#2 The Muse as Medusa

The Muse as Medusa by Mary Sarton

Medusa is such an empowering figure for feminists everywhere. At first glance one would not consider Medusa as this figure of power. In The Muse as Medusa it starts off with Sarton describing her eyes as cold. Yet she is not turned into stone. In most stories Medusa is portrayed as this monster that lures people in specifically men with her voice but once one looks into her stony eyes they are hypnotized into their own death. I know that this was the only representation of Medusa that I was taught as a young girl. This is the representation I brought to college until I took this class. Sarton completely changed my whole thinking on the image of Medusa. She is a woman that is completely misunderstood. I mean isn't that how a lot of women in society feel. There is more to Medusa than meets the eye, but people are quick to judge with her snake like hair and sensual appearance. If anything its not Medusa who is leading these people to their deaths it's the judgement. Sarton describes Medusa in a way that every woman can relate to. We can put ourselves in her shoes. She even says at the end that when she looks into Medusa's face she sees her own. There is more that meets the eye to each women. We are not just the housewife that cleans and cooks or the business woman that eats men for dinner. Especially in the current society we live in women are aloud to express who they are more than ever. 

Also Medusa in this poem is whoever you want her to be. My most favorite quote in her poem is, "Forget the Image: your silence is my ocean". Medusa becomes this vision of piece with her silent gaze, which is different from what we are used to. Fairy tales make its seem like Medusa has all the power when really she can't control the environment around her, but she stands there still with confidence. That is what people are afraid of the confidence behind her. Like with any modern day feminist. Or really anyone who sticks up for what they believe in. That kind of confidence is what's intimidating and is why she is portrayed in such a negative way. Then there is the ocean around Medusa which becomes this wealth of knowledge. I interpreted the ocean as a women's thoughts, feelings, creativity, ideas, pretty much anything that creates a women. This is where Sarton is trying to find herself. The ocean is her journey and Medusa was her starting point.