golden, bronze, and silver sculptures unlike other goddesses. Her expression is one of surprised, but unblinking, sorrow. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. She was also a ward of sorts for the Greeks to protect themselves against the negativity in life. Medusa remains the. Still no matter her form or decapitation her gaze is never averted, looking directly at the viewer as an assertion of her horrifying power that cannot be completely subverted by beauty. In fact, the name Medusa is derived from the Greek verb that means "to guard" or "to protect." And at the end of the story, Athena takes Medusa's severed head and uses it as her own protection in future battle (a symbol for these dual aspects of a woman becoming integrated.) Silencing Powerful Women - The beheading of Medusa can be seen as symbolic of silencing powerful women who voice their sentiments. The beginning of the cycle represents an opportunity to bring in new life while the later parts represent the end of life. Freuds analysis of the Medusa myth is that she was decapitated because she represents castration anxiety through phallic symbolism. 1. The Gorgon, Medusa, was a monster in Greek mythology but everything in Greek mythology always represented something in the real world. In Greek mythology, Medusa was a Gorgon - a creature with snakes for hair and the ability to turn anyone who looked at her into stone. She argues that decapitation is not a symbol of castration anxiety, but rather a result of it. In the new and annotated edition of Metamorphoses (highly recommend), it becomes clear that in the eyes of the Romans, Minervas wrath against a rape victim is seen as just, same as with Atalantas rape punishment (getting turned into a lion). Seems a little ironic that a monster like Medusa would be used as a way to keep family protected against the evils of the world. In Greece, Medusa was often seen as an apotropaic symbol to ward off evils and negativity as well. You should be fine if you worry about attracting her attention. This experimental and multidisciplinary solo exhibition in New York City exploring the sweetness of doing nothing closes on March 12. Her symbols were a shield that frequently appeared above her head in ancient hieroglyphics which was why she was killed with a reflective shield in Greek mythology. Romans were part of the Greek world, and yes a Gorgon head was an apotropaic symbol in the broader Greek world too. In Greek mythology, she is one of the Gorgon sisters (derived from the Greek gorgs for dreadful), and Perseus uses a reflective bronze shield to defeat her. Yes, Medusa is a protection symbol. From her severed neck, her child Pegasus is born. Other sacred animals to Poseidon were the . The labrys also appears in African religious symbolism and mythology (see Shango). Jeenah Moon for The New York Times. 11 Spiritual Meanings, Medusa Spiritual Meaning: 11 Spiritual Messages, 10) Everything is turning out to your good. You will see this in movies like clash of the titans. The name Medusa means 'sovereign female wisdom,' 'guardian / protrectress,' 'the one who knows' or 'the one who rules.' It derives from the same Indo-European root as the Sanskrit Medha and the Greek Metis, meaning 'wisdom' and 'intelligence.' (1) Metis, 'the clever one', is Athena's mother. If she had not sworn an oath of celibacy, She might not suffer the grave consequences that befell her after Poseidon slept with her. Because Medusa refuses a fate of silence and subjectivity, Perseus is left with no option but to decapitate Medusa for wielding her power. According to some myths, this was the real head of Medusa. What does Medusa Symbolize? I bought a Medusa pendant the minute Covid struck my area last March and have been wearing it since. Ancient Egyptians used the Eye of Horus to provide protection. The archive, belonging to lawyer Linda Coffee, contains nearly 150 documents and letters related to the historic case. She and Mars are Cupid's parents. In Greece, Medusa was often seen as an apotropaic symbol to ward off evils and negativity as well. Answered, One Piece Won a Different Award at the 2023 Crunchyroll Anime Awards Than I Expected, and Im Delighted, Randall Parks Upcoming Film is Everything Ive Ever Wanted. On funerary urns or armor, she was a talisman of protection, those eyes symbolically warding off evil. In her book Put A Bag Over Her Head: Beheading Mythological Women, Wendy Doniger posits that if men fear castration of the penis, then women fear decapitation of the head; therefore the penis and the head become the locus of power within the man and woman respectively. Small Medusa Tattoo . Venus was a Roman goddess who symbolized sex, fertility, love, beauty, desire, and prosperity. "In a male-centered society, the feminization of monsters served to demonize women," she said. Due to the apotropaic (protective) function of her image, the hydra Medusa motif has been widespread since the Hellenistic period. Athena brandished Medusa's head on her shield similarly to why Ancient Greek soldiers brandished Phobos's face on their shields: to insight fear. ), 7 Eye of Horus Spiritual Meanings: The Egyptian Third Eye. The goddess's shield has a gorgon head in the center. Become a subscriber and support the site! Beyond the stories we have heard about this goddess, there are things to learn from her, which can be applied to our daily living. What does this mean? Snakes shed their skin regularly, which symbolizes the death of their previous self and grow into their new skins during their rebirth. In fact, her name means Queen, and her sisters have similar positive names, whereas Perseus means to destroy and if that doesnt mean something, I dont know what does.