Symbols In Medusa's Hair

Throughout the Medusa’s Hair Obeyesekere notes the importance of a gradual incorporation of symbolism into the behaviors of female ascetics, which result in resolving their overbearing experiences and putting pressure on the religious involvement instead. Thus, his interpretation of this fusion consists of three analogous elements, the existence of correlation between symptom and an emotional context, the usage of symbol as a unique solution for an individual’s crisis and, ultimately, applying a religious form to the concluding role transformation.
Symptom and its personal background First, the deep motivation hidden behind the painful experiences of an individual leads to the establishment of the behaviors and aberrations which are further resurfaced in a form of a symptom. In accordance with Freud’s psychoanalytical approach, the initial difficulties within the parenting model could have led to further drawbacks

Since religious experiences are inevitably connected with the given locations and thus cultures, they naturally impose the existence of the social relations redefined from the perspective of worship. Therefore, by invoking to the religion, the participants correlate the symbol to the macrocosm it actually represents (Greenwood, 48). This serves as a fundamental reason for using a religious symbol by an individual experiencing personal challenges. The change of perspective allows for creating its total opposite. Therefore, by “[converting] patient into priest,” victim is transformed into a powerful religious entity (Obeyesekere, 393). On the example of Karunavati, her feelings of guilt and loss morph into the spiritual success, a victory over her negative past (Obeyesekere, 391). This way, the symbol is able to synthesize divinity and humanity, proving the impossible in Maniyo’s