Podcasts about Gawain

Alex Forsyth presents political debate from the Strode Theatre in Street in Somerset.

Is Sir Gawain underappreciated as a Catholic story? How did 14th-century English poets reconcile courtly honor and Christian love? Find out as we discuss Tolkien's essay on the great Middle English poem, as well as our thoughts on people's misconceptions about the pope!Follow us on X! Give us your opinions here!

Morgan le Fay, the infamous enchantress of Arthurian legend, has worn many faces across the centuries: healer and villain, seductress and savior, sister and sorceress. Her story is often a mirror, reflecting the anxieties and desires of the cultures that tell it. This episode brings you the shapeshifting faces of Morgan le Fay.Researched, written, and produced by Corinne Wieben with original music by Purple Planet.Episode sourcesSupport the showEnchantedPodcast.netFacebook/enchantedpodcastInstagram/enchantedpodcastTumblr/enchantedpodcast

Published in 1903, Gawayne and the Green Knight is a modern-language retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a 14th-century verse romance following a young knight of the Round Table. During Christmas celebrations, a mysterious, entirely green knight presents a challenge to King Arthur's court: that any may strike the stranger a single blow with his green axe, provided he assent to receiving the same a year later. Gawayne accepts the challenge, and its unexpected outcome leads to a great test of his courage and knighthood. A significant addition to this version is the Lady Elfinhart, whose back-story and romance with Gawayne are tightly interwoven with the plot. Translated by Charlton Miner Lewis.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Labour MP Yuan Yang, Conservative MP and shadow farming minister Robbie Moore, former Corbyn adviser James Schneider and former Farage adviser Gawain Towler.

