The Secret History of Medusa: Folklore, power & the ancient goddess

Medusa is often imagined today as a symbol of female rage or defiance – a monstrous woman turned against the male gaze. But this familiar image is only the final chapter in a far older, stranger story. Long before she was transformed by Athena or slain by Perseus, Medusa appeared as a powerful protective figure: a grinning face on pottery, shields, and thresholds, believed to ward off danger.

This talk uncovers Medusa’s forgotten history, tracing her transformation from guardian to monster to victim. It explores how creation, sexuality and death animate her image, and why her terrifying powers were stripped away. Through comparisons with serpent-women across mythic traditions, we’ll examine why the fusion of women and snakes has endured for millennia, and how ancient chthonic female forces were absorbed into patriarchal systems. Rather than offering a simple story of empowerment or victimhood, this talk asks why Medusa still haunts art and popular culture – and what her survival says about us today.

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7:30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

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Dr. Natalie Lawrence is a historian of science and author of Enchanted Creatures: Our Monsters and Their Meanings (W&N, 2024; Pegasus 2025), a history of monsters and our imaginations over the last 15,000 years. She has a first class in Natural Sciences, a Masters and a PhD in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge. She also co-authored Planta Sapiens: The New Science of Plant Intelligence with Professor Paco Calvo (Little Brown, 2022; Norton 2023; 10 translations so far). She has spoken for TEDX, numerous radio channels and podcasts, and presented for Cambridge Science Festival, Geist Talks, Last Tuesday Society, amongst others. 

This talk is 16+ 

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