Body, Metaphor, Medusa: an ecocritical oceanic exploration beyond ocean literacy

Abstract

Inspired by the sixth and seventh principles of the Ocean Literacy Framework, I will dive into the deep ocean to explore its turbulent waters and floor. To conduct this research, Medusa will be my hybrid method. But what does Medusa mean? The name Medusa actually carries a plurality of meanings. It refers to the sexually reproductive pelagic stage of most jellyfish’s lives; it is the name of the raft involved in the infamous shipwreck that became the symbol of French Romanticism; it is the name of the ancient Greek mythological figure with snakes for hair and a petrifying stare. These three elements share fluid bodies that will provide me with their tentacles to hold on to as I immerse myself down the water column and look in the eyes of inconvenient oceanic truths, notably alien species, ocean acidification, biodiversity loss, oceanic routes, forced migrations, and deep sea mining, all of which share profound entanglements with anthropogenic disruptive actions. I will try to shed light on issues largely ignored: I will show you the ways of living of jellyfish and their disruptive power; I will navigate the invisible victims of oceanic colonization and migration; I will tell you about the history of Medusa and her chthonic origins.