In this episode, James Marriott and I discuss who we think are the best twenty English poets. This is not the best poets who wrote in English, but the best British poets (though James snuck Sylvia Plath onto his list…). We did it like that to make it easier, not least so we could base a lot of our discussion on extracts in The Oxford Book of English Verse (Ricks edition). Most of what we read out is from there. We read Wordsworth, Keats, Hardy, Milton, and Pope. We both love Pope! (He should be regarded as one of the very best English poets, like Milton.) There are also readings of Herrick, Bronte, Cowper, and MacNiece. I plan to record the whole of ‘The Eve of St. Agnes' at some point soon.Here are our lists and below is the transcript (which may have more errors than usual, sorry!)HOGod Tier* Shakespeare“if not first, in the very first line”* Chaucer* Spenser* Milton* Wordsworth* Eliot—argue for Pope here, not usually includedSecond Tier* Donne* Herbert* Keats* Dryden* Gawain poet* Tom O'Bedlam poetThird Tier* Yeats* Tennyson* Hopkins* Coleridge* Auden* Shelley* MarvellJMShakespeareTier* ShakespeareTier 1* Chaucer* Milton* WordsworthTier 2* Donne* Eliot* Keats* Tennyson* Spencer* Marvell* PopeTier 3* Yeats* Hopkins* Blake* Coleridge* Auden* Shelley* Thomas Hardy* Larkin* PlathHenry: Today I'm talking to James Marriott, Times columnist, and more importantly, the writer of the Substack Cultural Capital. And we are going to argue about who are the best poets in the English language. James, welcome.James: Thanks very much for having me. I feel I should preface my appearance so that I don't bring your podcast and disrepute saying that I'm maybe here less as an expert of poetry and more as somebody who's willing to have strong and potentially species opinions. I'm more of a lover of poetry than I would claim to be any kind of academic expert, just in case anybody thinks that I'm trying to produce any definitive answer to the question that we're tackling.Henry: Yeah, no, I mean that's the same for me. We're not professors, we're just very opinionated boys. So we have lists.James: We do.Henry: And we're going to debate our lists, but what we do agree is that if we're having a top 20 English poets, Shakespeare is automatically in the God Tier and there's nothing to discuss.James: Yeah, he's in a category of his own. I think the way of, because I guess the plan we've gone for is to rather than to rank them 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 into sort of, what is it, three or four broad categories that we're competing over.Henry: Yes, yes. TiersJames: I think is a more kind of reasonable way to approach it rather than trying to argue exactly why it should be one place above Shelly or I don't know, whatever.Henry: It's also just an excuse to talk about poets.James: Yes.Henry: Good. So then we have a sort of top tier, if not the first, in the very first line as it were, and you've got different people. To me, you've got Chaucer, Milton, and Wordsworth. I would also add Spenser and T.S. Eliot. So what's your problem with Spenser?James: Well, my problem is ignorance in that it's a while since I've read the Fairy Queen, which I did at university. Partly is just that looking back through it now and from what I remember of university, I mean it is not so much that I have anything against Spenser. It's quite how much I have in favour of Milton and Wordsworth and Chaucer, and I'm totally willing to be argued against on this, but I just can't think that Spenser is in quite the same league as lovely as many passages of the Fairy Queen are.Henry: So my case for Spenser is firstly, if you go through something like the Oxford Book of English Verse or some other comparable anthology, he's getting a similar page count to Shakespeare and Milton, he is important in that way. Second, it's not just the fairy queen, there's the Shepherd's Calendar, the sonnets, the wedding poems, and they're all highly accomplished. The Shepherd's Calendar particularly is really, really brilliant work. I think I enjoyed that more as an undergraduate, actually, much as I love the Fairy Queen. And the third thing is that the Fairy Queen is a very, very great epic. I mean, it's a tremendous accomplishment. There were lots of other epics knocking around in the 16th century that nobody wants to read now or I mean, obviously specialists want to read, but if we could persuade a few more people, a few more ordinary readers to pick up the fairy queen, they would love it.James: Yes, and I was rereading before he came on air, the Bower of Bliss episode, which I think is from the second book, which is just a beautifully lush passage, passage of writing. It was really, I mean, you can see why Keats was so much influenced by it. The point about Spenser's breadth is an interesting one because Milton is in my top category below Shakespeare, but I think I'm placing him there pretty much only on the basis of Paradise Lost. I think if we didn't have Paradise Lost, Milton may not even be in this competition at all for me, very little. I know. I don't know if this is a heresy, I've got much less time for Milton's minor works. There's Samuel Johnson pretty much summed up my feelings on Lycidas when he said there was nothing new. Whatever images it can supply are long ago, exhausted, and I do feel there's a certain sort of dryness to Milton's minor stuff. I mean, I can find things like Il Penseroso and L'Allegro pretty enough, but I mean, I think really the central achievement is Paradise Lost, whereas Spenser might be in contention, as you say, from if you didn't have the Fairy Queen, you've got Shepherd's Calendar, and all this other sort of other stuff, but Paradise Lost is just so massive for me.Henry: But if someone just tomorrow came out and said, oh, we found a whole book of minor poetry by Virgil and it's all pretty average, you wouldn't say, oh, well Virgil's less of a great poet.James: No, absolutely, and that's why I've stuck Milton right at the top. It's just sort of interesting how unbelievably good Paradise Lost is and how, in my opinion, how much less inspiring the stuff that comes after it is Samson Agonistes and Paradise Regained I really much pleasure out of at all and how, I mean the early I think slightly dry Milton is unbelievably accomplished, but Samuel Johnson seems to say in that quote is a very accomplished use of ancient slightly worn out tropes, and he's of putting together these old ideas in a brilliant manner and he has this sort of, I mean I guess he's one of your late bloomers. I can't quite remember how old he is when he publishes Paradise Lost.Henry: Oh, he is. Oh, writing it in his fifties. Yeah.James: Yeah, this just extraordinary thing that's totally unlike anything else in English literature and of all the poems that we're going to talk about, I think is the one that has probably given me most pleasure in my life and the one that I probably return to most often if not to read all the way through then to just go over my favourite bits and pieces of it.Henry: A lot of people will think Milton is heavy and full of weird references to the ancient world and learned and biblical and not very readable for want of a better word. Can you talk us out of that? To be one of the great poets, they do have to have some readability, right?James: Yeah, I think so, and it's certainly how I felt. I mean I think it's not a trivial objection to have to Milton. It's certainly how I found him. He was my special author paper at university and I totally didn't get on with him. There was something about his massive brilliance that I felt. I remember feeling like trying to write about Paradise Lost was trying to kind of scratch a huge block of marble with your nails. There's no way to get a handle on it. I just couldn't work out what to get ahold of, and it's only I think later in adulthood maybe reading him under a little less pressure that I've come to really love him. I mean, the thing I would always say to people to look out for in Milton, but it's his most immediate pleasure and the thing that still is what sends shivers done my spine about him is the kind of cosmic scale of Paradise Lost, and it's almost got this sort of sci-fi massiveness to it. One of my very favourite passages, which I may inflict on you, we did agree that we could inflict poetry on one another.Henry: Please, pleaseJames: It's a detail from the first book of Paradise Lost. Milton's talking about Satan's architect in hell Mulciber, and this is a little explanation of who or part of his explanation of who Mulciber is, and he says, Nor was his name unheard or unadoredIn ancient Greece; and in Ausonian landMen called him Mulciber; and how he fellFrom Heaven they fabled, thrown by angry JoveSheer o'er the crystal battlements: from mornTo noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,A summer's day, and with the setting sunDropt from the zenith, like a falling star,On Lemnos, th' Aegaean isle. Thus they relate,ErringI just think it's the sort of total massiveness of that universe that “from the zenith to like a falling star”. I just can't think of any other poet in English or that I've ever read in any language, frankly, even in translation, who has that sort of scale about it, and I think that's what can most give immediate pleasure. The other thing I love about that passage is this is part of the kind of grandeur of Milton is that you get this extraordinary passage about an angel falling from heaven down to th' Aegean Isle who's then going to go to hell and the little parenthetic remark at the end, the perm just rolls on, thus they relate erring and paradise lost is such this massive grand thing that it can contain this enormous cosmic tragedy as a kind of little parenthetical thing. I also think the crystal battlements are lovely, so wonderful kind of sci-fi detail.Henry: Yes, I think that's right, and I think it's under appreciated that Milton was a hugely important influence on Charles Darwin who was a bit like you always rereading it when he was young, especially on the beagle voyage. He took it with him and quotes it in his letters sometimes, and it is not insignificant the way that paradise loss affects him in terms of when he writes his own epic thinking at this level, thinking at this scale, thinking at the level of the whole universe, how does the whole thing fit together? What's the order behind the little movements of everything? So Milton's reach I think is actually quite far into the culture even beyond the poets.James: That's fascinating. Do you have a particular favourite bit of Paradise Lost?Henry: I do, but I don't have it with me because I disorganised and couldn't find my copy.James: That's fair.Henry: What I want to do is to read one of the sonnets because I do think he's a very, very good sonnet writer, even if I'm going to let the Lycidas thing go, because I'm not going to publicly argue against Samuel Johnson.When I consider how my light is spent,Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,And that one Talent which is death to hideLodged with me useless, though my Soul more bentTo serve therewith my Maker, and presentMy true account, lest he returning chide;“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”I fondly ask. But patience, to preventThat murmur, soon replies, “God doth not needEither man's work or his own gifts; who bestBear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His stateIs Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speedAnd post o'er Land and Ocean without rest:They also serve who only stand and wait.”I think that's great.James: Yeah. Okay. It is good.Henry: Yeah. I think the minor poems are very uneven, but there are lots of gems.James: Yeah, I mean he is a genius. It would be very weird if all the minor poems were s**t, which is not really what I'm trying… I guess I have a sort of slightly austere category too. I just do Chaucer, Milton, Wordsworth, but we are agreed on Wordsworth, aren't we? That he belongs here.Henry: So my feeling is that the story of English poetry is something like Chaucer Spenser, Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, T.S. Eliot create a kind of spine. These are the great innovators. They're writing the major works, they're the most influential. All the cliches are true. Chaucer invented iambic pentameter. Shakespeare didn't single handedly invent modern English, but he did more than all the rest of them put together. Milton is the English Homer. Wordsworth is the English Homer, but of the speech of the ordinary man. All these old things, these are all true and these are all colossal achievements and I don't really feel that we should be picking between them. I think Spenser wrote an epic that stands alongside the works of Shakespeare and Milton in words with T.S. Eliot whose poetry, frankly I do not love in the way that I love some of the other great English writers cannot be denied his position as one of the great inventors.James: Yeah, I completely agree. It's funny, I think, I mean I really do love T.S. Eliot. Someone else had spent a lot of time rereading. I'm not quite sure why he hasn't gone into quite my top category, but I think I had this—Henry: Is it because he didn't like Milton and you're not having it?James: Maybe that's part of it. I think my thought something went more along the lines of if I cut, I don't quite feel like I'm going to put John Donne in the same league as Milton, but then it seems weird to put Eliot above Donne and then I don't know that, I mean there's not a very particularly fleshed out thought, but on Wordsworth, why is Wordsworth there for you? What do you think, what do you think are the perms that make the argument for Wordsworth having his place at the very top?Henry: Well, I think the Lyrical Ballads, Poems in Two Volumes and the Prelude are all of it, aren't they? I'm not a lover of the rest, and I think the preface to the Lyrical Ballads is one of the great works of literary criticism, which is another coin in his jar if you like, but in a funny way, he's much more revolutionary than T.S. Eliot. We think of modernism as the great revolution and the great sort of bringing of all the newness, but modernism relies on Wordsworth so much, relies on the idea that tradition can be subsumed into ordinary voice, ordinary speech, the passage in the Wasteland where he has all of them talking in the bar. Closing time please, closing time please. You can't have that without Wordsworth and—James: I think I completely agree with what you're saying.Henry: Yeah, so I think that's for me is the basis of it that he might be the great innovator of English poetry.James: Yeah, I think you're right because I've got, I mean again, waiting someone out of my depth here, but I can't think of anybody else who had sort of specifically and perhaps even ideologically set out to write a kind of high poetry that sounded like ordinary speech, I guess. I mean, Wordsworth again is somebody who I didn't particularly like at university and I think it's precisely about plainness that can make him initially off-putting. There's a Matthew Arnold quote where he says of Wordsworth something like He has no style. Henry: Such a Matthew Arnold thing to say.James: I mean think it's the beginning of an appreciation, but there's a real blankness to words with I think again can almost mislead you into thinking there's nothing there when you first encounter him. But yeah, I think for me, Tintern Abbey is maybe the best poem in the English language.Henry: Tintern Abbey is great. The Intimations of Immortality Ode is superb. Again, I don't have it with me, but the Poems in Two Volumes. There are so many wonderful things in there. I had a real, when I was an undergraduate, I had read some Wordsworth, but I hadn't really read a lot and I thought of I as you do as the daffodils poet, and so I read Lyrical Ballads and Poems in Two Volumes, and I had one of these electrical conversion moments like, oh, the daffodils, that is nothing. The worst possible thing for Wordsworth is that he's remembered as this daffodils poet. When you read the Intimations of Immortality, do you just think of all the things he could have been remembered for? It's diminishing.James: It's so easy to get into him wrong because the other slightly wrong way in is through, I mean maybe this is a prejudice that isn't widely shared, but the stuff that I've never particularly managed to really enjoy is all the slightly worthy stuff about beggars and deformed people and maimed soldiers. Wandering around on roads in the lake district has always been less appealing to me, and that was maybe why I didn't totally get on with 'em at first, and I mean, there's some bad words with poetry. I was looking up the infamous lines from the form that were mocked even at the time where you know the lines that go, You see a little muddy pond Of water never dry. I've measured it from side to side, 'Tis three feet long and two feet wide, and the sort of plainness condescend into banality at Wordsworth's worst moments, which come more frequently later in his career.Henry: Yes, yes. I'm going to read a little bit of the Intimations ode because I want to share some of this so-called plainness at its best. This is the third section. They're all very short Now, while the birds thus sing a joyous song,And while the young lambs boundAs to the tabor's sound,To me alone there came a thought of grief:A timely utterance gave that thought relief,And I again am strong:The cataracts blow their trumpets from the steep;No more shall grief of mine the season wrong;I hear the Echoes through the mountains throng,The Winds come to me from the fields of sleep,And all the earth is gay;Land and seaGive themselves up to jollity,And with the heart of MayDoth every Beast keep holiday;—Thou Child of Joy,Shout round me, let me hear thy shouts, thou happy Shepherd-boy.And I think it's unthinkable that someone would write like this today. It would be cringe, but we're going to have a new sincerity. It's coming. It's in some ways it's already here and I think Wordsworth will maybe get a different sort of attention when that happens because that's a really high level of writing to be able to do that without it descending into what you just read. In the late Wordsworth there's a lot of that really bad stuff.James: Yeah, I mean the fact that he wrote some of that bad stuff I guess is a sign of quite how carefully the early stuff is treading that knife edge of tripping into banality. Can I read you my favourite bit of Tintern Abbey?Henry: Oh yes. That is one of the great poems.James: Yeah, I just think one of mean I, the most profound poem ever, probably for me. So this is him looking out over the landscape of Tinton Abbey. I mean these are unbelievably famous lines, so I'm sure everybody listening will know them, but they are so good And I have feltA presence that disturbs me with the joyOf elevated thoughts; a sense sublimeOf something far more deeply interfused,Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,And the round ocean and the living air,And the blue sky, and in the mind of man:A motion and a spirit, that impelsAll thinking things, all objects of all thought,And rolls through all things. Therefore am I stillA lover of the meadows and the woodsAnd mountains; and of all that we beholdFrom this green earth; of all the mighty worldOf eye, and ear,—both what they half create,And what perceive; well pleased to recogniseIn nature and the language of the senseThe anchor of my purest thoughts, the nurse,The guide, the guardian of my heart, and soulOf all my moral being.I mean in a poem, it's just that is mind blowingly good to me?Henry: Yeah. I'm going to look up another section from the Prelude, which used to be in the Oxford Book, but it isn't in the Ricks edition and I don't really know whyJames: He doesn't have much of the Prelude does he?Henry: I don't think he has any…James: Yeah.Henry: So this is from an early section when the young Wordsworth is a young boy and he's going off, I think he's sneaking out at night to row on the lake as you do when you with Wordsworth, and the initial description is of a mountain. She was an elfin pinnace; lustilyI dipped my oars into the silent lake,And, as I rose upon the stroke, my boatWent heaving through the water like a swan;When, from behind that craggy steep till thenThe horizon's bound, a huge peak, black and huge,As if with voluntary power instinct,Upreared its head. I struck and struck again,And growing still in stature the grim shapeTowered up between me and the stars, and still,For so it seemed, with purpose of its ownAnd measured motion like a living thing,Strode after me. With trembling oars I turned,And through the silent water stole my wayBack to the covert of the willow tree;It's so much like that in Wordsworth. It's just,James: Yeah, I mean, yeah, the Prelude is full of things like that. I think that is probably one of the best moments, possibly the best moments of the prelude. But yeah, I mean it's just total genius isn't it?Henry: I think he's very, very important and yeah, much more important than T.S. Eliot who is, I put him in the same category, but I can see why you didn't.James: You do have a little note saying Pope, question mark or something I think, don't you, in the document.Henry: So the six I gave as the spine of English literature and everything, that's an uncontroversial view. I think Pope should be one of those people. I think we should see Pope as being on a level with Milton and Wordsworth, and I think he's got a very mixed reputation, but I think he was just as inventive, just as important. I think you are a Pope fan, just as clever, just as moving, and it baffles me that he's not more commonly regarded as part of this great spine running through the history