Pop Medieval Ep 28: Alas, Poor Ophelia

Pop Medieval Ep 28: Alas, Poor Ophelia

Author: Pop Medieval February 7, 2021 Duration: 21:01
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)

Ever wondered why medieval history feels like a dusty textbook but the movies set in that era are so thrilling? Pop Medieval bridges that gap with a sense of adventure and a lot of laughs. Hosted by Dr. Richard Scott Nokes and his co-conspirator Nina MacNamara, this podcast digs into the real stories behind our fascination with the so-called dark ages. Each episode feels like a quest, whether they’re tracking down historical treasures, unraveling the complexities of events like the Black Death, or dissecting the monstrous creatures that haunt medieval lore and modern screens. The conversation is lively, accessible, and packed with insights you won’t find in a lecture hall. It’s for anyone who’s ever loved a medieval film or game but wanted to know where the fantasy ends and history begins. By blending rigorous education with genuine curiosity and humor, this series makes the distant past feel immediate and wildly entertaining. Tune in to Pop Medieval for a fresh take that proves learning about the past doesn’t have to be a chore-it can be an absolute blast.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 59

Pop Medieval
Podcast Episodes
Pop Medieval Minisode 2: Sir Orrin is Gross [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:56
Doc and Nina are taking a holiday break! So for this Minisode, they’re releasing unheard content from episode 23 “Thar Be Dragons” about everyone’s favorite stuffy, ridiculous, and historically inaccurate bastion of knig…
Pop Medieval Ep 25: Good King Wences…whatever [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:21
In their Christmas episode, Doc explains the bizarre Medieval history of the carol, "Good King Wenceslas," beginning with the pronunciation (which Nina bungles several times during this episode). They'll discuss the conf…
Pop Medieval Ep 24: The Dark Lord Rises [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:28
Doc and Nina finish up Movember 2020 with a unicorn stinker: 1985's "Legend" with Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, and Tim effing Curry! Sorry folks, they know you loved this as a kid, but this did NOT hold up! They'll talk about i…
Pop Medieval Ep 23: Thar Be Dragons! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:37
Mo-vember continues (but with some more family friendly counter-programing this time)! This episode, Doc and Nina offer up 1982’s “The Flight of Dragons,” a Rankin/Bass animated medieval-fantasy adventure and one of Nina…
Pop Medieval Ep 22: Can You Explain the Penis Tree? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:34
Mo-vember is back! This year, we're starting off with two Decameron-themed sex comedies. First, Doc and Nina discuss 2007's Virgin Territory starring Hayden Christensen and Mischa Barton. They'll go over this movie's cos…
Pop Medieval Ep 21: HOWL-oween! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:56
It's spooky season, folks! In this episode, Doc tells Nina about the medieval origins of werewolves! They'll discuss some different types of werewolf myths, what werewolves represent in pop culture, and why vampires are…
Pop Medieval Ep 20: That Time Doc Had a Questionable Following [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:05
In the mid-aughts, director Scott Wegener cast a black actor in the title role of his zero-budget movie, “Beowulf: Prince of the Geats.” That attracted the attention of some Unpleasant Sorts. After hearing about the cont…
Pop Medieval Ep 19: Beowulf Dragon Slayer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:11
Doc takes Nina back to the 1970’s with the DC comic book, Beowulf Dragon Slayer. It’s a limited series run about the titular Medieval hero who fights Grendel and his mother, but that’s where the similarities end. *Stefon…
Pop Medieval Ep 18: Abelard Cuts Ties with Heloise [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:57
In this episode, Doc breaches a subject that is so uncomfortable, so provocative that it raises eyebrows and makes his students squirm every year in class: the relationship between philosopher/theologian Abelard and scho…
Pop Medieval Ep 17: What We Did Over Our Summer Break [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:02
Welcome to season 2 of Pop Medieval! Doc and Nina return with a bevy of updates from their summer break. First, Nina stepped into the feudal Middle Eastern future with Frank Herbert’s “Dune” before settling down with Net…