From Postfeminism to Foucault: The Revival of Medusa in Emma Hamm’s Becoming Medusa

This paper examines Hamm's Becoming Medusa (2021) through the lenses of postfeminism and Foucault's theories of power and agency, foregrounding the significance of revisionist retelling. Since the 1970s, female protagonists like Medusa have gained popularity due to the postfeminist reimagining of Greek mythology. The reclaiming of Medusa's narrative has undergone a series of shifts in the perception of her character, moving from a position of victimisation and monstrosity to one of agency and empowerment, as evidenced in this novel. Challenging the postfeminist paradigm and considering Foucault's ideas, the paper studies the revival of Medusa as the creation of a new identity. Foucault's critique of power cultivates a detailed view of the interrelations between gender and power that escapes the assumption that oppressing women is caused in an unassuming way by men's power. This study's significance lies in presenting a more in-depth and innovative exploration of Becoming Medusa by presenting a different version of Medusa as a real woman who is changed from passive to agent. By intertwining these mentioned theories, a more comprehensive analysis of the context and the authors' intentions transforms their current viewpoints to the readers and audiences presented. The importance of this topic also lies in achieving global postfeminism through Medusa's revival from Greek mythology to the contemporary age.