of English literature and between Milton and Wordsworth. If you don't have Pope, I think it's a missing link if you like.James: I mean, I wouldn't maybe go as far as you, I love Pope. Pope was really the first perch I ever loved. I remember finding a little volume of Pope in a box of books. My school library was chucking out, and that was the first book of poetry I read and took seriously. I guess he sort of suffers by the fact that we are seeing all of this through the lens of the romantics. All our taste about Shakespeare and Milton and Spenser has been formed by the romantics and hope's way of writing the Satires. This sort of society poetry I think is just totally doesn't conform to our idea of what poetry should be doing or what poetry is. Is there absolutely or virtually nobody reads Dryden nowadays. It's just not what we think poetry is for that whole Augustine 18th century idea that poetry is for writing epistles to people to explain philosophical concepts to them or to diss your enemies and rivals or to write a kind of Duncia explaining why everyone you know is a moron. That's just really, I guess Byron is the last major, is the only of figure who is in that tradition who would be a popular figure nowadays with things like English bards and scotch reviewers. But that whole idea of poetry I think was really alien to us. And I mean I'm probably formed by that prejudice because I really do love Pope, but I don't love him as much as the other people we've discussed.Henry: I think part of his problem is that he's clever and rational and we want our poems always to be about moods, which may be, I think why George Herbert, who we've both got reasonably high is also quite underrated. He's very clever. He's always think George Herbert's always thinking, and when someone like Shakespeare or Milton is thinking, they do it in such a way that you might not notice and that you might just carry on with the story. And if you do see that they're thinking you can enjoy that as well. Whereas Pope is just explicitly always thinking and maybe lecturing, hectoring, being very grand with you and as you say, calling you an idiot. But there are so many excellent bits of Pope and I just think technically he can sustain a thought or an argument over half a dozen or a dozen lines and keep the rhyme scheme moving and it's never forced, and he never has to do that thing where he puts the words in a stupid order just to make the rhyme work. He's got such an elegance and a balance of composition, which again, as you say, we live under romantic ideals, not classical ones. But that doesn't mean we should be blind to the level of his accomplishment, which is really, really very high. I mean, Samuel Johnson basically thought that Alexander Pope had finished English poetry. We have the end of history. He had the end of English poetry. Pope, he's brought us to the mightiest of the heroic couplers and he's done it. It's all over.James: The other thing about Pope that I think makes us underrate him is that he's very charming. And I think charm is a quality we're not big on is that sort of, but I think some of Pope's charm is so moving. One of my favourite poems of his is, do you know the Epistle to Miss Blount on going into the country? The poem to the young girl who's been having a fashionable season in London then is sent to the boring countryside to stay with an aunt. And it's this, it's not like a romantic love poem, it's not distraught or hectic. It's just a sort of wonderful act of sympathy with this potentially slightly airheaded young girl who's been sent to the countryside, which you'd rather go to operas and plays and flirt with people. And there's a real sort of delicate in it that isn't overblown and isn't dramatic, but is extremely charming. And I think that's again, another quality that perhaps we're prone not to totally appreciate in the 21st century. It's almost the kind of highest form of politeness and sympathyHenry: And the prevailing quality in Pope is wit: “True wit is nature to advantage dressed/ What often was thought, but ne'er so well expressed”. And I think wit can be quite alienating for an audience because it is a kind of superior form of literary art. This is why people don't read as much Swift as he deserves because he's so witty and so scornful that a lot of people will read him and think, well, I don't like you.James: And that point about what oft was thought and ne'er so well expressed again, is a very classical idea. The poet who puts not quite conventional wisdom, but something that's been thought before in the best possible words, really suffers with the romantic idea of originality. The poet has to say something utterly new. Whereas for Pope, the sort of ideas that he express, some of the philosophical ideas are not as profound in original perhaps as words with, but he's very elegant proponent of them.Henry: And we love b******g people in our culture, and I feel like the Dunciad should be more popular because it is just, I can't remember who said this, but someone said it's probably the most under appreciated great poem in English, and that's got to be true. It's full of absolute zingers. There's one moment where he's described the whole crowd of them or all these poets who he considers to be deeply inferior, and it turns out he was right because no one reads them anymore. And you need footnotes to know who they are. I mean, no one cares. And he says, “equal your merits, equal is your din”. This kind of abuse is a really high art, and we ought to love that. We love that on Twitter. And I think things like the Rape of the Lock also could be more popular.James: I love the Rape of the Lock . I mean, I think anybody is not reading Pope and is looking for a way in, I think the Rape of the Lock is the way in, isn't it? Because it's just such a charming, lovely, funny poem.Henry: It is. And probably it suffers because the whole idea of mock heroic now is lost to us. But it's a bit like it's the literary equivalent of people writing a sort of mini epic about someone like Elon Musk or some other very prominent figure in the culture and using lots of heroic imagery from the great epics of Homer and Virgil and from the Bible and all these things, but putting them into a very diminished state. So instead of being grand, it becomes comic. It's like turning a God into a cartoon. And Pope is easily the best writer that we have for that kind of thing. Dryden, but he's the genius on it.James: Yeah, no, he totally is. I guess it's another reason he's under appreciated is that our culture is just much less worshipful of epic than the 18th century culture was. The 18th century was obsessed with trying to write epics and trying to imitate epics. I mean, I think to a lot of Pope's contemporaries, the achievement they might've been expecting people to talk about in 300 years time would be his translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey and the other stuff might've seen more minor in comparison, whereas it's the mock epic that we're remembering him for, which again is perhaps another symptom of our sort of post romantic perspective.Henry: I think this is why Spenser suffers as well, because everything in Spenser is magical. The knights are fairies, not the little fairies that live in buttercups, but big human sized fairies or even bigger than that. And there are magical women and saucers and the whole thing is a sort of hodgepodge of romance and fairy tale and legend and all this stuff. And it's often said, oh, he was old fashioned in his own time. But those things still had a lot of currency in the 16th century. And a lot of those things are in Shakespeare, for example.But to us, that's like a fantasy novel. Now, I love fantasy and I read fantasy, and I think some of it's a very high accomplishment, but to a lot of people, fantasy just means kind of trash. Why am I going to read something with fairies and a wizard? And I think a lot of people just see Spenser and they're like, what is this? This is so weird. They don't realise how Protestant they're being, but they're like, this is so weird.James: And Pope has a little, I mean, the Rape of the Lock even has a little of the same because the rape of the lock has this attendant army of good spirits called selfs and evil spirits called gnomes. I mean, I find that just totally funny and charming. I really love it.Henry: I'm going to read, there's an extract from the Rape of the Lock in the Oxford Book, and I'm going to read a few lines to give people an idea of how he can be at once mocking something but also quite charming about it. It's quite a difficult line to draw. The Rape of the Lock is all about a scandalous incident where a young man took a lock of a lady's hair. Rape doesn't mean what we think it means. It means an offence. And so because he stole a lock of her hair, it'd become obviously this huge problem and everyone's in a flurry. And to sort of calm everyone down, Pope took it so seriously that he made it into a tremendous joke. So here he is describing the sort of dressing table if you like.And now, unveil'd, the Toilet stands display'd,Each silver Vase in mystic order laid.First, rob'd in white, the Nymph intent adores,With head uncover'd, the Cosmetic pow'rs.A heav'nly image in the glass appears,To that she bends, to that her eyes she rears;Th' inferior Priestess, at her altar's side,Trembling begins the sacred rites of Pride.What a way to describe someone putting on their makeup. It's fantastic.James: It's funny. I can continue that because the little passage of Pope I picked to read begins exactly where yours ended. It only gets better as it goes on, I think. So after trembling begins the sacred rites of pride, Unnumber'd treasures ope at once, and hereThe various off'rings of the world appear;From each she nicely culls with curious toil,And decks the Goddess with the glitt'ring spoil.This casket India's glowing gems unlocks,And all Arabia breathes from yonder box.The Tortoise here and Elephant unite,Transformed to combs, the speckled, and the white.Here files of pins extend their shining rows,Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-doux.It's just so lovely. I love a thing about the tortoise and the elephant unite because you've got a tortoise shell and an ivory comb. And the stuff about India's glowing gems and Arabia breathing from yonder box, I mean that's a, realistic is not quite the word, but that's a reference to Milton because Milton is continually having all the stones of Arabia and India's pearls and things all screwed through paradise lost. Yeah, it's just so lovely, isn't it?Henry: And for someone who's so classical and composed and elegant, there's something very Dickensian about things like the toilet, the tortoise and the elephant here unite, transform to combs. There's something a little bit surreal and the puffs, powders, patches, bibles, it has that sort of slightly hectic, frantic,James: That's sort of Victorian materialism, wealth of material objects,Henry: But also that famous thing that was said of Dickens, that the people are furniture and the furniture's like people. He can bring to life all the little bits and bobs of the ordinary day and turn it into something not quite ridiculous, not quite charming.James: And there is a kind of charm in the fact that it wasn't the sort of thing that poets would necessarily expect to pay attention to the 18th century. I don't think the sort of powders and ointments on a woman's dressing table. And there's something very sort of charming in his condescension to notice or what might've once seemed his condescension to notice those things, to find a new thing to take seriously, which is what poetry or not quite to take seriously, but to pay attention to, which I guess is one of the things that great perch should always be doing.Henry: When Swift, who was Pope's great friend, wrote about this, he wrote a poem called A Beautiful Young Lady Going to Bed, which is not as good, and I would love to claim Swift on our list, but I really can't.James: It's quite a horrible perm as well, that one, isn't it?Henry: It is. But it shows you how other people would treat the idea of the woman in front of her toilet, her mirror. And Swift uses an opportunity, as he said, to “lash the vice” because he hated all this adornment and what he would think of as the fakery of a woman painting herself. And so he talks about Corina pride of Drury Lane, which is obviously an ironic reference to her being a Lady of the Night, coming back and there's no drunken rake with her. Returning at the midnight hour;Four stories climbing to her bow'r;Then, seated on a three-legged chair,Takes off her artificial hair:Now, picking out a crystal eye,She wipes it clean, and lays it by.Her eye-brows from a mouse's hide,Stuck on with art on either side,Pulls off with care, and first displays 'em,Then in a play-book smoothly lays 'em.Now dexterously her plumpers draws,That serve to fill her hollow jaws.And it goes on like this. I mean, line after this is sort of raw doll quality to it, Pope, I think in contrast, it only illuminates him more to see where others are taking this kind of crude, very, very funny and witty, but very crude approach. He's able to really have the classical art of balance.James: Yes. And it's precisely his charm that he can mock it and sympathise and love it at the same time, which I think is just a more sort of complex suite of poetic emotions to have about that thing.Henry: So we want more people to read Pope and to love Pope.James: Yes. Even if I'm not letting him into my top.Henry: You are locking him out of the garden. Now, for the second tier, I want to argue for two anonymous poets. One of the things we did when we were talking about this was we asked chatGPT to see if it could give us a good answer. And if you use o1 or o1 Pro, it gives you a pretty good answer as to who the best poets in English are. But it has to be told that it's forgotten about the anonymous poets. And then it says, oh, that was stupid. There are quite a lot of good anonymous poets in English, but I suspect a lot of us, a lot of non artificial intelligence when thinking about this question overlook the anonymous poets. But I would think the Gawain poet and the Tom O' Bedlam poet deserve to be in here. I don't know what you think about that.James: I'm not competent to provide an opinion. I'm purely here to be educated on the subject of these anonymous poets. Henry: The Gawain poet, he's a mediaeval, assume it's a he, a mediaeval writer, obviously may well not be a man, a mediaeval writer. And he wrote Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, which is, if you haven't read it, you should really read it in translation first, I think because it's written at the same time as Chaucer. But Chaucer was written in a kind of London dialect, which is what became the English we speak. And so you can read quite a lot of Chaucer and the words look pretty similar and sometimes you need the footnotes, but when you read Gawain and The Green Knight, it's in a Northwestern dialect, which very much did not become modern day English. And so it's a bit more baffling, but it is a poem of tremendous imaginative power and weirdness. It's a very compelling story. We have a children's version here written by Selena Hastings who's a very accomplished biographer. And every now and then my son remembers it and he just reads it again and again and again. It's one of the best tales of King Arthur in his knights. And there's a wonderful book by John Burrow. It's a very short book, but that is such a loving piece of criticism that explicates the way in which that poem promotes virtue and all the nightly goodness that you would expect, but also is a very strange and unreal piece of work. And I think it has all the qualities of great poetry, but because it's written in this weird dialect, I remember as an undergraduate thinking, why is this so bloody difficult to read? But it is just marvellous. And I see people on Twitter, the few people who've read it, they read it again and they just say, God, it's so good. And I think there was a film of it a couple of years ago, but we will gloss lightly over that and not encourage you to do the film instead of the book.James: Yeah, you're now triggering a memory that I was at least set to read and perhaps did at least read part of Gawain and the Green Knight at University, but has not stuck to any brain cells at all.Henry: Well, you must try it again and tell me what you think. I mean, I find it easily to be one of the best poems in English.James: Yeah, no, I should. I had a little Chaucer kick recently actually, so maybe I'm prepared to rediscover mediaeval per after years of neglect since my degree,Henry: And it's quite short, which I always think is worth knowing. And then the Tom Bedlam is an anonymous poem from I think the 17th century, and it's one of the mad songs, so it's a bit like the Fool from King Lear. And again, it is a very mysterious, very strange and weird piece of work. Try and find it in and read the first few lines. And I think because it's anonymous, it's got slightly less of a reputation because it can't get picked up with some big name, but it is full of tremendous power. And again, I think it would be sad if it wasn't more well known.From the hag and hungry goblinThat into rags would rend ye,The spirit that stands by the naked manIn the Book of Moons defend ye,That of your five sound sensesYou never be forsaken,Nor wander from your selves with TomAbroad to beg your bacon,While I do sing, Any food, any feeding,Feeding, drink, or clothing;Come dame or maid, be not afraid,Poor Tom will injure nothing.Anyway, so you get the sense of it and it's got many stanzas and it's full of this kind of energy and it's again, very accomplished. It can carry the thought across these long lines and these long stanzas.James: When was it written? I'm aware of only if there's a name in the back of my mind.Henry: Oh, it's from the 17th century. So it's not from such a different time as King Lear, but it's written in the voice of a madman. And again, you think of that as the sort of thing a romantic poet would do. And it's strange to find it almost strange to find it displaced. There were these other mad songs. But I think because it's anonymous, it gets less well known, it gets less attention. It's not part of a bigger body of work, but it's absolutely, I think it's wonderful.James: I shall read it.Henry: So who have you got? Who else? Who are you putting in instead of these two?James: Hang on. So we're down to tier two now.Henry: Tier two.James: Yeah. So my tier two is: Donne, Elliot, Keats, Tennyson. I've put Spenser in tier two, Marvell and Pope, who we've already discussed. I mean, I think Eliot, we've talked about, I mean Donne just speaks for himself and there's probably a case that some people would make to bump him up a tier. Henry: Anybody can read that case in Katherine Rudell's book. We don't need to…James: Yes, exactly. If anybody's punching perhaps in tier two, it's Tennyson who I wasn't totally sure belonged there. Putting Tenon in the same tier as Donne and Spenser and Keets. I wonder if that's a little ambitious. I think that might raise eyebrows because there is a school of thought, which I'm not totally unsympathetic to this. What's the Auden quote about Tennyson? I really like it. I expressed very harshly, but I sort of get what he means. Auden said that Tennyson “had the finest ear perhaps of any English poet who was also undoubtedly the stupidest. There was little that he didn't know. There was little else that he did.” Which is far too harsh. But I mentioned to you earlier that I think was earlier this year, a friend and I had a project where we were going to memorise a perva week was a plan. We ended up basically getting, I think three quarters of the way through.And if there's a criticism of Tennyson that you could make, it's that the word music and the sheer lushness of phrases sometimes becomes its own momentum. And you can end up with these extremely lovely but sometimes slightly empty beautiful phrases, which is what I ended up feeling about Tithonus. And I sort of slightly felt I was memorising this unbelievably beautiful but ever so slightly hollow thing. And that was slightly why the project fell apart, I should say. Of course, they absolutely love Tennyson. He's one of my all time favourite poets, which is why my personal favouritism has bumped him up into that category. But I can see there's a case, and I think to a lot of people, he's just the kind of Victorian establishment gloom man, which is totally unfair, but there's not no case against Tennyson.Henry: Yeah, the common thing is that he has no ideas. I don't know if that's true or not. I'm also, I'm not sure how desperately important it is. It should be possible to be a great poet without ideas being at the centre of your work. If you accept the idea that the essence of poetry is invention, i.e. to say old things in a fantastically new way, then I think he qualifies very well as a great poet.James: Yes..Henry: Well, very well. I think Auden said what he said because he was anxious that it was true of himself.James: Yeah, I mean there's a strong argument that Auden had far too many ideas and the sorts of mad schemes and fantastical theories about history that Auden spent his spare time chasing after is certainly a kind of argument that poets maybe shouldn't have as many ideas, although it's just reading. Seamus Perry's got a very good little book on Tennyson, and the opening chapter is all about arguments about people who have tended to dislike Tennyson. And there are all kinds of embarrassing anecdotes about the elderly Tennyson trying to sort of go around dinner parties saying profound and