Medusa: Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon [Hardcover]

Stephen R. Wilk (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195124316 | ISBN-13: 978-0195124316 | Publication Date: July 20, 2000 | Edition: 1st US

Medusa, the Gorgon, who turns those who gaze upon her to stone, is one of the most popular and enduring figures of Greek mythology. Long after many other figures from Greek myth have been forgotten, she continues to live in popular culture. In this fascinating study of the legend of Medusa, Stephen R. Wilk begins by refamiliarizing readers with the story through ancient authors and classical artwork, then looks at the interpretations that have been given of the meaning of the myth through the years. A new and original interpretation of the myth is offered, based upon astronomical phenomena. The use of the gorgoneion, the Face of the Gorgon, on shields and on roofing tiles is examined in light of parallels from around the world, and a unique interpretation of the reality behind the gorgoneion is suggested. Finally, the history of the Gorgon since tlassical times is explored, culminating in the modern use of Medusa as a symbol of Female Rage and Female Creativity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The author's twenty years of devoted and penetrating research has netted so engagingly seined a catch of fact and fancy that he is close to persuasive about [the origins of Medusa's] gaze....Wilk is open, judicious, and critically candid about the broad collage he has so inventively explored. Good to the last line of text, this rich book never even flirts with the sin of being boring."--Journal of the History of Astronomy

"As the author of this interesting new book demonstrates, the Gorgon was not only an unsually popular subject among Greek and Roman writers and artists, but she has also remained a favorite mythological character in modern times.... Wilk's in-depth study is a welcome addition to the scholarship about her, containing both extensive review of previous interpretative theories and adding quite a few insightful new ideas of his own."--The Classical Outlook

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1st US edition (July 20, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195124316
• ISBN-13: 978-0195124316
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,348,163 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Medusa: An Excellant Detective Story, October 21, 2001

By 

"thekrenze" (South River, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Medusa: Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon (Hardcover)

Stephen Wilk has written one of the great detective stories of our time. He has taken a mystery-where did the Medusa come from-and, through careful examination of history, astronomy, and mythology, he has solved a mystery that has been around for centuries.
And he is entertaining to boot. I thoroughly enjoyed the book from cover to cover.
What could have been a deadly, dull story, is instead an exciting ride through the centuries with stops along the way in various areas such as science fiction and modern feminism.
Medusa is well worth the read not only for scholars and historians but also for anyone interested in good mystery.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ingenious and enjoyable, January 31, 2001

By 

toner__low (Brookyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Medusa: Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon (Hardcover)

The description on the jacket of this book reads, "Wilk offers startling new interpretations of the myth and meaning of the Medusa." This sounds like typical marketing speak, but Wilk makes good on that claim. His book presents very original ideas on the origin of the Perseus/Medusa myth and its legacy, taking into account optics, physiology, classical literature and culture, astronomy, comic books, cinema, and parallels from myths around the world. Yet Wilk presents his ideas as a (frequently humorous) conversation, not as a dry dissertation. You don't have to be a classics scholar to read and enjoy this book, though you'll feel like one when you put it down. The only problem is that Wilk may be too much of a polymath-his digressions, for all their charm, really pile up. Still, very clever and well worth it. For additional reading, I'd recommend a beautiful book called The Perseus Series, on Burne-Jones' paintings of the Perseus myth, published by the Southampton City Art Gallery.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FINALLY, REALISTIC EXPLANATIONS FOR THE GORGONS, February 14, 2001

By 

Brad Schaefer (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Medusa: Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon (Hardcover)

I had great fun reading this book. Wilk explains many of the features of the Greek myths associated with the Gorgons and shows why they appear worldwide. I appreciate his very broad coverage of all aspects of the myth. Even more, I appreciate his simple and practical answers which ring true. Wilk does not present his explanations as having been "proven", but this is refreshing and realistic since there will now never be sufficient data from the ancient past to prove anything. Certainly, his answers are better supported than all of the previous claims, some of which used to make me chuckle even though I knew of nothing to replace them. Wilk avoids the seductive trap of trying to explain all the details with some grand "Theory of Everything", instead pulling his persuasive and original ideas from astronomy, ornithology, architecture, and forensic medicine. His work provides a detailed case study of how myths evolve and are reinvented to suit new purposes. I strongly recommend this new book to anyone interested in the topic of myths.