Modern Medieval: A NWMSN Postgraduate Podcast

In a special episode Meaghan & Elo read two medieval poems to get into the spirit of Christmas: "I Syng of a Mayden" (c. 1400), which is considered one of the first Christmas carols; and "Dream of the Rood" preserved in the Vercelli Book.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

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Episode icon is late fifteenth-century illuminated miniature by Jean Bourdichon, V&A miniature (E.949-2003) of the Nativity from the Book of Hours of Louis XII, commissioned to celebrate his accession to the throne in 1499.

FINAL EPISODE OF 2020!!!

As our final episode we decided to briefly look at Chanukah, Diwali, and some Muslim holidays that fall during the Autumn/Winter months as an attempt to expand beyond the Christian/Eurocentric scope. This week is by no means perfect or fully comprehensive, bur rather the beginning to hopefully numerous invigorating conversations in the future.

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Icon: A View of the fire-workes and illuminations at his Grace the Duke of Richmond, at Whitehall, and on the River Thames, Monday 15 May, 1749.

Bibliographic Reference at British Museum: Crace 1878 / A Catalogue of Maps, Plans and Views of London, Westminster and Southwark, collected and arranged by Frederick Crace(V.138) 

Fa la la la laughs! This week we broadly discuss some of the origins of Christmas like Christmas Trees, St. Nicholas, and how everything is actually pagan in one way or another. Sprinkled in are little surprises like a much loved Vine, female rights, and much more! So brace yourselves -- its time to get Modern Medieval! 

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Icon this week is 'The Nativity', window XI, south quire triforium, Canterbury Cathedral, 13th century stained glass.

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The Chinese commercial discussed in the episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-36401366

Why do knights appear in wartime propaganda? How do conceptions of "medieval masculinity" manifest itself today? Is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade a modern medieval text? Well, in this week's exciting episode, we suit up and start the conversation with the lovely Paola Medina-Gonzalez. From homosocial spectacles at tournaments to Nazis dressed in drag, we take the deep dive. So brace yourselves -- it's time to get Modern Medieval.

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You can follow Paola on her Instagram: @gothartdaddy

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You can find Professor John H Arnold's book review for Professor Ruth Mazo Karras's book From Boys to Men: Formations of Masculinity in Late Medieval Europe here: https://reviews.history.ac.uk/review/358

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This week's icon is Knight in Gothic armour, 15th-century woodcut. Rosenwald Collection—Rare Book/Special Collections Reading Room/Library of Congress, Washington D.C. (LC Control No.: 48042317)

This week we keep it lighthearted, sharing a few fun facts with one another about the Middle Ages. From animals on trial to accidental marriages, this week covers a wide span on medieval magic. So brace yourself - its time to get Modern Medieval!

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This week's icon is: Saint Catherine, Gualenghi d'Este Hours, Ferrara, Taddeo Crivelli, about 1469.

This week we look at a few medieval connections in Disney's animated film about Dia de Muertos -- "Coco" -- like the allegorical appearance of Dante Alighieri, patron saints of music, and images of Death. We also discuss the recent unveiling of the Mary Wollstonecraft statue in London, making connections between this object of memory and others throughout time, asking ourselves: "What does it mean to remember someone or something?"

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Icon image from the British Library, King's 24, f. 101v, Dido and Aeneas: "Detail of a miniature of several episodes from book IV of Virgil's Aeneid: on the right, the hunt during which Dido and Aeneas meet; on the left, Dido and Aeneas ride into a cave together, and in the middle of the image, Dido is on her funeral pyre, committing suicide after the departure of Aeneas."

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https://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/ILLUMIN.ASP?Size=mid&IllID=819

In honour of the historic presidential election victory in the United States with the people choosing President-Elect Joe Biden & VP Kamala Harris, toppling the megalomaniacal Trump Administration, we have decided to discuss some of the most notorious and ruthless rulers throughout history. From Caligula to Queen Ranavalona, we trace the rivers of blood, stories of insanity, and wicked doings that eerily seem to ripple and repeat throughout history. So buckle up - it's time to get Modern Medieval!

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This week's icon is: Woodcut from the title page of a 1499 pamphlet published by Markus Ayrer in Nuremberg. It depicts Vlad III "the Impaler" (identified as Dracole wyade = Draculea voivode) dining among the impaled corpses of his victims. Original caption:

Hie facht sich an ein graussemliche erschrockenliche hystorien von dem wilden wütrich Dracole wayde. Wie er die leut gespist hat, und gepraten, und mit den haubtern in in einem kessel gesoten, und wie er die leut geschunden hat und zerhacken lassen als ein kraut. Item er hat auch den mütern ire kind gepraten und sy haben müssen selber essen. Und vil andere erschrockenliche ding die in dissem Tractat geschriben stend. Und in welchem land er geregiret hat.

[Here a horrible horrific hystories of the wild, maddened Dracole Wayde is fueled. How he fed and patted the people and boiled them in a cauldron, and how he tortured the people and let them chop up as a herb. Item he also advised the mothers ire child and sy had to eat themselves. And vil other terrifying things that are written in this treatise. And in which country he regiret.] 

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(Translation via Google Translate; Image info source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Impaled.gif)

This week we do our best to explore the origins of Hallowe'en, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day around the world. A slightly chaotic ride, we touch upon Samhain, Dziady, Dia de Los Muertos and more!

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Icon is "The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs" by Fra Angelico, 1420s. 

It is Spooky Season! To fit the time of year we decided to discuss medieval memento mori -- reminders of Death-- and how they are depicted in the middle ages. We also think about Death in our current moment, as well as how we relate to and contemplate Death in our own lives. 

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Icon image is a fragment from "Death and the Usurer," Hieronymus Bosch, ca. 1485-1490. Part of a triptych. 

In this episode Elo & Meaghan consider Disney's "Princess & the Frog" and its loose connections to the medieval as a prelude to their forthcoming episode on medieval images of Death.