sage-like things and totally putting his foot in it and saying things are completely banal. I should have made a note that this was sort of slightly, again, intensifying my alarm about is there occasionally a tinsely hollowness about Tennyson. I'm now being way too harsh about one of my favourite poets—Henry: I think it depends what you mean by ideas. He is more than just a poet of moods. He gives great expression, deep and strongly felt expression to a whole way of being and a whole way of conceiving of things. And it really was a huge part of why people became interested in the middle ages in the 19th century. I think there's Walter Scott and there's Tennyson who are really leading that work, and that became a dominant cultural force and it became something that meant a lot to people. And whether or not, I don't know whether it's the sort of idea that we're talking about, but I think that sort of thing, I think that qualifies as having ideas and think again, I think he's one of the best writers about the Arthurian legend. Now that work doesn't get into the Oxford Book of English Verse, maybe that's fair. But I think it was very important and I love it. I love it. And I find Tennyson easy to memorise, which is another point in his favour.James: Yeah.Henry: I'm going to read a little bit of Ulysses, which everyone knows the last five or six lines of that poem because it gets put into James Bond films and other such things. I'm going to read it from a little bit from earlier on. I am become a name;For always roaming with a hungry heartMuch have I seen and known; cities of menAnd manners, climates, councils, governments,Myself not least, but honour'd of them all;And drunk delight of battle with my peers,Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.I am a part of all that I have met;Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'Gleams that untravell'd world, whose margin fadesFor ever and for ever when I move.I think that's amazing. And he can do that. He can do lots and lots and lots of that.James: Yeah, he really can. It's stunning. “Far on the ringing planes of windy Troy” is such an unbelievably evocative phrase.Henry: And that's what I mean. He's got this ability to bring back a sort of a whole mood of history. It's not just personal mood poetry. He can take you into these places and that is in the space of a line. In the space of a line. I think Matthew Arnold said of the last bit of what I just read is that he had this ability in Ulysses to make the lines seem very long and slow and to give them this kind of epic quality that far goes far beyond the actual length of that poem. Ulysses feels like this huge poem that's capturing so much of Homer and it's a few dozen lines.James: Yeah, no, I completely agree. Can I read a little bit of slightly more domestic Tennyson, from In Memoriam, I think his best poem and one of my all time favourite poems and it's got, there are many sort of famous lines on grief and things, but there's little sort of passage of natural description I think quite near the beginning that I've always really loved and I've always just thought was a stunning piece of poetry in terms of its sound and the way that the sound has patented and an unbelievably attentive description natural world, which is kind of the reason that even though I think Keats is a better poet, I do prefer reading Tennyson to Keats, so this is from the beginning of In Memoriam. Calm is the morn without a sound,Calm as to suit a calmer grief,And only thro' the faded leafThe chesnut pattering to the ground:Calm and deep peace on this high wold,And on these dews that drench the furze,And all the silvery gossamersThat twinkle into green and gold:Calm and still light on yon great plainThat sweeps with all its autumn bowers,And crowded farms and lessening towers,To mingle with the bounding main:And I just think that's an amazing piece of writing that takes you from that very close up image that it begins with of the “chestnut patterning to the ground” through the faded leaves of the tree, which is again, a really attentive little bit of natural description. I think anyone can picture the way that a chestnut might fall through the leaves of a chestnut tree, and it's just an amazing thing to notice. And I think the chestnut pattern to the ground does all the kind of wonderful, slightly onomatopoeic, Tennyson stuff so well, but by the end, you're kind of looking out over the English countryside, you've seen dew on the firs, and then you're just looking out across the plane to the sea, and it's this sort of, I just think it's one of those bits of poetry that anybody who stood in a slightly wet and romantic day in the English countryside knows exactly the feeling that he's evoking. And I mean there's no bit of—all of In Memoriam is pretty much that good. That's not a particularly celebrated passage I don't think. It's just wonderful everywhere.Henry: Yes. In Memoriam a bit like the Dunciad—under appreciated relative to its huge merits.James: Yeah, I think it sounds, I mean guess by the end of his life, Tennyson had that reputation as the establishment sage of Victorian England, queen of Victoria's favourite poet, which is a pretty off-putting reputation for to have. And I think In Memoriam is supposed to be this slightly cobwebby, musty masterpiece of Victorian grief. But there was just so much, I mean, gorgeous, beautiful sensuous poetry in it.Henry: Yeah, lots of very intense feelings. No, I agree. I have Tennyson my third tier because I had to have the Gawain poet, but I agree that he's very, very great.James: Yeah, I think the case for third tier is I'm very open to that case for the reasons that I said.Henry: Keats, we both have Keats much higher than Shelly. I think Byron's not on anyone's list because who cares about Byron. Overrated, badly behaved. Terrible jokes. Terrible jokes.James: I think people often think Byron's a better pert without having read an awful lot of the poetry of Byron. But I think anybody who's tried to wade through long swathes of Don Juan or—Henry: My God,James: Childe Harold, has amazing, amazing, beautiful moments. But yeah, there's an awful lot of stuff that you don't enjoy. I think.Henry: So to make the case for Keats, I want to talk about The Eve of St. Agnes, which I don't know about you, but I love The Eve of St. Agnes. I go back to it all the time. I find it absolutely electric.James: I'm going to say that Keats is a poet, which is kind of weird for somebody is sent to us and obviously beautiful as Keats. I sort of feel like I admire more than I love. I get why he's brilliant. It's very hard not to see why he's brilliant, but he's someone I would very rarely sit down and read for fun and somebody got an awful lot of feeling or excitement out of, but that's clearly a me problem, not a Keats problem.Henry: When I was a teenager, I knew so much Keats by heart. I knew the whole of the Ode to a Nightingale. I mean, I was absolutely steeped in it morning, noon and night. I couldn't get over it. And now I don't know if I could get back to that point. He was a very young poet and he writes in a very young way. But I'm going to read—The Eve of St. Agnes is great. It's a narrative poem, which I think is a good way to get into this stuff because the story is fantastic. And he had read Spenser, he was part of this kind of the beginning of this mediaeval revival. And he's very interested in going back to those old images, those old stories. And this is the bit, I think everything we're reading is from the Oxford Book of English Verse, so that if people at home want to read along they can.This is when the heroine of the poem is Madeline is making her escape basically. And I think this is very, very exciting. Her falt'ring hand upon the balustrade,Old Angela was feeling for the stair,When Madeline, St. Agnes' charmed maid,Rose, like a mission'd spirit, unaware:With silver taper's light, and pious care,She turn'd, and down the aged gossip ledTo a safe level matting. Now prepare,Young Porphyro, for gazing on that bed;She comes, she comes again, like ring-dove fray'd and fled.Out went the taper as she hurried in;Its little smoke, in pallid moonshine, died:She clos'd the door, she panted, all akinTo spirits of the air, and visions wide:No uttered syllable, or, woe betide!But to her heart, her heart was voluble,Paining with eloquence her balmy side;As though a tongueless nightingale should swellHer throat in vain, and die, heart-stifled, in her dell.A casement high and triple-arch'd there was,All garlanded with carven imag'riesOf fruits, and flowers, and bunches of knot-grass,And diamonded with panes of quaint device,Innumerable of stains and splendid dyes,As are the tiger-moth's deep-damask'd wings;And in the midst, 'mong thousand heraldries,And twilight saints, and dim emblazonings,A shielded scutcheon blush'd with blood of queens and kings.I mean, so much atmosphere, so much tension, so many wonderful images just coming one after the other. The rapidity of it, the tumbling nature of it. And people often quote the Ode to autumn, which has a lot of that.James: I have to say, I found that totally enchanting. And perhaps my problem is that I need you to read it all to me. You can make an audio book that I can listen to.Henry: I honestly, I actually might read the whole of the E and put it out as audio on Substack becauseJames: I would actually listen to that.Henry: I love it so much. And I feel like it gets, when we talk about Keats, we talk about, On First Looking into Chapman's Homer and Bright Star and La Belle Dame Sans Merci, and these are great, great poems and they're poems that we do at school Ode to a Nightingale because I think The Great Gatsby has a big debt to Ode to a Nightingale, doesn't it? And obviously everyone quotes the Ode to Autumn. I mean, as far as I can tell, the 1st of October every year is the whole world sharing the first stands of the Ode to Autumn.James: Yeah. He may be one of the people who suffers from over familiarity perhaps. And I think also because it sounds so much what poetry is supposed to sound like, because so much of our idea of poetry derives from Keats. Maybe that's something I've slightly need to get past a little bit.Henry: But if you can get into the complete works, there are many, the bit I just read is I think quite representative.James: I loved it. I thought it was completely beautiful and I would never have thought to ever, I probably can't have read that poem for years. I wouldn't have thought to read it. Since university, I don't thinkHenry: He's one of those people. All of my copies of him are sort of frayed and the spines are breaking, but the book is wearing out. I should just commit it to memory and be done. But somehow I love going back to it. So Keats is very high in my estimation, and we've both put him higher than Shelly and Coleridge.James: Yeah.Henry: Tell me why. Because those would typically, I think, be considered the superior poets.James: Do you think Shelly? I think Keats would be considered the superior poetHenry: To Shelly?James: Certainly, yes. I think to Shelly and Coleridge, that's where current fashion would place them. I mean, I have to say Coleridge is one of my all time favourite poets. In terms of people who had just every so often think, I'd love to read a poem, I'd love to read Frost at Midnight. I'd love to read the Aeolian Harp. I'd love to read This Lime Tree Bower, My Prison. I'd love to read Kubla Khan. Outside Milton, Coleridge is probably the person that I read most, but I think, I guess there's a case that Coleridge's output is pretty slight. What his reputation rest on is The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan, the conversation poems, which a lot of people think are kind of plagiarised Wordsworth, at least in their style and tone, and then maybe not much else. Does anybody particularly read Cristabel and get much out of it nowadays? Dejection an Ode people like: it's never done an awful lot for me, so I sort of, in my personal Pantheon Coleridge is at the top and he's such an immensely sympathetic personality as well and such a curious person. But I think he's a little slight, and there's probably nothing in Coleridge that can match that gorgeous passage of Keats that you read. I think.Henry: Yeah, that's probably true. He's got more ideas, I guess. I don't think it matters that he's slight. Robert Frost said something about his ambition had been to lodge five or six poems in the English language, and if he'd done that, he would've achieved greatness. And obviously Frost very much did do that and is probably the most quotable and well-known poet. But I think Coleridge easily meets those criteria with the poems you described. And if all we had was the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I would think it to be like Tom O' Bedlam, like the Elegy in a Country Churchyard, one of those great, great, great poems that on its own terms, deserves to be on this list.James: Yeah, and I guess another point in his favour is a great poet is they're all pretty unalike. I think if given Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a conversation poem and Kubla Khan and said, guess whether these are three separate poets or the same guy, you would say, oh, there's a totally different poems. They're three different people. One's a kind of creepy gothic horror ballad. Another one is a philosophical reflection. Another is the sort of Mad Opium dream. I mean, Kubla Khan is just without a doubt, one of the top handful of purposes in English language, I think.Henry: Oh yeah, yeah. And it has that quality of the Elegy in a Country Churchyard that so many of the lines are so quotable in the sense that they could be, in the case of the Elegy in a Country Churchyard, a lot of novels did get their titles from it. I think it was James Lees Milne. Every volume of his diaries, which there are obviously quite a few, had its title from Kubla Khan. Ancient as the Hills and so on. It's one of those poems. It just provides us with so much wonderful language in the space of what a page.James: Sort of goes all over the place. Romantic chasms, Abyssinian made with dulcimer, icy pleasure dome with caves of ice. It just such a—it's so mysterious. I mean, there's nothing else remotely like it at all in English literature that I can think of, and its kind strangeness and virtuosity. I really love that poem.Henry: Now, should we say a word for Shelly? Because everyone knows Ozymandias, which is one of those internet poems that goes around a lot, but I don't know how well known the rest of his body of work is beyond that. I fell in love with him when I read a very short lyric called “To—” Music, when soft voices die,Vibrates in the memory—Odours, when sweet violets sicken,Live within the sense they quicken.Rose leaves, when the rose is dead,Are heaped for the belovèd's bed;And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone,Love itself shall slumber on.I found that to be one of those poems that was once read and immediately memorised. But he has this very, again, broad body of work. He can write about philosophical ideas, he can write about moods, he can write narrative. He wrote Julian and Maddalo, which is a dialogue poem about visiting a madman and taking sympathy with him and asking the question, who's really mad here? Very Swiftian question. He can write about the sublime in Mont Blanc. I mean, he has got huge intellectual power along with the beauty. He's what people want Tennyson to be, I guess.James: Yeah. Or what people think Byron might be. I think Shelly is great. I don't quite get that Byron is so much more famous. Shelly has just a dramatic and, well, maybe not quite just as, but an incredibly dramatic and exciting life to go along with it,Henry: I think some of the short lyrics from Byron have got much more purchase in day-to-day life, like She Walks in Beauty.James: Yeah. I think you have to maybe get Shelly a little more length, don't you? I mean, even there's something like Ode to the West Wind is you have to take the whole thing to love it, perhaps.Henry: Yes. And again, I think he's a bit like George Herbert. He's always thinking you really have to pay attention and think with him. Whereas Byron has got lots of lines you can copy out and give to a girl that you like on the bus or something.James: Yes. No, that's true.Henry: I don't mean that in quite as rude a way as it sounds. I do think that's a good thing. But Shelly's, I think, much more of a thinker, and I agree with you Childe Harold and so forth. It's all crashing bore. I might to try it again, but awful.James: I don't want move past Coledridge without inflicting little Coledridge on you. Can I?Henry: Oh, yes. No, sorry. We didn't read Coledridge, right?James: Are just, I mean, what to read from Coledridge? I mean, I could read the whole of Kubla Khan, but that would be maybe a bit boring. I mean, again, these are pretty famous and obvious lines from Frost at Midnight, which is Coledridge sitting up late at night in his cottage with his baby in its cradle, and he sort of addressing it and thinking about it. And I just think these lines are so, well, everything we've said about Coledridge, philosophical, thoughtful, beautiful, in a sort of totally knockout, undeniable way. So it goes, he's talking to his young son, I think. My babe so beautiful! it thrills my heartWith tender gladness, thus to look at thee,And think that thou shalt learn far other lore,And in far other scenes! For I was rearedIn the great city, pent 'mid cloisters dim,And saw nought lovely but the sky and stars.But thou, my babe! shalt wander like a breezeBy lakes and sandy shores, beneath the cragsOf ancient mountain, and beneath the clouds,Which image in their bulk both lakes and shoresAnd mountain crags: so shalt thou see and hearThe lovely shapes and sounds intelligibleOf that eternal language, which thy GodUtters, who from eternity doth teachHimself in all, and all things in himself.Which is just—what aren't those lines of poetry doing? And with such kind of confidence, the way you get from talking to your baby and its cradle about what kind of upbringing you hope it will have to those flashes of, I mean quite Wordsworthian beauty, and then the sort of philosophical tone at the end. It's just such a stunning, lovely poem. Yeah, I love it.Henry: Now we both got Yeats and Hopkins. And Hopkins I think is really, really a tremendous poet, but neither of us has put Browning, which a lot of other people maybe would. Can we have a go at Browning for a minute? Can we leave him in shreds? James: Oh God. I mean, you're going to be a better advocate of Browning than I am. I've never—Henry: Don't advocate for him. No, no, no.James: We we're sticking him out.Henry: We're sticking him.James: I wonder if I even feel qualified to do that. I mean, I read quite a bit of Browning at university, found it hard to get on with sometimes. I think I found a little affected and pretentious about him and a little kind of needlessly difficult in a sort of off-puttingly Victorian way. But then I was reading, I reviewed a couple of years ago, John Carey has an excellent introduction to English poetry. I think it's called A Little History of Poetry in which he described Browning's incredibly long poem, The Ring in the Book as one of the all time wonders of verbal art. This thing is, I think it's like 700 or 800 pages long poem in the Penguin edition, which has always given me pause for thought and made me think that I've dismissed Browning out of hand because if John Carey's telling me that, then I must be wrong.But I think I have had very little pleasure out of Browning, and I mean by the end of the 19th century, there was a bit of a sort of Victorian cult of Browning, which I think was influential. And people liked him because he was a living celebrity who'd been anointed as a great poet, and people liked to go and worship at his feet and stuff. I do kind of wonder whether he's lasted, I don't think many people read him for pleasure, and I wonder if that maybe tells its own story. What's your case against Browning?Henry: No, much the same. I think he's very accomplished and very, he probably, he deserves a place on the list, but I can't enjoy him and I don't really know why. But to me, he's very clever and very good, but as you say, a bit dull.James: Yeah, I totally agree. I'm willing. It must be our failing, I'm sure. Yeah, no, I'm sure. I'm willing to believe they're all, if this podcast is listened to by scholars of Victorian poetry, they're cringing and holding their head in their hands at this—Henry: They've turned off already. Well, if you read The Ring and the Book, you can come back on and tell us about it.James: Oh God, yeah. I mean, in about 20 years time.Henry: I think we both have Auden, but you said something you said, “does Auden have an edge of fraudulence?”James: Yeah, I mean, again, I feel like I'm being really rude about a lot of poets that I really love. I don't really know why doesn't think, realising that people consider to be a little bit weak makes you appreciate their best stuff even more I guess. I mean, it's hard to make that argument without reading a bit of Auden. I wonder what bit gets it across. I haven't gotten any ready. What would you say about Auden?Henry: I love Auden. I think he was the best poet of the 20th century maybe. I mean, I have to sort of begrudgingly accept T.S. Eliot beside, I think he can do everything from, he can do songs, light lyrics, comic verse, he can do occasional poetry, obituaries. He was a political poet. He wrote in every form, I think almost literally that might be true. Every type of stanza, different lines. He was just structurally remarkable. I suspect he'll end up a bit like Pope once the culture has tur

