The third strand of the story is that of Medusa’s killer, the demi-god Perseus. Haynes has fun describing his conception. (Just how, exactly, does a mortal woman like Danaë have sexual congress with a shower of gold?) She writes warmly about Danaë’s saviour, the exiled prince-turned-fisher Dictys – mortals can be generous and forbearing. Perseus, though, is “a vicious little thug”, and, Haynes tells us, “the sooner you grasp that, and stop thinking of him as brave boy hero, the closer you’ll be to understanding.” To understanding the myth, that is, in the feminist-revisionist form in which she is presenting it here. Instructed to bring home a Gorgon’s head, Perseus sets out on his quest without pausing to ask who, what or where a Gorgon might be. He is assisted by Athene and Hermes, and a lot of the jokes come from their exasperation with his irredeemable doltishness. With a look that would turn men to stone, Medusa has earned her place in Greek mythology as the ruthless Gorgon, with a head of snakes. However, forget all that because Jessica Burton tells a very human story about Medusa, the young girl who is thrust into an adult world at the tender age of fourteen, as she learns to deal with betrayal and abuse as she write her own story. This real story of Medusa book shows the fascinating history and mythology surrounding Medusa. It uncovers the origins of the Medusa myth, shedding light on the real story behind the serpent-haired Gorgon, who could turn anyone who looked at her into stone. The name was an Irish Hero and it involved some Giant that had one Eye and could obliterate anything that this Thank King? looked at.

Not only did I enjoy the story itself, but the art to go along with the retelling was equally stunning. It was simultaneously antique with a creative twist, not entirely Greek-inspired art, but something wholly original too. I’m glad it was illustrated because it greatly enhanced my reading experience and added to the storybook atmosphere the words themselves created. Aeschylus: The fifth-century BCE tragedian Aeschylus evoked the uniquely terrifying Gorgons in several of his plays, including the Libation Bearers (1048ff), the Eumenides (46ff) and Prometheus Bound (788ff). He also wrote a tragedy, now lost, called Phorcides in which he described Perseus’ quest to hunt down and kill Medusa. This Medusa romance book tells the story of the beautiful yet cursed Medusa, who has been living in isolation for centuries, protecting herself and others from her deadly gaze. Alexander stumbles upon her hidden lair. So, Medusa’s world is turned upside down. Medusa has been a popular art, literature, and film subject throughout history. Even today, Medusa still is a bit of culture, folktales, and mythology worldwide from being one of the most charismatic creatures. She remains one of the victims and most misunderstood characters in Greek mythology.

Apollonius of Rhodes: The third-century CE epic Argonautica describes the venomous vipers of the Sahara as the offspring of Medusa (4.1505ff). I will be buying a copy of this book once it comes out (I have been reading this on my tiny phone screen). This is the Medusa myth that should be told to everyone. Disfruté mucho los monólogos de nuestra protagonista donde expresa sus emociones y reflexiones, se nota la perspectiva feminista de la autora que de manera muy sensible pero directa aborda problemáticas que no han cambiado con el tiempo. Pindar, Pythian Ode 12.16. Thus, it seems that Medusa was depicted differently in art than she was in literature. See Marjorie J. Milne, "Perseus and Medusa on an Attic Vase," Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (New Series) 4 (1946): 126–30, at 126. ↩ Perseus also encountered Andromeda, the daughter of the Aethiopian king Cepheus and his wife Cassiopeia. Using Medusa’s head, Perseus succeeded in rescuing the princess, who was being sacrificed to Cetus, a sea monster sent by Poseidon to punish Cassiopeia for boasting that her daughter was more beautiful than the Nereids. Medusa’s petrifying power is also used on Phineus, Andromeda’s uncle whom she was betrothed to, Proetus, the usurper of the throne of Argos, and finally Polydectes himself. Perseus’ friend Dictys took the throne and, now finished with the relic, Perseus gave Medusa’s head to Athena, who wears it on her aegis whenever she goes into battle.

This book tells the story from Medusa’s perspective, and that’s utterly unique. Also, it’s done very well in an exciting way. You realize that Medusa is not an absolute monster. She’s like a child. She was given to Athena, and something happened that tends to go against her. She underwent this transformation into a monster. She discovered horribly and painfully that her curse is indiscriminate in who it impacts. It makes you realize the situation that men put women in. The tragedies affected women because of the behavior of men. medusa is my favourite greek myth and i’ve been craving a feminist retelling of it for SO LONG, but this was…a bit of a let down. Apollodorus, Library: A mythological handbook from the first century BCE or the first few centuries CE. The myths of Medusa and Perseus appear in Book 2. Also, most of the book is told in conversation format. So a lot of the significant events in Medusa’s mythos don’t actually *happen* in this book - Medusa just talks about when they happened. It was an interesting stylistic choice, and perhaps it works for some, but not for me - it made me a little bored, to be honest. (Very literal example of someone TELLING and not SHOWING).Pero fue después de eso que empecé a disfrutarla como se debe. Una reflexión sobre cómo los dioses, reyes y hombres se han encargado de guiar las vidas de las mujeres a su gusto y convenio por el poder que la sociedad les ha dado. Once activated by a fresh imagination, the stories burst into fresh life,” Higgins observes. It’s true of not just her own luminous, astute retellings, but also of Burton’s bracing and powerful Medusa. In one of his poems, Pindar applied the epithet euparaos (“fair-cheeked”) to Medusa. [1] Attributes Locale These books allow you to engage with a captivating mythological character, gain cultural and literary knowledge, and explore thought-provoking themes that resonate beyond the ancient world.

Jessie’s inclusion of personalities for Medusa’s snakes of Echo, Daphne, Callisto (her most prominent snakes) was utterly ingenious and absolutely refreshing;but of all her snakes I’d have to say sweet little Echo was my favourite. The prose is beautiful and unambiguous in keeping with the author’s intention to make this story accessible to a younger audience. Therefore, this might not read as comprehensive or complex as similar retellings featuring strong female protagonists from the Greek myths. BJessie Burton’s retelling of the Medusa story turns several of the recognised elements about Medusa on its head. This book asserts the tale of a woman as fascinating as anyone in Greek mythology and certainly one of the most tragic. Burton’s interpretation of Medusa is not the stereotypical fixation of a monster deployed as an opponent in a hero’s golden quest. She is a vividly drawn young woman, fearful, lonely, unsure of her future, and searching for answers. this book was literally two characters reading the wikipedia articles of their respective greek myths with the other occasionally going “oh no!” or “i understand”