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Ask a Medievalist

Everything you always wanted to know about the Middle Ages, but were unable to ask.

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1:09:06

Episode 37: Child’s Play

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/08/30

Summary The 1560 painting “Children’s Games,” painted by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Question: What did kids do before Gameboy? Answer: Everything. Annotations Important works: Nicholas Orme’s Medieval Children. Barbara Hanawalt’s The Ties That Bound: Peasant Families in Medieval England. Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s Children’s Games. 1/ Bringing Up Bebe, by Pamela Druckerman, is the book … Continue reading "Episode 37: Child’s Play"

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1:07:35

Episode 36: Sweet Child of Mine

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/08/09

Summary So you lived through birth…now what? Despite the popular image of the Middle Ages putting children to work the instant they were capable of holding a tool, Medieval childhood was actually pretty similar to modern childhood. No iPads, but people bought cute clothes for their kids, lots of different types of toys, sent them … Continue reading "Episode 36: Sweet Child of Mine"

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1:15:41

Episode 35: The Extremely Risky Behavior Literally...

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/07/19

Summary Join Em and Dr. Jesse as we play a little game we like to call, “How Early in History Could Em Have Had Children and Survive?” The answer may surprise you! We also cover Mary’s girdle, (some of) the life and times of Dr. James Barry and Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, childbirth-related saints, the masculinization … Continue reading "Episode 35: The Extremely Risky Behavior Literally All of Your Ancestors Engaged In"

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1:15:47

Episode #34: Gaudeamus Itigur–Universities and Academics

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/07/04

Synopsis We’ve just spent the month of June watching innumerable students progress across the stage in their long gowns. Where does the tradition of wearing black robes, mortarboards, and stoles/hoods as academic regalia come from? Hint: it’s the Middle Ages! Join Em and Jesse as we discuss the origins of universities (and some of the … Continue reading "Episode #34: Gaudeamus Itigur–Universities and Academics"

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1:10:40

Episode 33: Ooh, Crafty Lady

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/06/05

Summary Part two of women as artisans. Join Em and Jesse as they discuss more about the work women did in the Middle Ages, including quite a lot about guilds and textiles, including spinning, embroidery, quilting, and silkworking. Find out which guilds accepted women, how were they treated, to what extent were they involved in … Continue reading "Episode 33: Ooh, Crafty Lady"

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1:11:15

Episode 32: You Better Work, Beeyatch

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/05/16

Summary Em and Jesse reminisce about libraries they have known, discuss scriptoria and book-making before the printing press, and talk about women who worked in various Medieval professional guilds, how they got there, and what they did with their money. Annotations and Corrections Recommended text for this episode: Reassessing the Roles of Women as ‘Makers’ … Continue reading "Episode 32: You Better Work, Beeyatch"

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1:12:24

Episode 31: May Day, May Day!

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/04/24

Summary From Groundhog Day to Hocktide to May Day to Midsummer to Mother’s Day, there are a ton of spring holidays! Join Em and Jesse as we discuss St. George and Medieval dragons, Saint Walpurga and Walpurgisnacht, Pagan syncretism, and a whole lot more. With some digressions about brunch. Annotations and Corrections 1/ Groundhog Day … Continue reading "Episode 31: May Day, May Day!"

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1:07:17

Episode 30: Felis Catus Is Your Taxonomic Nomenclature

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/04/09

Summary Cats are tiny lions that live in your home. But how long have they lived with humans? Have they always had the position of respect they enjoy now? Also, what’s up with racoons? Em and Jesse discuss cats in the Middle Ages (and also other animals kept as pets, including squirrels, monkeys, and birds). … Continue reading "Episode 30: Felis Catus Is Your Taxonomic Nomenclature"

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1:06:27

Episode 29: D’You Like Dags?

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/03/26

Synopsis Dogs have long been reputed to be man’s best friend. But how long is “long”? The answer is close to 10,000 years (at least). Join Em and Jesse as they look back at the intertwined history of humanity and canine-ity, from Odysseus’s dog Argos to Hachiko, who waited ten years for his owner to … Continue reading "Episode 29: D’You Like Dags?"