Apologies for the late upload! A new season of The Inklings Variety Hour is coming on Tuesdays in March, starting with The Horse and His Boy.  In the meantime, enjoy this old episode, with one of our first guest-stars, Andrew Lazo, talking about his favorite Lewis book, Till We Have Faces! Original Description: This week, we're talking with Andrew Lazo, author, speaker, and noted Till We Have Faces  and C.S. Lewis scholar.  You can find additional information about Andrew's projects, current and future, at mythoflove.net.  We would like to thank David Bates at Pints with Jack for connecting us with Andrew!  In this episode, Anika, Chris and Andrew discuss some classical and medieval influences on Till We Have Faces, as well as concepts like mortal shame and the way physical and spiritual attitudes alter perception in Lewis' work.  In some ways, this is also a broader view of Till We Have Faces itself, thanks to Andrew's expertise.  Stay tuned for bonus material at the end, where we hear from Andrew about the circumstances of Lewis' writing of Till We Have Faces.  Enjoy the conversation!  We certainly did. Some references in this episode: A Naked Tree, by Joy Davidman   Becoming Mrs. Lewis Over the Rhine (band) Weeping Bay, by Joy Davidman "After Ten Years," from Of Other Worlds by C.S. Lewis Pearl, by the Gawain-poet (Tolkien's translation here)  (Original text here) If you're enjoying The Inklings Variety Hour, drop us a line to tell us so!  You can email us at InklingsVarietyHour@gmail.com.  Also!  Please find us on iTunes and give us a rating if you like us.  Additionally, if you'd ever like to guest star and talk with us about these works (whether you are a scholar or not), we'd love to have you.  If you're listening to this podcast, you are already a kindred spirit, and we would enjoy meeting you.  Just saying.  

