Medusa Then & Now: A Monster’s Feminist Reclamation? #videoessay

My Books:

Texts and media discussed in the video plus further resources (links are affiliate links in some instances):

Ancient Literature

Medusa Retellings

Films & TV

Toys & Games
Medusa Lego Figure

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Where else can you find me?

[adrienne]

Loved this lecture! Please do more! ❤️

[joannecarnevale]

Although, as you said, there is much more to tell about Medusa, I greatly appreciate that you gave a pretty comprehensive presentation in under 50 minutes. Your video essay will inform all my future Medusa reading and viewing. Many thanks!

[art.and.lit.matters]

Hi Jean, what a fabulous video! I've been fascinated for thirty years by the innumerable and always changing forms Medusa takes in modern culture. The 19th Century novelist George Eliot was so smitten with the psychological resonances of Medusa's story and the terrible mournful beauty of the Rondanini Medusa she mentions her dozens of times in her journals and at key points in her novels. Every painting of Medusa seems to bring out another element of her story. 

Just two days before your video came out I posted "Mythology Now: Medusa in Art, Fashion, and Film: Caravaggio, Klimt, and the Clash of the Titans." If you have the time to take a quick look I think you might find it fascinating since it covers similar ground as you do but with more emphasis on Medusa's representations in the visual arts. There are some stunning Medusa works out there. 
At any rate you do a fabulous job of presenting Medusa as layered, changeful and beautifully complex figure. Thomas.

[redheadreading]

Listening to this while cooking our Christmas dinner and it is absolutely fascinating! Adore these deep dives you're creating - I can only imagine the amount of work that goes into them.

[tanyaroberts]

I loved this video essay 🙌 the format and explanation is easy to understand for perhaps other people who are new to ancient and Greek myths.

[AverySometimesReads]

this was so fascinating! video essays like this really give me a little dose of what i miss from university: hearing passionate, knowledgeable people give lectures 😍

[rachooexplores]

Loved this! I really love how a lot of overlooked women in myth are getting explored and given more complexity and a voice in modern day literature/tv/art. I think the Percy jackson movie is the first place I seen her character come alive in a live action setting (even though I have never read the books!) but she’s always been a staple character to me as the woman with snakes for hair which I’ve obviously picked up somewhere growing up. Can’t wait for more of these - thank you for all the work you put into it! 🐍

[RBECCAK]

My image straight away is a betrayed young woman, abused by others because I’ve always sought out the stories behind the snakes. However if I relied on media alone she’d be a snake haired evil villain with no backstory

Also, excellent video! I loved the deep dive! 😊

[siobhanshaw]

Loves this 💜!! it was fascinating!! I read 'Here, The World Entire' and 'Medusa' by Jessie Burton and loved both of them. I had only know her as someone that was just to be defeated, from early as primary school. So reading those felt special, learning backstory, being able to emphasie, see the vulnerability and strength. felt so rewarding and empowering to read. So thank you for sharing your love for them, definitely need to read 'Stone Blind'.

[CatApocalypse]

Loved this video essay! I never looked into the Medusa mythology in such depth, or how her depiction has morphed over the centuries. Love the recommendations for modern retellings that are properly reclaiming her story, thank you!

[suzanne]

Whenever I hear the word “Medusa” I think of jellyfish because that’s what they’re called in my native tongue, and in many others, I believe. They do look like beautiful floating heads with snake hair :) It was a great video and I hope you make more in the future

[stayathomereader]

Ohhh! I just started the video, but I want to say up front THANK YOU FOR THIS! I've been thinking a lot about the Medusa story lately because I just read Mermaid of Black Conch and the description of her tail seemed almost serpent like, and the reason she was cursed (male attention and female jealousy) really brought Medusa to mind. 🧜🏽‍♀️🐍

[KellyNeff]

Loved this video essay! Medusa has always been a favorite to learn about. I was waiting for you to mention the American tv series Hercules with Kevin Sorbo. That show and it’s spin-off are what got me interested in mythology as a kid. I am sure they butchered it…but it was fun to watch! Thank you for putting the time into doing this. I am looking forward to reading some of the books mentioned.

[HeatherReadIt]

absolutly loved this. I've always been drawn to medusa so this was great for hearing new and old perspectives.

[SDFGReturns]

This video was amazing! Both extremely informative and entertaining; I particularly loved the integration of modern Medusa/gorgon references from all areas of entertainment (film, cartoons, toys, funkos etc.)!

[mirandasundgaard]

I'm so thrilled you did this video essay, very timely for me because I've recently gotten Here, the World Entire and have been a bit entranced lately with the story of Medusa lately. Thanks so much for taking the time to create this. Very interesting and very good!

[saaramyllynen]

This is such an interesting look at how her depiction has changed and I learned a lot from this! A perfect video to listen to while having a nice coffee break♥️

[bookvirago]

This was amazing! I was expecting to learn a lot about Medusa from this video but I never thought I'd find it inspiring and eye-opening. I never considered how important Medusa is as a part of culture. Looking forward to more video essays!

[saimikorhonen]

Please continue these essays! This was very insightful and interesting!

[gillianmcmurray]

This video essay was wonderful. Thank you! My first experience of Medusa was when my Dad took me to see Clash of the Titans back in the 80s. She both scared me and intrigued me - and I hated when she was decapitated. However that film sparked a passion in me for all things ancient, eventually leading me to read Classics at uni. I will definitely look forward to more video essays in the future.