Practical Assessment Task - Medusa

Appearance

Medusa, originally a beautiful young woman whose crowning glory was her magnificent long hair, was desired and courted by many suitors. But after Athena cursed Medusa with snakes for hair, a body of a dragon and a face that turned those who looked at her to stone.

History

Medusa’s beauty was so stunning that many men courted her, but she became a priestess in Athena’s temple. Her golden hair and her beauty attracted the lustful eyes of the sea god, Poseidon. They coupled in Athena’s temple, a terrible violation of a sacred place. Medusa then became pregnant. When Athena learned what had happened she flew into a rage and cursed Medusa with snakes for hair, a body of a dragon and a face that turned those who looked at her to stone.

Eventually, a Greek hero named Perseus promised to kill her. He borrowed Hermes’ winged sandals and Hades’ cap of invisibility. He carried a mirrored shield. His speed and invisibility allowed him to get close to her. He used the mirror to “see” her without looking at Medusa directly in the eyes and beheaded her. 

Adventures

It turned out that the head continued, at least for awhile, to turn others to stone. Perseus used it to kill some

of his enemies including King Polydectes who was forcing Persephus’ mother to marry him. The story continues that when her head left her neck, her offspring sprang full grown from her blood. They were the winged horse Pegasus and a giant warrior named Chrysaor. As Perseus transported the head, blood dripped onto the Sahara Desert and created poisonous serpents. When he laid the head down near the sea, the blood seeped onto the seaweed and created red coral. Afterward this water was known as the “Red Sea”. 

Relationships and Family

Medusa was the daughter of Phorkys and Keto, the children of Gaia (Earth) and Okeanos (Ocean). She was one of the three sisters known as the Gorgons. The other two sisters were Sthenno and Euryale. Medusa was the only mortal out of the three.

Symbols

Medusa’s ability to turn men into stone is an important facet of her feminine power. This is the power over all life, the ability to return life back to the earth from which it came. This is the power which must be reigned in by the patriarchal Greek gods, for it represents a total control over the natural cycle.

Evolution

The Medusa of VERSACE

The world of the Italian designer Gianni Versace is reflected in the Medusa- head symbol, that is ornamented in a typically Greek fashion. The choice was made deliberately. Medusa does not only epitomise beauty, Greek art and philosophy, however, attributed also a fatal fascination to her. Her beauty is of a kind that is spell binding and confusing.

http://www.rosenthal.de/index.php/fuseaction/elwin/elwinID/1680/elwinBG/ffffff/elwinOffset/10/elwinAlt/Versace%20Medusa.htm

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs11/i/2006/171/c/6/Stone_dreams_by_Ehecatzin.jpg

http://www.windweaver.com/as/index.htm 

http://www.helium.com/items/975844-story-of-medusa-in-greek-mythology?page=2

http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Medusa/medusa.html

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/372807/Medusa

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Medusa+(Greek+mythology)