REIMAGINING MYTHOLOGY

ANDROMEDA

Andromeda was the daughter of prideful parents, Queen Cassiopeia and King Cepheus, who angered the gods by boasting that she was more beautiful than the best among them. The gods initially wanted the entire dynasty to perish but settled for the daughter's sacrifice to a giant sea monster. The royal family obliged by tying Andromeda on the rocky shores of the stormy sea, ready to be devoured.

Her beauty captivated Perseus, who asks for Andromeda's hand in marriage in exchange for slaying the monster (with the head of Medusa). In literature, she was a gorgeous Ethiopian princess. Ethiopia literally means 'burnt faced' in Ancient Greek, which gives us a clue as to her appearance, as does the fact that she happened to be from the Nubian Kingdom of Kush.

Yet, the way she has been (and continues to be) portrayed is inconsistent with this description. Shown as fair-skinned and distinctly European, Andromeda is still beautiful. In fact, it seems her purported whiteness is the reason for this outstanding beauty – location be dashed. Her beauty, an allure that made Persus park Pegasus and rescue her from a terrible sea monster, is the crux of her legend.

She was described as the most beautiful woman in the world, tawny hue and all, but only a very small number of artworks depict her as dark-skinned.