We took a look at a British tv series from the 1950s, dramatising the Arthurian story in a high-romance fashion. Believe it or not, it's pretty good! Starring William Russell–who later played “Ian” on Doctor Who–it's a fairly faithful rendering of the story, with Lancelot as an outsider who comes to Arthur's court, Gawain as his rival, a belligerent Kay, and a Merlin who is part magician, part con-man. Lancelot isn't just the best of knights here, he's also a champion of underdogs, defying the more hierarchical standards of Camelot–it's no surprise to find out that several of the writers for the show were Americans who were blacklisted during the Red Scare. Once again, the Arthurian world is used as a playground for utopian politics, not unlike Twain's Connecticut Yankee and T.H. White's Once and Future King. Starring William Russell, Cyril Smith, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Robert Scroggins, and Jane Hylton. With various writers and directors depending on the episode. This is a preview of the latest episode of our series Hollywood Avalon. To hear the entire episode, join the Mary Versus the Movies patreon for $3/month to hear this and the entire series Hollywood Avalon: https://www.patreon.com/maryvsmovies.   

We're on a break at the moment, researching and writing our sixth series, but, to fill the gap, this is the first of six new compilation episodes containing a trio of stories from across our earlier series. We've entitled this episode Three Tales of Chivalry because, following on from our 25-part retelling of Gawain and the Green Knight, we imagined listeners might be jones-ing, for some shining armour and talking horses. As such, this episode contains three of our more knightly stories, including our second-lap Cornwall story, The Once and Future King; or The Mad Man's Dream, our second lap Northamptonshire story, Dionysia The Female Knight, and our live retelling of The Many of Adventures of Arundel the Horse, and His Blundering Knight, Sir Bevis of Hampton, as performed at The Chichester Festival last summer.We really hope you enjoy them, and will be back with a new compilation episode next Monday. Or, if you're a Patreon Supporter, on Thursday and Saturday with new episodes of the Three Ravens Film Club!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of Local Legends, Martin is joined by the much-acclaimed, multi-award winning author, folklorist and archaeological researcher Jeremy Harte, whose books, including Cloven Country: The Devil and the English Landscape and The Green Man, are beloved texts, yet barely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Jeremy's work!As Jeremy explains, he almost fell into folklore research via a semi-accidental career in museums and the heritage industry. Since then however, from topics as diverse as geomancy and English toponymy, Medieval faerie belief and detailed studies into the country's holy wells, he has gone on to write some of the most important literature on folklore as written in the last half-century.While this chat is ostensibly focused on the history and folklore of Surrey, across the course of this interview topics discussed include what life is like for a local museum curator, the growth of 'the Devil' as a concept, Gawain and the Green Knight, haunted grandstands, debates about which came first, graveyard elms or the churches alongside them, and so much more.It's a fascinating, ranging conversation, and one which, of course, also delves into the character, stories, and strange status of Surrey in terms of its folklore and place in the national consciousness.An absolute corker of a chat, even if we say so ourselves, gather close around the campfire and listen in to one of the modern greats!And otherwise, we will be back on Monday with our brand new County Episode, where we will be digging into the history and folklore of Northumberland!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.And, to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas, we proudly present our grand finale! With Gawain now back at Camelot, he finds himself in a whirlwind of old faces, on the eve of his wedding! But who will his wife be, and what about the outcomes of all his decisions since last Midwinter?The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In our penultimate chapter, after Gringolet has an alarming encounter outside the Green Chapel, he and Gawain set out for home. Although, along the way, plenty occurs to stand in their path, which leads them north, to a heath filled with rather rowdy witches...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In Chapter 23, Gawain achieves his goal, of honouring his promise to the Green Knight, and playing the second part of their Midwinter Game. Yet, as axe-heads fall and blood begins to flow, it becomes quickly apparent that all is not as it seems, and perhaps that in never has been...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.Today's chapter sees Gawain finally departing from the Pale Keep and all its weirdness to journey through a blizzard to the Green Chapel. Though as he leaves, it's increasingly clear that something about what is happening is not as it appears, even as Gawain and Gringolet, unknowing, wander into the jaws of doom...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of Local Legends, Martin is joined by storyteller, author and psychotherapist David England, whose book of Berkshire Folk Tales uncovered a wealth of lost and brilliant stories.As we discuss, David made a wild change in his career during the 90's, jettisoning his job in IT and selling his house to retrain as a storyteller, then hit the road. This opened up a wealth of possibilities, including collaborating with Tina Bilbe, the Secretary of the Society for Storytelling on Berkshire Folk Tales, and working with poet Jennie Ruth Bailey on his second book, Lancashire Folk Tales.Unfortunately, Tina is no longer with us, but is warmly remembered in this chat, not least for her work, scouring archives for the stories which made up the collection David put to paper. As he recounts, these include a wild range of stories, from epic Viking battles to the near-burning of a Saxon queen to legends of milk-hungry dragons, cannibalistic landlords, and wizards getting spanked out of town.With David also being an acclaimed psychotherapist, whose book Soulfulness blends contemporary therapies with ancient shamanic practices, as you might expect, this is a rich interview, filled with warmth, anecdotes, and David's reflections on his own retelling of Gawain and the Green Knight, which available on YouTube.To learn more David and his work, do visit his website – https://www.davidengland.co.uk/ – which links to his books, storytelling videos, and more.Otherwise, we will be back on Monday with our brand new County Episode, where we will be digging into the history and folklore of Surrey. The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In Part 20, Sir Bertilak and his retinue chase their final quarry of the Midwinter Season, Reynard the Fox, who is a wily opponent. Meanwhile, in a last ditch effort to achieve her goals, Lady Bertilak catches Gawain off guard, bringing her every charm to bear before her husband at last returns...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In today's chapter, again Sir Bertilak and his knights embark on a hunt, this time chasing down the Boar King, Ysgirythwyn, through the marshes - though all does not go according to plan. Likewise Lady Bertilak, who finds Gawain ready for her, with the Knight of the Surcoat then subsequently disturbed by Hautedesert's dispassionate funereal traditions...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In our 19th instalment, Sir Bertilak and his knights ride out to hunt the deer of the wild woods, leaving Gawain at home. But, as Lady Bertilak appears in Gawain's chamber to 'offer him comfort' the Knight of the Surcoat might well ask, who exactly is the apex predator here, and who is their intended prey?The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.Today, Gawain awakes to discover Sir Bertilak's castle in the midst of its Midwinter's Eve celebrations, which are rather different to Camelot's. Although, are the Lord of Hautedesert and his Lunar Knights all really as chilled as they seem to be about Gawain being quite so 'Good?'The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In this episode, Gawain spends the final days of the year searching through the cold and dark, driving himself and Gringolet towards almost certain death. Although, through the snow and bleak night, strangers come to his aid, and take him to a pure white keep which he is pretty sure wasn't there even a moment ago...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.Part XVI sees a slightly traumatized Gawain and Gringolet continuing their search as winter begins. And amidst the growing chill, out in the wilderness, they encounter two strangers - one of whom is a person with which Gawain has unfinished business, while the other is ice-cold by virtue of her very nature...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.Today's section of the tale represents a shift in tone, with Gringolet in danger, and Gawain determined to rescue him. Yet, in order to do so, Annwn, King of the Otherworld, will force the Gawain to face parts of himself he has hidden deep within, leading to a duel in an dream-like world which will change the hero forever...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In this chapter, based on the poem Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle, our hero meets up with two old friends, Sir Kay and Sir Baldwin, and pays a visit to a rowdy half-giant. Faced with a Redcap steward, bouts of extraordinary flatulence, and yet more tests of his chivalry, can Gawain keep his head under pressure, or sever that of Lugus The Uncouth?The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In today's episode, Gawain encounters two very different figures: one who is afraid to die, and who dearly longs to. Along the way, the Knight of the Pentangle also names his dogs, enjoys some fruit, and, as the harvest begins, fears the onset of his own life's winter...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.Part XII picks up immediately after Part XI ended, with Gawain, alone and naked, in a very dangerous room with a very playful maiden. After wrestling with temptation, the Knight of the Surcoat is then faced with many obscure choices, though his overall direction of travel remains crystal clear...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In today's instalment, Gawain begins his journey north, being haunted by strange noises in the wilds of Essex before squelching into the fens. Only once there, he discovers a land filled with sinister fairies, and an extremely generous lord who might just be up to something...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In Part X, while Gawain descends into Heladoine's pit of flame, Gringolet gets distracted by a butterfly and follows it in seek of adventure. After which it falls to 'Gavin The Grey' to engage in some knightly contests, not least the joust against Lancelot The Black!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In today's episode, we learn about Gawain's one man mission to solve the Cry of Maidens - a quest he undertook long before the Green Knight showed up at Camelot. As the brave knight and Gringolet return to the place where it happened however, he finds himself wandering into a new and complex situation which forces him to go incognito...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're always holding space for Harry Potter, but no one does it quite like the Harry Potter Academic Conference. Our favorite event of the year was back in person at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia in October and full of interesting insights as usual. Katy and Emily talk with Potterversity producer and conference communications coordinator Laurie Beckoff and conference vice chair Lauren Camacci about the range of presentations and the wonderful community of scholar-fans. Emily, Laurie, and Katy discuss their respective papers: "Harry, Gawain, Green Knights, and Goblets," about the connections between Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; "'All with Flaming Red Hair': Harry Potter and the Magical Redhead Tradition," on how Harry Potter engages with literary and historical depictions of redheads; and "The Petunia Palimpsest," about Fiona Shaw's portrayal of Petunia Dursley and Maarva Andor on the Star Wars show Andor. We also talk about some of our favorite papers from the weekend. Dumbledore was a popular topic and remains a contentious figure. Psychology and politics were present alongside literary analyses. We enjoyed presentations on Madam Pince and the Hogwarts library (Ian McLaughlin), sexual innuendo and maturation in Goblet of Fire (Bill Ward), the series as wainscot fantasy (Liam Butchart and Katherine Wang), property law in the wizarding world (Dorothea Keiter), entrepreneurship and business in the wizarding world as well as the fandom (Abigail Kohler), and a potluck panel about food in Harry Potter (organized by Mark-Anthony Lewis). There was plenty to learn from the plenary lecture by Priscilla Hobbs, author of Harry Potter and the Myth of Millennials, as well as the invited talks by conference regular Brent Satterly and first-time presenter Julian Wamble, known for sharing snippets of his Harry Potter class on TikTok and his Critical Magic Theory podcast. The conference switches off annually between in-person and online events, so we look forward to joining a global community of scholars virtually in 2025.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In Part VIII, Gawain enjoys a cup of tea and a chat with Merlin at Stonehenge, all before heading to London. Once there, amidst the ruins of England's on-off capital, he settles down to rest in a perilous, ruined chapel, soon discovering that he and Gringolet are not alone...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In this instalment, Gawain, wearing his Ugly Sack, sits down with King Mark and seeks information about the Green Knight's whereabouts. Meanwhile, as Gringolet enjoys a pamper in Castle Dor's stables, the two visiting 'Lute Masters' appear to be up to something...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In today's part, Gawain encounters Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, and considers whether or not to meet Rupert, her pet dragon. After that though, it's off to the Kingdom of Kernow (or 'Cornwall' as we'd call it) where Mark, the local lord, is being pretty strict about who's getting into his castle and why...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In this chapter, Gawain and Gringolet sally forth from Camelot (armed with an unexpected gift from Queen Guinevere) to explore the wilds of the West Country. There they encounter slightly batty hermits, battle foul-smelling gribblies across dark moorland, and seek the Green Chapel, winding up face-to-face with a whole other mythical being instead...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In Part IV, King Arthur takes Gawain across to Old Tom's smithy in order to show him a rather special Midwinter surprise. All the while, the pair are observed by Gringolet, Gawain's horse, who was born to achieve great things and not hang about in a boring old stable...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In this third part, Gawain swings the axe, and what happens next none in Camelot could have predicted. Then, with feelings of regret, Gawain tries to muddle on, though luckily he has a few around him who can pick him up and set him straight...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In this second instalment, the mysterious Green Knight presents himself to all of Camelot and proposes a Midwinter Game, with only King Arthur himself initially willing to accept the sinister terms...The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adapted in a light-hearted, comical style from a diverse set of genuine Medieval Arthurian Romances, this special Three Ravens retelling of the iconic 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is our bonus miniseries for Advent 2024.Split into 25 parts, one for each day of December leading up to and including Christmas Day, the tale follows Gawain, a young knight in King Arthur's court who embarks on a rambling quest, packed with adventures, which takes him all around ancient Britain - a journey which begins at one Midwinter feast and ends at another, exactly one year later.In this first part, we meet Gawain and discover how and why he ended up in Avalon, all before a mysterious stranger arrives at Camelot's great hall to change his life forever... The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of Local Legends, Martin is joined by the rather amazing Dr Maureen James, who is a folklorist, historian, and author of both Cambridgeshire Folk Tales and Lincolnshire Folk Tales.Maureen has been passionate about Social History for over 40 years. Though, as we discuss in this conversation, she did not start her career in academia – she began adult life as a wife and mother, pivoting into history later on. This led her to undertake her BA at Cambridge, then an MA in Museums and Galleries in Education with the Institute of Education, University of London, and a PhD through the University of Glamorgan with the focus of her thesis being The Legends of the Lincolnshire Carrs.In addition to a fascinating lifetime of taking part in historical reenactments, storytelling in period costume, and academic lecturing, she served as a Director of The Society for Storytelling, is a member of The Folklore Society, the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, and The Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, and has written articles for magazines and journals including Cambridgeshire Life, Facts and Fiction, The Cauldron, Smallholding, Time and Mind, and Folklore.In this chat, we touch on much of this, as well as the Princes in the Tower, how pockets are actually quite a complex subject, whether John Major can use a drop spindle, and all sorts of folklore from Huntingdonshire and beyond, including the legacies of several witches, the myths surrounding Oliver Cromwell, the tale of The Two Fat Geese, and much more besides!To learn more Maureen and her work, do visit her brilliant website – https://tellinghistory.co.uk – which links to her books, academic papers, stories, and all sorts of wonderful other websites, too.And we will be back tomorrow with the first part of Martin's new adaptation of Gawain and The Green Knight which will be released in 25 installments leading right up to Christmas!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gawain's adventure consists of two contests or games. Huizinga's Homo Ludens: human culture as play, as game-playing. But for real stakes. Gawain is really striving not for a prize or fame but for loyalty to virtue. He comes short because he is human and imperfect, but we must strive anyway, or nothing is achieved. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michael-dolzani/support