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1:17:03

Episode 28: Food

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/03/12

Summary Hungry? Grab a snack and join Em and Jesse for a discussion of food in the Middle Ages–what did a well-equipped kitchen contain? What kind of dishes were cooked, with what ingredients? And who did the cooking and baking? With some digressions on international variations of hand pies and sandwiches, Wisconsin fish fries, and … Continue reading "Episode 28: Food"

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1:14:38

Episode 27: Drinks

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/02/26

Summary Welcome to season 2! Grab your favorite potation and join Em and Jesse for a tour of the history of alcohol, from monkeys getting drunk on fermented apples, to the earliest written recipe for beer, to rules surrounding the making and serving of drinks in the Middle Ages. With some fun digressions on the … Continue reading "Episode 27: Drinks"

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1:14:49

Episode #26: Valentine’s Day

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/02/12

Summary “Wuv… twue wuv…will follow you fowever…” Interested in a brief history of Valentine’s Day? You’re in luck. From the question of who was the historical saint to when the day became associated with romance, Em and Jesse start with ancient Roman fertility festivals like Lupercalia and trace the rituals forward through to references in … Continue reading "Episode #26: Valentine’s Day"

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1:17:50

Episode 25: Jews on Stage

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/01/31

Synopsis Jews in space? No, Jews on stage. What was the world like for Jewish actors during the Middle Ages? Well, it was a bit of a mixed bag, honestly. Yes, there were times and places where Jewish life was severely proscribed, but there were also places where Jewish actors and playwrights were celebrated for … Continue reading "Episode 25: Jews on Stage"

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1:12:52

Episode 24: Stages in the Middle Ages

Ask a Medievalist ·

2021/01/11

Synopsis Em and Jesse discuss physical performance spaces, from Greek amphitheaters to pageant carts to prosceniums, and the changes theaters have seen over time. There’s a lot of Renaissance stuff in here, including an interesting discussion of the various theaters Shakespeare would have premiered plays–the Globe and the Rose–with some interesting digressions about the Blues … Continue reading "Episode 24: Stages in the Middle Ages"

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1:22:37

Episode 23: Christmas Time Is Here, By Golly

Ask a Medievalist ·

2020/12/25

Synopsis Let’s talk about possible pagan origins for everyone’s favorite late-December excuse to eat a lot of pie. In addition, Em and Jesse discuss the surprisingly capitalist early traditions associated with St. Nicholas and the various strange beings who accompany Santa in different countries, from Pere Fouettard (who whips bad children in France) to the … Continue reading "Episode 23: Christmas Time Is Here, By Golly"

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1:23:54

Episode 22: The Strong Voice of Gandersheim

Ask a Medievalist ·

2020/12/13

Summary Em and Jesse discuss the life and plays of Hrotsvit, the strong voice of Gandersheim and the first named playwright in western Europe. Small content warning, we do discuss rape in this episode, but not explicitly. Annotations and Corrections 1/ For those too young to remember Benny Hill, this is what Em is talking … Continue reading "Episode 22: The Strong Voice of Gandersheim"

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1:04:58

Episode 21: Watch Out for That Banana Peel

Ask a Medievalist ·

2020/11/26

Summary If you’ve ever pondered how “time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana,” then this episode is for you. Join Jesse and Em as they discuss physical comedy and the origins of the commedia dell’arte, its French cousin the comedie francaise, and the Japanese comedic Kyogen style. With a lot of digressions … Continue reading "Episode 21: Watch Out for That Banana Peel"

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1:24:27

Episode 20: Vampires, Ghosts, and Other Things That...

Ask a Medievalist ·

2020/11/01

Summary We got all your vampire subtypes: sparkling, British, and thirsty for the blood of the living. We got a couple of different types of ghosts, including hungry ghosts and dybbuks. And we got discussions of ghost stories that appear in both Noh drama and Chinese opera. All that, and we also talk about Buffy … Continue reading "Episode 20: Vampires, Ghosts, and Other Things That Go Bump in the Night"

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1:20:46

Episode 19: A Few Good Werewolves

Ask a Medievalist ·

2020/10/25

Synopsis From Bisclavret to Remus Lupin, werewolves have been portrayed in fiction for centuries–and portrayed both positively and negatively, by Jews and Christians alike. Join Em and Jessie as they discuss Medieval legends about these amazing beasts. And also a little bit about golems, kappas, and zombies/revenants, plus other creepy facts. Annotations and Corrections 1/ … Continue reading "Episode 19: A Few Good Werewolves"

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1:03:53

Episode 18: Halloween: A Not-So-Spooky History

Ask a Medievalist ·

2020/10/17

Summary Halloween! A time of candy, Pagan ritual, sexy bus driver costumes, and syncretism. How much of this holiday has been handed down to us from the middle ages, and how much is modern? Join Em and Jesse for an exciting discussion of the medieval version of All Hallows’ Eve, with some fun digressions on … Continue reading "Episode 18: Halloween: A Not-So-Spooky History"

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