Many in Greek culture also link snakes to a woman’s menstruation cycle which relates to the cycle of life and death as well. The Greeks believed most snakes to be poisonous as well which represents the end of a life cycle. #GREEK MYTHOLOGY MEDUSA SKIN#Snakes shed their skin regularly, which symbolizes the “death” of their previous self and grow into their new skins during their “rebirth”. Medusa’s snakes were said to represent the cycle of life, rebirth, and death. No doubt to be the most commonly linked symbol of Medusa, the snake is a symbol of the Gorgon that represented many things. She was a monster in her story but her symbols were often used for the good of mankind however ironic it is to hear. Just like any other figure in Greek mythology, Medusa had her own symbols that represented things in the culture of Greece. People often “turn into stone” when faced with their own difficulties and inner demons. 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. Her petrifying gaze turns men into stone but only towards those who look at her hideous appearance. Some people tend to connect Medusa’s story with self-reflection and link Medusa to the darkest parts of one’s soul. This seems odd as she was originally a very beautiful mortal. Not only that, but Medusa is often used as a symbol of rage in feminism. Medusa was protective of her chastity and rejected Poseidon’s advances when the God tried to seduce her. It might come as a surprise but the name “Medusa” actually means “to protect” and this actually reflects in the mythology. Medusa, who was once thought of as a boastful mortal who deserved to be turned into a monster, is now seen in a more sympathetic view by modern standards. Fortunately, the times have changed and people have started to realize the flaw in their reasoning. It wasn’t the most pleasant of behaviors but history does teach us its lessons and we should learn from them. Snakes were often connected to deception as well which reflected on the trust men put in women back in those days. In ancient Greece, women were usually accused of provoking men with their image or their personality and are usually blamed when anything happens to them. Unfortunately, the Goddess Athena didn’t see it that way and punished her because she couldn’t punish the God for his defilement. When the God of the Sea, Poseidon, was mesmerized by her beauty and forced himself onto her, she was clearly the victim here. Her luscious hair was her most defining feature and she wasn’t shy of flaunting herself to others either. In Medusa’s story, the Gorgon was born a beautiful mortal among her hideous immortal siblings which people saw as a blessing for her. Men back in the day didn’t have the same level of respect for women as they do today because each gender had a different role in society. The tragedy of Medusa reflected how ancient Greece viewed women and their attitude towards them. She was also a ward of sorts for the Greeks to protect themselves against the negativity in life. Medusa’s story showed us the representation of women in ancient Greek society and how people viewed them. What Was The Meaning of Medusa’s Creation? This extends to even monsters like Medusa which really showed us how the ancient Greeks viewed the things around them. The Greeks loved to romanticize their culture in the form of Greek mythology and every character in it represented something about their culture. The Gorgon was also a representation of protection and had symbols. She represented the sexuality of men and the ancient Greek’s views towards women. Medusa, the most famous of the Gorgon sisters, represented an array of things to the Greeks. Zeus represented power, Hades represented fairness in death, but what did a mortal who turned into a monster, like Medusa, represent? The Gorgon, Medusa, was a monster in Greek mythology but everything in Greek mythology always represented something in the real world.
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