In contemporary feminist readings, Medusa has been reappropriated as a powerful symbol of female rage, resilience, and resistance against patriarchal violence. Ovid's narrative, in particular, resonates deeply with themes of sexual assault and victim-blaming, where the survivor is punished for the crime committed against her. Her transformation from a beautiful maiden into a terrifying gorgon can be seen as a metaphor for the psychological and societal consequences of trauma, where a woman's pain is externalized and demonized. This perspective views Medusa's petrifying gaze not as a curse, but as a protective mechanism, a weapon of self-defense against a world that has wronged her. She becomes an icon of fierce female power, reclaiming agency even in her monstrous form, inspiring women to embrace their anger and turn it into strength. She stands as a defiant figure against patriarchal narratives that seek to silence or disempower women.