Pop Medieval Ep 35: Vinland and Voynich: a Virulent Voyage

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Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Ep 35: Vinland and Voynich: a Virulent Voyage
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Doc and Nina discuss the Vinland Map and the Voynich Manuscript.

Topics of discussion: the difference between fakes and forgeries, creepy medieval books, Yale, vikings, naked people in pea soup, doodling in homework, dinosaur bones.

Recommendations

Medievalists.net article about the Vinland Map: https://www.medievalists.net/2021/09/vinland-map-fake-forgery/

“On the Map: A Mind Expanding Exploration of the Way the World Looks” by Simon Garfield (https://www.amazon.com/Map-Mind-Expanding-Exploration-Notable-Adults/dp/1592407803/)

Podcast Episode of the Medieval Podcast: “Forgeries in the Middle Ages” (https://www.medievalists.net/2021/02/forgeries-middle-ages-levi-roach/)

Pop Medieval Ep 34: He’s Green with Envy and Murder

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Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Ep 34: He's Green with Envy and Murder
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Welcome back to Pop Medieval! We’re kicking off season 3 with a classic: the poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” in anticipation of the new film, “The Green Knight.”

Topics of discussion: Morality, games, irony, Gawain’s shield, and how this poem leads to fist fights at medieval conferences.

Recommendations:

“Sir Gawain” translation by Tolkien: (https://www.amazon.com/Gawain-Green-Knight-Pearl-Orfeo/dp/0345277600)

“Sir Gawain” translation by Simon Armitage: https://www.amazon.com/Gawain-Green-Knight-Verse-Translation/dp/0393334155

“Diamonds in the Rough Draft” podcast (Episode 9: Lots of Opportunities to Plug Yourself)

Pop Medieval Ep 33: There’s Always a Prophecy

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Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Ep 33: There's Always a Prophecy
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It’s the Pop Medieval second season finale! In the final episode before their summer break, Doc and Nina talk about the Cathars, a 14th century (heretical) off-shoot of the Catholic church, and the prophecy of the last Cathar Perfect. This year marks the predicted 700th year of the Perfect’s return, and Doc and Nina dissect that prediction. Skeptical, Nina runs through other predictions that did not come to fruition — whether the laurel turned green or not.


Recommendations
Doc’s Summer Reading:

A Thousand and One Nights (https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Thousand-Nights-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140442898)

Don Quixote (https://www.amazon.com/Quixote-Penguin-Classics-Cervantes-Saavedra/dp/0142437239)

The Tale of Genji (https://www.amazon.com/Tale-Genji-Penguin-Classics-Deluxe/dp/014243714X)

Check out Nina’s work:

Nina’s website (http://ninamacnamara.com)

Icarus (http://ninamacnamara.com/books/)

A Bitter Spring (http://ninamacnamara.com/books/)


Have a recommendation for us? Send Doc and Nina and email at podcast at profawesome dot com!

Pop Medieval Episode 32: In Mother Russia…They Include Tom Bombadil

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Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Episode 32: In Mother Russia...They Include Tom Bombadil
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We lost our minds earlier this month when Russia’s 5TV uploaded a two-part Soviet television adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. This performance, once believed lost to time by scholars who knew of its existence, comes from 1991, at the tail-end of the Soviet Union. Now, both parts are up on YouTube for the world to watch. It’s time to pack a thermos of borscht and set forth on an adventure toward Mount Doom on a mission of perestroika!

Doc and Nina discuss the performance as both a scholar of Soviet/post-Soviet History and a defender of the performing arts (respectively). They’ll start off by giving the low production value a context, work their way through the mournful Russian folk music, puzzle about the frigid weather in the Shire, and, of course, discuss Tom Bombadil. Nina is on a quest for Soviet propaganda and Doc will also answer the question: is The Lord of the Rings an allegory for WWII? Warning: bad Russian accents and worse Soviet jokes lie within.


Show notes:

Part One of the performance: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vquKyNdgH3s)

Part Two of the performance: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLevCLNnLmg)

The Guardian article: (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/05/soviet-tv-version-lord-of-the-rings-rediscovered-after-30-years)


Recommendations

The Pyramid Collection (https://www.pyramidcollection.com/)

Beowulf: Prince of the Geats (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455348/)


Have a recommendation for us? Send Doc and Nina and email at podcast at profawesome dot com!

Pop Medieval Minisode 3: Don’t Plagiarize

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Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Minisode 3: Don't Plagiarize
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SPRANG BREAK FOREVER (or at least for this week)! Fresh episodes are coming up in a couple of weeks, so we’ll leave you with a Minisode. Today, Nina talks about a dumb memory from her days as Doc’s Medieval office minion.


Have a recommendation for us? Send Doc and Nina and email at podcast at profawesome dot com!

Pop Medieval Ep 31: Mansa Musa Inflates the Market, Pants

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Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Ep 31: Mansa Musa Inflates the Market, Pants
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Doc and Nina head to the continent of Africa in this episode to discus the Medieval Malian king, Mansa Musa, known as the richest man who ever existed! Mansa Musa (or Musa I), caused quite a stir during his hajj with his generosity. In his efforts to show off and show out, he wound up inflating the economy of Cairo on his way to Mecca. But don’t worry — all worked out in the end!