The lord's wife tries three times to seduce Gawain while her husband is out hunting, but Gawain resists. On New Year's, Gawain endures his ordeal at the Green Knight's “chapel,” an opening in the earth. He feels shame that he has tried to cheat by wearing the lady's magic belt that confers invulnerability, but the Knight commends him, and back at home the lords and ladies all wear green belts in his honor. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michael-dolzani/support

Description of the seasonal cycle. Finally, it is winter again, and Gawain leaves to find the Green Knight's chapel. His shield with the pentangle or “endlesse knot,” symbolizing five sets of five virtues. The northern journey through wonders and adventures. The northern lord's castle. Hopitality is granted by the lord, who also offers a wager—another bet. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michael-dolzani/support

It's been ten years since the conclusion of the Magicians trilogy and over fifty years since the last major reimagining of King Arthur. Now, one of our most acclaimed literary fantasy writers is taking up the sword, and he's written a tale that makes Arthur urgent, exciting, and timely again. His story has been told and retold for more than 1,400 years, always becoming a mirror for the world it's being told to and a lens for examining the contemporary moment. When Grossman began writing, he asked himself: What would an Arthur for this millennium look like? What would we learn about him, and what could he tell us about the world we live in now? The result is THE BRIGHT SWORD, a triumphant and richly imagined tale – one that's both steeped in tradition and sheds fresh light on a much-beloved piece of popular culture. THE BRIGHT SWORD begins with a gifted young knight named Collum, who's headed to Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table – only to discover that he's too late. Arthur is dead, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table survive. And they aren't the heroes of legend, like Lancelot or Gawain. They're the oddballs, from the edges of the stories, like Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur's fool, who was knighted as a joke. They're joined by Nimue, who was Merlin's apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. Together this ragtag fellowship will set out to rebuild Camelot in a world that has lost its balance. But Arthur's death has revealed Britain's fault lines. God has abandoned it, and the fairies and monsters and old gods are returning, led by Arthur's half-sister Morgan le Fay. Kingdoms are turning on each other, Camelot is under attack, and rival factions are forming around the disgraced Lancelot and the fallen Queen Guinevere. It is up to Collum and his companions to reclaim Excalibur, solve the mysteries of this ruined world, and make it whole again. But before they can restore Camelot they'll have to learn the truth of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell, and lay to rest the ghosts of his troubled family and of Britain's dark past. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lev Grossman is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Magicians trilogy—The Magicians, The Magician King, and The Magician's Land—which has been published in thirty countries and adapted as a TV show that ran for five seasons on SYFY. He is also a screenwriter and the author of two children's books, The Golden Swift and The Silver Arrow, and his journalism has appeared in Time, Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, among many other places. He lives with his wife and children in New York City.

Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this evening are Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski, former Tory MP Anna Firth, long-time adviser to Nigel Farage Gawain Towler and Observer columnist Martha Gill.

You can now text us anonymously to leave feedback, suggest future content or simply hurl abuse at us. We'll read out any texts we receive on the show. Click here to try it out!Welcome back to Bad Dads Film Review! Today, we're gearing up for an epic journey through chivalry and valor as we count down our Top 5 Knights in film and television. After that, we'll delve into the mystical and mysterious world of The Green Knight and switch gears for some light-hearted adventures with Mike the Knight.Top 5 Knights in Film and Television:Sir Lancelot in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975) - This comedic take on the legendary knight mixes absurdity with classic Arthurian elements, making Sir Lancelot both heroic and hilariously oblivious.Aragorn in "The Lord of the Rings" series - While not a knight in the traditional sense, Aragorn embodies the knightly virtues of bravery, loyalty, and leadership, playing a crucial role in Middle-earth's battles against evil.Sir William Thatcher in "A Knight's Tale" (2001) - Portrayed by Heath Ledger, Sir William's journey from peasant to pseudo-knight captures the spirit of chivalry and the pursuit of honor and recognition within the rigid class systems of medieval society.The Black Knight in "Excalibur" (1981) - A mysterious and formidable figure, the Black Knight in this retelling of the Arthurian legends represents the darker aspects of knighthood and chivalry, providing a stark contrast to more idealistic portrayals.Brienne of Tarth in "Game of Thrones" (TV Series) - Brienne challenges traditional gender roles within the knightly order, proving herself through unmatched bravery and a firm moral compass, making her one of the most respected and memorable knights in modern television.The Green Knight (2021) Directed by David Lowery, The Green Knight presents a visually stunning and thematically rich adaptation of the Arthurian legend, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." The film follows Gawain, played by Dev Patel, on a perilous quest that explores themes of honor, bravery, and the nature of true heroism. The movie's slow-burning narrative and atmospheric tension set it apart from traditional knightly tales, offering a fresh take on the complexities of personal growth and virtue.Switching to a much lighter tone, Mike the Knight is a delightful animated series that introduces younger audiences to a fantastical medieval world. Mike, a young knight-in-training, embarks on adventures that teach him about responsibility, problem-solving, and the importance of being kind. It's a great way to introduce the concepts of knighthood and chivalry to kids in an engaging and educational manner.Whether you're in the mood for a profound cinematic experience with The Green Knight or looking for family-friendly fun with Mike the Knight, today's episode promises a thrilling exploration of what it means to be a knight in both lore and life. Join us as we don the armor of analysis and venture forth into the realm of knights and nobility.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 13, 2024 is: callow • KAL-oh • adjective Callow is a synonym of immature used to describe someone, especially a young person, who does not have much experience and does not know how to behave like an adult. Like the word immature, callow is often used disapprovingly. // The novel's plot involves a callow youth who eventually learns the value of hard work and self-reliance. See the entry > Examples: “Lowery opted to make Gawain a callow young man who aspires to earn the right to join the Knights of the Round Table by proving his honor and bravery—confronting some hard truths about himself along his journey.” — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 31 July 2021 Did you know? Although callow birds—that is, featherless, baby birds—are quite visibly (and audibly) hungry for the world beyond their nest, they are just as visibly immature, far from ready to step, or hop, into it. This meaning of callow isn't common (we only define the word this way in our Unabridged dictionary), but it both links the word directly to its origin, the Old English word calu, meaning “bald,” and to today's more common use in describing someone possessed of youthful naiveté. Calu eventually fledged into callow with the same “bald, hairless” meaning, but was applied to bald land too—that is, land denuded of vegetation or not producing it in the first place. By the 16th century, callow had expanded beyond the literal sense of “lacking hair or flora” to its avian use of “lacking feathers” as well as to today's familiar application to people. Callow now is most often used to suggest the inexperience or immaturity of young people brimming with confidence but still, figuratively, unfledged.

The panel discusses the complysshment of the Sankgreal, Galahad's unwieldy role as a model of virtue, Gawain's manifest impurity, Launcelot's outward conversion, the effect of the Quest upon the Arthurian court, and Malory's conflicted theology.Continue reading

The panel discusses the first half of the Quest for the Holy Grail, including Galahad's knightly debut, the arrival of the Grail in the court, Gawain's impetuous vow, and King Arthur's sorrow—and what it means for the common good of the realm.Continue reading

