The Ferocious Medusa: The Petrifying, Apotropaic Gaze and Matrixial Vulva of Medusa, alongside Genital Display Figures
This review of ten articles, books, and chapters on the mythic Medusa and genital display figures illustrates Medusa’s petrifying and apotropaic gaze and her engulfing vulva, or eye blazoning her matrixial force, as her severed head demonstrates her abiding pro-creative, indomitable force. Through a...
| Published in: | Journal of feminist studies in religion |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Indiana University Press
2023
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| In: |
Journal of feminist studies in religion
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Medusa
/ Vulva (Motif)
/ Gaze (Motif)
/ Apotropaic object
/ Art
/ Literature
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| IxTheo Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy AE Psychology of religion AG Religious life; material religion BE Greco-Roman religions |
| Further subjects: | B
Medusa
B Gaze B apotrope B vulva B Display B fascinate B Literature report |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This review of ten articles, books, and chapters on the mythic Medusa and genital display figures illustrates Medusa’s petrifying and apotropaic gaze and her engulfing vulva, or eye blazoning her matrixial force, as her severed head demonstrates her abiding pro-creative, indomitable force. Through a history of women held under scrutiny while feared by patriarchy, with men projecting their own fear of castration onto them, the Medusa figure emerges as stunningly uncastrated, asserting her force and returning her stony gaze in the reflexive action pivotal to this myth. Objectified under the male gaze, her vulva faces the viewer, her inspirational force born through the birth of Pegasus even as she is crushed in rape and death. The mythic Medusa and vulva display women persistently retain their hold on the male unconscious in rising above castigation, asserting their amazing procreative force over life and death, enabled through Medusa's stunning tale and transfixing gaze. |
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| ISSN: | 1553-3913 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of feminist studies in religion
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