Recommendations


Have a recommendation for us? Send Doc and Nina an email at podcast at profawesome dot com! 

Pop Medieval Ep 30: Bardcore and Uncut

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Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Ep 30: Bardcore and Uncut
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Doc and Nina discuss the musical genre known as bardcore – wherein popular songs undergo the “medieval” treatment. Doc will also explain the difference between bardcore and filking and what both have to do with geek culture. Then, they’ll discuss the importance of Hildegard von Bingen, one of the most important figures in the Roman Catholic church, and Sacred Monophony. Plus, Nina will give her unfiltered opinion on improv. 


Recommendations

Ordo Virtutum as performed by the Saint John’s Cathedral, LA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUMlhtoGTzY)

Pop Medieval Ep 18: Abelard Cuts Ties with Heloise (https://www.profawesome.com/podcast/pop-medieval-ep-18-abelard-cuts-ties-with-heloise/)


Have a recommendation for us? Send Doc and Nina an email at podcast at profawesome dot com! 

Pop Medieval Ep 29: Sutton Who?

PopMedieval Logo, showing stylized images of Dr Nokes and Nina McNamara. Above them is a shield, with arms, that says PopMedieval.
Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Ep 29: Sutton Who?



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Inspired by the new Netflix original, “The Dig,” Doc and Nina discuss the Sutton Hoo archeological dig, the largest medieval find in England and, arguably, the most important! Then, Doc will give a mini history lesson on the Tomb of Childric I and the case of the stolen bees.


Show Notes

Be sure to check out our episode on the Staffordshire Hoard (https://www.profawesome.com/podcast/pop-medieval-the-staffordshire-hoard/)

National Trust Site: (https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sutton-hoo/features/a-brief-introduction-to-sutton-hoo-)

British Museum: (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/galleries/sutton-hoo-and-europe)

Take a virtual tour: (https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/british-museum/AwEp68JO4NECkQ?sv_h=29.327916876487286&sv_p=0.501689350755754&sv_pid=8lnoW2svsyx7fttv0k6Vvg&sv_lid=3582009757710443819&sv_lng=-0.1261070443603955&sv_lat=51.51912226587073&sv_z=0.6911292499459274\)


Recommendations

“A Very English Scandal” by John Preston (https://www.amazon.com/Very-English-Scandal-Murder-Establishment/dp/1590518144/)

“Beowulf: A Verse Translation for Students” by Edward L. Risden (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B6ACM54)

“The Sutton Hoo Story: Encounters with Early England” by Martin Carver (https://www.amazon.com/Sutton-Hoo-Story-Martin-Carver/dp/178327204X)

Pop Medieval Ep 28: Alas, Poor Ophelia

PopMedieval Logo, showing stylized images of Dr Nokes and Nina McNamara. Above them is a shield, with arms, that says PopMedieval.
Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Ep 28: Alas, Poor Ophelia



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Doc and Nina answer some listener mail in this episode! Today, they are discussing William Shakespeare’s mad Danish Prince, Hamlet. In particular, they look at the repercussions of his hackneyed plot to avenge his father’s death on Ophelia, his betrothed.

Doc reveals the 12th century source for Hamlet – Saxo Grammaticus’s “Gesta Danorum”(simply, “Deeds of the Danes”) in which Amleth tells his lady love his plot to avenge his father’s death without the need to gaslight her into insanity.


Show Notes

Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1587)

Saxo Grammaticus’s Gesta Danorum (Deeds of the Danes)


Recommendations

Strange Brew (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086373/)

Rejected Princesses by Jason Porath 

Site (https://www.rejectedprincesses.com/)

Book (https://www.amazon.com/Rejected-Princesses-Historys-Heroines-Hellions/dp/0062405373)

Pop Medieval Ep 27: Watch Your F*cking Mouth

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Pop Medieval
Pop Medieval Ep 27: Watch Your F*cking Mouth



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In an episode that surely not going to get them into trouble, Doc and Nina discuss the Netflix show “History of Swear Words” and what it missed. Doc talks taboos and euphemisms plus the pejoration and amelioration of words over the centuries. In between educational lessons, Nina will reveal her favorite swear word, school Doc on the Wu-Tang Clan, and drop some wise (but foul) parting knowledge on the audience.

Warning: because it is impossible to talk about the subject matter without both saying the words and driving Engineer Mike crazy bleeping out the swears, Doc and Nina will be doing a LOT of cursing in this episode. Therefore, we will mark this episode as explicit. If very strong language offends you, Pop Medievalists, you should probably sit this one out!


Show Notes:

History of Swear Words on Netflix (https://www.netflix.com/title/81305757)

The Knight Who Made C*nts and A**holes Speak — yes, it exists! — (https://www.oocities.org/Paris/5339/voices.html)


Recommendations:

Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing by Melissa Mohr (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16225525-holy-sh-t)

Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language by Amanda Montell (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/41716694)

Face/Off (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119094/)


Have a recommendation for us? Send Doc and Nina and email at podcast at profawesome dot com!