O Olhar de Medusa: A poesia de autoria feminina em redes sociais como (re)significadora da imagem da mulher violentada

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the recurrent motif and re-signification of the Medusa myth as a representation of sexual violence in contemporary poems, focusing on Yrsa Daley-Ward's bone and Rupi Kaur's literary works. Drawing upon feminist and mythocritical frameworks, this study discusses how the figure of Medusa, traditionally depicted as a punished monster, is transfigured in these poetic expressions to expose and denounce patriarchal structures that silence or blame rape survivors. By emerging as a symbol of resistance, the mythical character not only expands the possibilities for dialogue about sexual violence but also challenges the historical erasure of female voices. To substantiate this analysis, the research engages with studies in mythocriticism, psychology, feminism, and decoloniality, offering profound reflections on gender, subjectivity, and writing. This theoretical framework underpins the application of a mythocritical methodology tailored to literary analysis, involving comparative readings of Daley-Ward’s and Kaur’s works. Throughout the study, it is observed how the contemporary reinterpretation of Medusa breaks historical stigmas, centering the female body as a site of voice and denunciation of oppression. Instead of a monstrous creature, the character emerges as a powerful voice of empowerment, asserting the poetic subject's autonomy and constructing new horizons of resistance. It is concluded that, by repositioning Medusa, these poetic productions drive crucial discussions on trauma and healing, revealing the power of poetry as an instrument of social transformation and the reinvention of myths.