Anyone else here feel deeply connected to Medusa and her story? I feel she’s rarely done justice in pop culture, so I wanted to draw her.

[FishstainDBeaumarche]

Anyone else here feel deeply connected to Medusa and her story? I feel she’s rarely done justice in pop culture, so I wanted to draw her.

Discussion

[cicada-ronin84]

I have this theory that Medusa being decapitated and her head with the snakes in motion is the Greek version of Humbaba, they both were “monsters” that just wanted to be left alone, but a hero kills them and then uses them as a symbol of protection since Humbaba was the guardian of the Cedar forest, and also the Green knight being decapitated as well, being a monster that calles forth The Green Man from folklore which was a symbol of regrowth and nature, remember Pegasus was born from Medusa, it seems like they all telling the same story and I think the metaphor is the hero over coming nature, and then graining insight into nature and stop seeing it as a monster and as something that they can live with…not against, but because creation is messy and confusing parts of nature will have to be defeated in order for humanity to live along side it, and that’s why Medusa’s head was a symbol of protection and why her blood grave birth to Pegasus ie horses since man and beast working together is them being in harmony. Just my thoughts,I really don’t know a lot, just like to muse on things.

[FishstainDBeaumarche]

I find it very fitting that the gorgon was a symbol of protection in Ancient Greece. It feels like that holds true these days too.

My preferred interpretation of Medusa’s myth is that Athena was protecting Medusa by “cursing” her. (Athena’s basically the patron saint of Athenian bros so of course the versions of the myth that are recorded would give her a pick-me vibe. But I digress…) Medusa’s transformation does give her a massive amount of power and protection. She could have gone off on a revenge rampage after the curse, but she chose to just continue living with her sisters.

I also consider her to be a symbol of feminine rage. No matter the version of the myth, she’s always unquestionably and unjustly the victim of events outside her control. It’s mildly infuriating that she’s almost always depicted as a trope in retellings of her myth. So I wanted to depict her with more dignity.

I wanted to show her poised, gazing calmly and directly at the observer. She’s just a woman wanting to be left to herself, albeit with snake hair.

If you like her, check out my [website](https://marrowandsoot.art/) for prints, and more women-centric and witchy art!

What do you think of Medusa?

[NiobeTonks]

Natalie Haynes’s most recent novel Stone Blind is Medusa’s story. I haven’t read it yet, but I love everything by Natalie that I have read. https://www.waterstones.com/book/stone-blind/natalie-haynes/9781529061475

[ttampico]

Medusa is thought to be much, much older than the Greek myths that made her a monster. She got the whole “water serpent” treatment where the old goddesses, gods, and beings of water get vilified under incoming hierarchical and patriarchal religions.

Here’s a [more](https://youtu.be/j8POypPgi4Q) about the history of water serpent/beings in general and what they meant.

[Gwyon_Bach]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medusa_with_the_Head_of_Perseus

[officewitch]

I wear a Medusa tattoo on my outer forearm. I fully believe she protects me from unsavory men.

Also, the number of men who have looked at it with disdain means she’s absolutely working. Going to get a similar Persephone on the other arm.

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[Ma-aKheru]

I do! She is in my pantheon, terror gets it’s due. I made quite a few paintings of her too.

[Furlion]

She is in the video game Hades and done pretty well. She is the maid for the house of Hades, well her head at least. She is portrayed as very friendly and caring, although she is hard on herself about doing her job perfectly.

[ilikefactorygames]

If you speak French, [Maedusa Gorgone](https://instagram.com/maedusa_gorgon) on Instagram draws amazing comics with very well articulated feminist points

[Lyndzi]

Check out the Willing and Fable podcast! they have an episode on Medusa specifically, and the history of the myth, and why she’s become such a feminist icon.

Also it’s just a really amazing podcast about history and mythology by 2 amazing badass ladies!

[MoonChainer]

[In Another Age](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17673239) by ghost_maiden_of_delphi struck an incredible nerve with me when I read it last year. I fell in love with the very human, very sympathetic depiction of Medusa and her circumstances. It certainly is a strong contrast against both the overt villain and the misunderstood victim. We live with the consequences of our existence; Medusa here demonstrates that quite well here.

[yelahneb]

[Yes!](https://www.reddit.com/r/WitchesVsPatriarchy/comments/wda9lx/stone_the_patriarchy)

Stone The Patriarchy
byu/yelahneb inWitchesVsPatriarchy