Author: Stephanie Zajchowski

Dr. Marrs’s presentation is called “Reclaiming Medusa: A Look at Otherness in Storytelling”

Reading Greek mythology, we are given the perspective of the gods or mortals that worship them. Chimera, Medusa, Cerberus, the Minotaur – all of these creatures share a common trait – they are “monsters,” and they share a common fate – they are killed by heroes proving themselves to please the gods. The Greeks told the stories honestly, they did not want to insult or displease the gods; it would not occur to them to write the story from the perspective of the Minotaur as it knows it is being hunted by a hero trying to prove himself. His crime was being born different.

Perspective is everything in a story, the words we use to describe our characters create empathy or hatred in the heart of the reader. As an educator, I have watched our nation’s focus on inclusiveness change dramatically in just under twenty years of teaching and even more since I was an elementary student. Where we once understood that history is written by the winners, we now know the importance of including the story of the others, even the “villain.” The more we can understand the villain, the victim, the hero, and the bystander; the more we can understand ourselves, our motives, and strive to be better to others.

In mythology, it is hard to find a perspective as overlooked as the story of the monsters. We have encountered figurative monsters in our lives and some of us have been monsters in our own stories. Working with Medusa and her family has opened my eyes to how much changing the storyteller transforms my understanding of myself and humanity in general. Ladon is not just a serpent, he is Medusa’s tender nephew, her sister’s son. Each being has their own story and perspective.

Changing the roles in the story, making Medusa my hero, has empowered me to change my own story. Before I started working with the gorgon, I thought of the monsters in the myths like the common Greek citizen thought of them – as creatures to be disposed of because they were dangerous. This mindset seems to have carried over into Western civilization’s treatment of “the other” – whether it was another race, another species, or even our own environment. By reclaiming our monsters can we also learn to reclaim some balance – if not in nature, at least in our hearts?

About Dr. Marrs

Professionally, Dr. Tracy Marrs is an educator, a teller of stories, and an inspirer of creativity. Some teachers are known for their great knowledge in their field, others may be known for their ability to manage even the toughest classes; Dr. Tracy is known for loving her students and making them feel seen, heard, and respected. In addition to working in the K12 classroom, she often shares her depth of knowledge and skills in literature with community members by weaving literature and archetypal stories with art and creativity. She excels at distilling esoteric concepts and stories into modern-day understanding and integration. Dr. Marrs has hosted many gatherings for adults in her community interested in art, mythology, and psychology. Her work at the local schools has led her to community-wide creative workshops at the community center and at the schools in her neighboring community. She recently spoke at “The Creative Psyche and Arts-Based Research” Conference in London on the connection between art and critical thinking. She loves her family, her life in the mountains, and their menagerie of animals. She is planning to continue to bring critical thinking, culture, and her unique love of learning to the members of her community and beyond. In her “spare time,” Dr. Marrs has been researching and writing a book based on Medusa and her family. The work was the inspiration for the presentation for our wonderful Mythologuim this year.

To hear Dr. Marrs’s talk and many others, join us at the Mythologium!

The Mythologium is a conference for mythologists and friends of myth. This year’s Mythologium will be held July 28-30 in-person and online in the Pacific time zone.