Medusa – Carol Ann Duffy.
Analysis of the poem 'Medusa'. It includes:
• Contextual knowledge of the myth.
• Line by line analysis of the poem with lots of references to poetic devices.
Comments on what Duffy is saying about modern relationships and how
they affect people.
Medusa was originally perceived to be a fair maiden who took a vow of celibacy, and
devoted her life to serving as a Priestess of Athena. With her captivating charm, The Greek
God Poseidon soon took interest in Medusa, who abandoned her purity for the sake of love.
Athena, enraged by the broken promise and the humiliated suffered when her own Priestess
betrayed her, turned Medusa’s golden locks into poisonous snakes and her eyes were turned
into orbs that could turn people into stone with a glance. Poseidon, unwilling to face the
wrath of a Goddess or commit to a monstrous Gorgon such as Medusa, left the once beautiful
woman. Carol Ann Duffy’s poem presents the world through Medusa’s eyes, showing us
destructive power of her jealousy.
“A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy” is the first line of the poem which implies that jealousy
has turned Medusa’s hair into filthy snakes, which is a metaphor for her distraught emotions.
The first verse personifies jealousy by portraying an emotion as venomous snakes.
Analysis of the poem 'Medusa'. It includes:
• Contextual knowledge of the myth.
• Line by line analysis of the poem with lots of references to poetic devices.
Comments on what Duffy is saying about modern relationships and how
they affect people.
Medusa was originally perceived to be a fair maiden who took a vow of celibacy, and
devoted her life to serving as a Priestess of Athena. With her captivating charm, The Greek
God Poseidon soon took interest in Medusa, who abandoned her purity for the sake of love.
Athena, enraged by the broken promise and the humiliated suffered when her own Priestess
betrayed her, turned Medusa’s golden locks into poisonous snakes and her eyes were turned
into orbs that could turn people into stone with a glance. Poseidon, unwilling to face the
wrath of a Goddess or commit to a monstrous Gorgon such as Medusa, left the once beautiful
woman. Carol Ann Duffy’s poem presents the world through Medusa’s eyes, showing us
destructive power of her jealousy.
“A suspicion, a doubt, a jealousy” is the first line of the poem which implies that jealousy
has turned Medusa’s hair into filthy snakes, which is a metaphor for her distraught emotions.
The first verse personifies jealousy by portraying an emotion as venomous snakes.
