Midnight Myth Time Machine | Episode 9B: Take This Ring

It’s the Midnight Myth Time Machine—our back catalog is headed to podcast platforms near you. This episode, which originally aired in March of 2017, is the second half to our first discussion of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings universe. Where in the previous episode we focused on world-building through the various races of Middle Earth, here we explore the mythological precedent for magic rings and rings of power.

Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth

Check out our new merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!

Learn more, view sources and inspiration, and sign up for e-mail updates at www.midnightmyth.com

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!

Midnight Myth Time Machine | Episode 9A: Spears Shall Be Shaken

And given unto Derek and Laurel was a podcast of power, forged in the concrete of South Philadelphia, and in it, they poured their nerdiness, love of mythology and story telling! Listen this week as we scratch the surface of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, as we examine the structure, history, and lore behind the modern world’s most famous fantasy series. We take time to look at where Wizards are from, and why Dwarfs are the conservatives of Middle Earth. We talk about how the Elves came to being, and the cyclical nature of good vs evil. We also take a look at the villains of Middle Earth and the corruptive influence of Sauron’s lidless burning eye. If you like journeying to a magical realm where anything is possible, then listen, enjoy, and tell a friend!

Episode 116: Cabbages & Kings | Alice in Wonderland, Logic & Nonsense

Follow us down the rabbit hole as we wrap up a three-part miniseries on classic Disney animated features. This week, we’ll turn our gaze away from fairy tales and toward something curiouser… Alice in Wonderland. We’ll discuss the literary impact of Lewis Carroll’s beloved children’s masterpiece, the surprising logic behind the nonsense, and a philosophical outlook on Alice’s absurd adventures. What are Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum? What does the Cheshire Cat really want? And why oh why is a raven like a writing desk? Then we’ll investigate some of the key differences between the source material and Disney’s adaptation and what those differences can teach us about the historical context from which each version was born. A dash of Homer’s Odyssey and a pinch of psychedelia, and we might as well join the mad tea party.

Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth

Check out our new merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!

Learn more, view sources and inspiration, and sign up for e-mail updates at www.midnightmyth.com

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!

Sources

If you enjoyed this episode, check out some of our sources and inspiration. Images are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase the item, a percentage goes to the podcast. Thank you for your support!

Episode 114: Briar Rose | Sleeping Beauty, Fairy Tales & Sexuality

Once upon a time… You know the story. King and Queen have a baby girl, evil fairy shows up to the celebration and curses the girl, girl is raised in the woods by good fairies, girl meets prince, girl falls into enchanted sleep, prince slays a dragon, true love’s kiss saves the day, happily ever after. But behind Disney’s 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty lies a dark and disturbing fairy tale tradition, one in which gender and sexual politics and questions of fate are as tangled as the thorny briars surrounding the castle. This week, Derek and Laurel explore the legacy of our most beloved fairy tales and their Disney adaptations. We’ll uncover corollaries to classical mythology, psychoanalytical interpretations, gender stereotypes and more in Sleeping Beauty.

CW: brief discussion of sexual assault

Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth

Check out our new merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!

Learn more, view sources and inspiration, and sign up for e-mail updates at www.midnightmyth.com

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!

Sources

If you enjoyed this episode, check out some of our sources and inspiration. Images are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase the item, a percentage will go to the podcast.

Midnight Myth Time Machine | Episode 6: Rebel Rebel

It’s the Midnight Myth Time Machine! This is Episode 6: Rebel Rebel, which originally aired in March of 2017. Derek and Laurel discuss rebellion, resistance, and revolution in stories. From the Hunger Games to Star Wars in the realms of sci-fi and fantasy and dramatizations of historical events like Les Miserables and Hamilton. So hop in the time machine with us and enjoy Episode 6: Rebel Rebel.

Episode 113: HULK SMASH | The Incredible Hulk, Greek Mythology, Gothic Literature & Psychology

You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. Yes, friends, the time has come—we’ve endeavored to analyze Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor of the MCU, but there’s a (very) large gaping hole in our exploration of the core Avengers: The Incredible Hulk. In this case study of the dual-natured hero, we’ll uncover his relationship to the Greco-Roman myths and cults of Hercules, as well as his inspiration in 19th century literature like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. From there, we’ll learn more about the psychology of anger and the journey we all face to confront our emotions and the Hulk inside all of us.

Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth

Check out our new merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!

Learn more, view sources and inspiration, and sign up for e-mail updates at www.midnightmyth.com

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!

Sources

If you enjoyed this episode, check out some of our sources and inspiration! Images are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase the item, a percentage goes to the podcast. Thank you for your support!

Episode 100: Wizardry

In the landmark 100th episode of the Midnight Myth, we’re going back to our roots in comparative literature and mythology. Derek and Laurel revisit the Arthurian legend, Middle-earth, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for an in-depth analysis of one of storytelling’s most enduring archetypes. How does each character adhere to or evolve the archetype? What is the role of the magician-mentor in any hero’s journey? Most importantly, who would win in a fight?

Check out our new merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen!

Sources

If you enjoyed this podcast, check out some of our sources and inspiration. Images are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase the item, a percentage goes to the podcast. Thanks for your support!

Episode 95: The Once and Future King

What is the secret of the Grail? Who does it serve? In this long-awaited podcast, Derek and Laurel explore the legends surrounding King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. Tracking the legend from its inception in the early middle ages to the definitive Hollywood adaptation, John Boorman’s dreamy Excalibur, we’ll seek the answers to the most important questions in Arthuriana. What does it mean to be king? What does it mean to be a people? What is the true quest, the true frontier? From Lancelot and Guinevere to Percival, Gawain, Morgan le Fay, and of course Merlin, this podcast leaves no sword in its stone.

Sources

If you liked this podcast, check out some of our sources and related material! All images are Amazon affiliate links, meaning if you purchase, a percentage will go to the podcast. Thank you for your support!