Plot of Medusa and Perseus
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Danae was told at a young age that if she had a son his destiny was to kill her father, so she was locked away. Zeus found beautiful Danae and transformed himself into golden rain to get into the chamber she was being held in. Big shocker, she got pregnant by Zeus and gave birth to Perseus. When Danae's father found out she gave birth he sent his daughter and grandson down the river and away from home.
A fisherman, Dictys, pulled the two into shore. Dictys' brother, Polydectes, wanted to marry Danae but knew that Perseus would not allow it. Instead Polydectes planed to trick Perseus and send him to retrieve the head of Medusa, knowing that Perseus would most likely not return. On his way. Perseus was greeted by Athena and Hermes who gave him gifts to keep him safe and help with his voyage. They gave Perseus sandals that would make him super fast, a shield to reflect the image of Medusa, and a sword to kill her. Athena gave Perseus the sword because she had her own personal conflict with Medusa. As a result, she wanted to help Perseus and by giving him the shield he would never have to look directly into Medusas eyes, which would have turned him into stone.
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To get to the Nymphs of the North, he had to first go to the Graeae, three ugly woman like creatures that all share one eye that they pass to each other. To get the information he needed, Perseus had to devise a plan to trick the Graeae. He captured their only eye and used it as leverage to get the information would help him continue on his journey.
A Gorgon is an ugly creature that is usually deathly, a perfect description of Medusa and her sisters. The Graeae told Perseus exactly where he could find the Gorgon's lair. Medusa was a foul creature with snakes as hair. She once was a beautiful girl but because she pissed off Athena, Athena transformed her into an ugly serpent lady. Perseus found the lair where all of the creatures slept. Perseus decapitated Medusa and when her sisters awoke they were furious but it was impossible for them to catch Perseus while he was wearing the winged sandals that the gods gave him.
Perseus asked Altas to help hide him but he said no so, Perseus turned him into stone by showing him Medusa's head. From there Perseus went and saw Andromeda chained to a rock. He saved her from the sea creature that was going to kill her as a sacrifice to Poseidon. She became his wife even though she was promised to her uncle. They stopped to play some games on the way home, like discus. Perseus threw the discus and it hit an old man in the crowd; this old man was his grandfather, making the original prophecy a reality.
Perseus and Andromeda then ventured home to show that Perseus, in fact, did take the head of Medusa. When they got there Danae was locked away and basically being held as a slave for not wanting to marry Polydectes. Perseus was fuming he was so angry that he went up to Polydectes and held up the head of Medusa and watched the man turn in to solid stone. Later, Perseus gave the head of Medusa to Athena to put on the front of her shield.
Adapted from:
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Perseus and Medusa Summary." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 15 Apr. 2014
"THE GRAEAE SISTERS By Ray Jackson Follow." Redbubble. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.
A fisherman, Dictys, pulled the two into shore. Dictys' brother, Polydectes, wanted to marry Danae but knew that Perseus would not allow it. Instead Polydectes planed to trick Perseus and send him to retrieve the head of Medusa, knowing that Perseus would most likely not return. On his way. Perseus was greeted by Athena and Hermes who gave him gifts to keep him safe and help with his voyage. They gave Perseus sandals that would make him super fast, a shield to reflect the image of Medusa, and a sword to kill her. Athena gave Perseus the sword because she had her own personal conflict with Medusa. As a result, she wanted to help Perseus and by giving him the shield he would never have to look directly into Medusas eyes, which would have turned him into stone.
'
To get to the Nymphs of the North, he had to first go to the Graeae, three ugly woman like creatures that all share one eye that they pass to each other. To get the information he needed, Perseus had to devise a plan to trick the Graeae. He captured their only eye and used it as leverage to get the information would help him continue on his journey.
A Gorgon is an ugly creature that is usually deathly, a perfect description of Medusa and her sisters. The Graeae told Perseus exactly where he could find the Gorgon's lair. Medusa was a foul creature with snakes as hair. She once was a beautiful girl but because she pissed off Athena, Athena transformed her into an ugly serpent lady. Perseus found the lair where all of the creatures slept. Perseus decapitated Medusa and when her sisters awoke they were furious but it was impossible for them to catch Perseus while he was wearing the winged sandals that the gods gave him.
Perseus asked Altas to help hide him but he said no so, Perseus turned him into stone by showing him Medusa's head. From there Perseus went and saw Andromeda chained to a rock. He saved her from the sea creature that was going to kill her as a sacrifice to Poseidon. She became his wife even though she was promised to her uncle. They stopped to play some games on the way home, like discus. Perseus threw the discus and it hit an old man in the crowd; this old man was his grandfather, making the original prophecy a reality.
Perseus and Andromeda then ventured home to show that Perseus, in fact, did take the head of Medusa. When they got there Danae was locked away and basically being held as a slave for not wanting to marry Polydectes. Perseus was fuming he was so angry that he went up to Polydectes and held up the head of Medusa and watched the man turn in to solid stone. Later, Perseus gave the head of Medusa to Athena to put on the front of her shield.
Adapted from:
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Perseus and Medusa Summary." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 15 Apr. 2014
"THE GRAEAE SISTERS By Ray Jackson Follow." Redbubble. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.