The character of Gawain, one of King Arthur's leading knights, recurs throughout medieval literature, but the way he's presented underwent a curious development during the period, moving closer and closer to an impossible and perhaps comical ideal of chivalric perfection. In 'Sir Gawain and the Greene Knight', his most well-known incarnation, Gawain faces a series of peculiar tests and apparently fails them all. 'Sir Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle', a later poem, takes many elements from 'The Greene Knight' and exaggerates them to the extreme: the cups the knights drink from are so large they're impossible to drink from, and Gawain faces an even more peculiar sequence of tests, but meets them all perfectly. Irina and Mary discuss the degree to which this exaggeration can be taken as a satire on chivalric expectations, and whether by this point the character of Gawain should be considered more monastic than knightly.Read the text here:https://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/text/hahn-sir-gawain-sir-gawain-and-the-carle-of-carlisleRead some Arthurian background in the LRB here:https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v40/n24/tom-shippey/so-much-smokeSubscribe to Close Readings:Directly in Apple Podcasts by clicking 'subscribe' at the top of this feed;In other podcast apps: https://lrb.me/medlolscsignupGet in touch: podcasts@lrb.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ikigai of Stretch: A New Process for Change In this special, longer episode, we're diving into an extract from a Q&A Zoom call with my son, Joseph Clough. Joseph runs a program that helps people let go of their core issues like anxiety and negative beliefs. We each host two live Q&A calls a month, where we answer questions and introduce new concepts to the program. This particular session focuses on what I call the "Ikigai of Stretch." We explore the concept of Ikigai, which means finding your purpose, and how it can be adapted to help you change behaviors and emotions you don't like. This episode includes a detailed explanation of the Ikigai model, a new fourth circle, and a process I've developed to help you move from your present state to your desired state. The episode concludes with an eight-minute hypnosis process designed to facilitate this change. Make sure you're in a safe, distraction-free environment before you start, especially for the hypnosis segment. Enjoy the journey! 00:00:00" This is an extract from a Q and a Zoom call I did for my son 00:02:20" Paul Clough says finding your purpose in life is key to success 00:09:16" I call it the ikigia of stretch because each one is a 00:12:31" How do I want to be? And, uh, you'll notice 00:18:23" Write down what you want in the world. What is that desired state 00:24:28" You could go to any stationery store and buy a plain book 00:24:49" Ask your unconscious mind what you would like to change about yourself 00:28:44" I ask you to describe what you want to change about yourself 00:38:18" Paul Clough says it's time to fly on your own https://personaldevelopmentunplugged.com/396-the-ikigia-of-stretch Shine brightly Paul Please remember you can leave a comment or email me with questions, requests and feedback.  If you have enjoyed this or any other episode please share and subscribe. Just email me feedback@personaldevelopmentunplugged.com If you want to subscribe to the podcast (I know you do) click here to learn more Or simply click here to go straight to Apple Music / iTunes to subscribe OR leave a review Remember for my specially designed programs for developing Supreme Inner Confidence, Free Your Life of Anxiety and specialize Hypnosis tracks go to PaulCloughOnline.com   If you want to access my FREE HYPNOSIS tracks go to paulcloughonline.com/podcast Follow and inter-react on twitter @pcloughie  I'm a therapist but not your therapist The information with this website or online work, techniques and exercises provided within these free and paid products are for educational purposes only. Do not use the techniques or exercises contained within some of these free or paid products whilst driving or operating machinery, or if you suffer from epilepsy, clinical depression or any other nervous or psychiatric conditions. The information provided is not a substitute for proper medical advice. If in doubt, please consult your doctor or licensed medical practitioner. Any decision you make having received any of Paul Clough's free or paid products are your own and you remain wholly responsible for any decisions and actions you take. Why not look for me and the podcast on  SPOTIFY AND the app Castbox I'm also in iHeart radio YouTube - copy n paste UC3BlpN4voq8aAN7ePsIMt2Q into search bar The Libsyn podcast page http://personaldevelomentunplugged.libsyn.com tunein, learnoutloud, Google Play Music Music by Wataboi from Pixabay, Music by DreamHeaven from Pixabay, Music by ccjmusic from Pixabay, >, Music by freegroove pixabay seduction-jazz-112149 from Pixabay, Music by prazkhanal Pixaby ventura-117073 from Pixabay, And the transcript WARNING if you're a lover of the written word this may make you frustrated, or angry - you have been warned - is it an 'ism This is an extract from a Q and a Zoom call I did for my son Hey, this is a different, longer podcast because it's an extract. It's an extract from a Q and a Zoom call I did for my son. My son, Joseph. Joseph Clough. He has a program that helps people let go of their core issues, anxiety, those negative beliefs. And he. He and I do a 1 hour long, at least 1 hour long q and a live call twice what? Twice each a month, where we answer questions and also bring in new stuff to the program. And one I did a little while ago was all about. I've called it the ikigaia of stretch. And I explained Nikki guy about that in the, q and a recording. But it's all about how I think with this new. This new. It's not a new process. I don't think so, but a process that I've sort of developed helping you to change from a behavior you don't like to something you do like, or a behavior you're not doing, and you want to do something stopping you and how to get on, to doing it. So this is an extract. The recording is a little bit wavy. I've cleaned up as best I can, so it's not too bad, but I think you'll really enjoy it because it's just another way, another process of being able to change easily and effortlessly. And at the end, I actually do. It's around about an eight minute, eight minute sort of hypnosis process. So if you're up for that carry on right to the end, just make sure you're. You're not driving. You're not needed. Needed anywhere. your attention is needed elsewhere is not a thing. Okay. Didn't make sense. But basically, you can only focus on this. If you need something else, you must go away and do that, because here's sort of hypnosis, so please enjoy. And at the end of it, I'll quickly wrap up. Paul Clough says finding your purpose in life is key to success This is personal development unplugged, with Paul Clough. In simplicity, there is genius. In simplicity, there is genius. If I haven't spoken about it before, and I think I have, but I'm going to explain it again. There's a thing called ikigaya, which is, like, intersecting circles. An ikigaya came from, I believe. I'm sure I'm getting it wrong, but some type of japanese island somewhere where these people live for millions of years. Well, hundreds of years, no, 100 years ago. Linglo live long lives, and they live wonderful lives because they have this thing called ikigaia, which means following your purpose, finding your purpose. And when you find your purpose, you find exactly the thing that gives you the most zing in life, as it were. And the way I learned it, was there's three intersecting circles. So if you can imagine, and I can't do it on these screens, but if you can imagine three circles intersecting. So one, two, and one down there. The first circle is called the things I like to do. So these are just things I like to do. The next circle, beside that, is entitled the things I'm good at. Because sometimes the things we like to do, we can really like it, but we're no bloody good at it, but we just like doing it. But there's other things that we do that come, so sometimes they just come so naturally. We've worked so hard to make them come so naturally. They're really good at it. And we work so hard because you bloody like to do it. So you've got then the join between the two are the things what you like to do and what you're good at. The third circle is. And this is more about finding your purpose in life as maybe a business or, the way of making it in life is what are people prepared to pay you for? So the bit in the middle that puts them all together, the sweet spot is the things you're good at, the things you love doing and people will pay you for that is where your passion comes, or is. And when you find that, you get that. I don't believe it. You know, oh, I haven't worked a day in my life. You know, I just do the things I love. Now, you have worked. You work bloody hard to get there, but that's a sweet spot. But then this is the thing. I made a note yesterday, because I was talking to Joe about this, and we just having a little chat, and I said, this is what I'm thinking about talking about tomorrow. And he didn't know much about it. I said, oh, here we go. This is what it is. Within about a minute of us closing the call, he sent me a little note. Oh, look what I found. I found another step to your ikigaia. And the third step is a fourth circle. Yeah. Fourth circle is your fourth step. And the fourth circle is what the world needs now. Thought, wow. I put in my little book. So I was so pleased that Joe suddenly found something and felt so compelled to tell me about it, which made my life a little better, because I felt I've learned something from my son. He wanted to share it with me, which is my little bit of beauty in the world, but also it made so much more sense to me because I always got hung up with. This is really about finding your passion in business. But when you add what the world needs, you can even let that bit about what the world will pay you for get smaller. Because isn't that like the selfless service? Liking what you do, being really good at what you like and what the world needs. And, by the way, now and again you might even get paid for it. But you could get paid for it. Maybe in that law of reciprocity, reciprocal action, karma, you put out something good, you do something. What the world needs, you do something for no one to return. And Bam. The world will pay you for it. The universe will pay you for it without you wanting it. So that was Igaia. Now, I wanted to change that a little bit because I like thinking of how I can change things that work into something else. Because if they work, how can we adapt it, mould, it model it. So I started to think of, Well, I want to change. Maybe I want to change an emotion. Maybe I want to change it in a behavior. Maybe I want to change the way I think. Because if you something new. There's a thing called the communication model in NLP. Basically an event happens out there and you take it through your eyes and all your sight. I'll do it again. Your sight, your ears, your feelings, all your senses, smell and taste. You take these things in and you filter it. You filter it. Deletions, distortions and generalizations. And then all your values and your beliefs. And you got all these wonderful filters going on so you can understand what's happening in the world. And then they have, or they affect and become an internal representation in your mind. Such as having that little picture in your mind that you don't always know you've got because you're in it. And that internal representation has a little voice. And we've all got a little voice. And sometimes we don't realize we've got a little voice because we're talking to that little voice. Well, that little voice is talking to us. We're so wrapped up into it we don't realise it. But that's connected to your emotions, your state. And That's connected to your physiology. And When you get all those three together, there's your behaviours. So whatever you affect, if you change your behaviour, you will change your physiology, you will change the state you're in and you'll change the pictures and the voice in your head. But if you change the pictures in your mind, you will change the feelings and you'll change your physiology and your behaviours. They're just interlinked. Everything happens. And I thought, how can we use that? How can we use it in maybe just wanting to. I call it the ikigai of stretch, because each one is a I call it the ikigai of stretch, because sometimes, and I know this happens when people come to mind mastery, sometimes they're looking for that magic aha, moment, that big shift, the thing that knocks your socks off and what have you. Generally it isn't because it's like evolving. You're learning and learning and learning and changing and changing and changing until you effectively you're out the other side without knowing that you've having gone through it and you're in your new normal, because each one is a little stretch and a little more stretch and a little more stretch. So it's things that you can. Yes, sometimes it can be a little difficult, but you know that you're going to get through to the next one and the next one and you feel so good. So I started to think if I could put three circles together and use it as a change machine and the first circle would be the thing I want to change, call it our present state, as it were. So it could be maybe being triggered by something and you fire off an emotion, could be a habit you've got, or maybe it's a skill that you want to learn, maybe it's the emotion you want to get better at. It's like confidence, competence. Or maybe it's like fear that you want to get rid of. And it's not the big fear that we attach to all these core, core issues, it's those little fears, the little things that just maybe just put hold on you, hold you back for a bit. And so that was the first circle, where am I? What is the thing I want to change? The next circle, which is interacting with that one, is, well, some people just want to change. I just don't want this fear anymore, I don't want this anxiety anymore. I want to be confident, I want to be competent, all this thing, I just want to be. But we don't really go into any detail. So how do I want to be, in what context and think about, well, if this thing is triggering me to have fear, how would I like to be? Because sometimes you have to think about what would be the most appropriate resource, emotion and behaviour and skills to have instead. and it could well be, instead of being courageous, it could be something like being aware, just being aware, being able to connect, being able to be in the worlds of every person lately is be vulnerable. But how could be just a little bit vulnerable? Share a little bit. because once I've shared a little bit, because sharing a big bit was too much. But sharing a little bit, maybe that's just a way to start getting that more confident in ourselves, understanding ourselves and getting connection with others. How do I want to be? And, uh, you'll notice So we've got another circle now. So we've got to say, and it's more specific, how do I want to be? And, you'll notice in all of this, there's no why. There's no why do I act this way? Why have I got this fear? Why have I got this anxiety? Why am I getting angry about things? Why I've got these thoughts in my head? Because we don't want to know the why. Why just bring up all those excuses and beliefs that are just there to try to support. We don't want to know. We just want to know. Acknowledging. Acknowledging how we are. We're not accepting it, by the way, because if we accept it, to me, we accept it as being the truth. And it's okay. Well, actually it's not okay because we want to change, but we're acknowledging, well, that's how I am at this moment. At this moment because that's how I want to be. And this will be the effect. So it's not just saying I want to be less fearful. I now want to be more comfortable in this environment, this particular context. And this will allow me to be this and this and this. Maybe it'll allow us, in a career. Maybe this allows us to find a connection with people that we wouldn't have done before. So now we've got the two present state desired state and the effect of that desired state. And again, we're not even talking about the too much of the effects of where we are right now. We just know we want to change it. We know exactly what we want to change. The third one, that interlinks is the things I can do to change. And this is why I call it the stretch, because the stretch is how smaller steps can I make this change to be. So what are all the steps I could make? All the different things and resources. I've got all my resources. What are the things that are going to help me make this change and then finding the smallest one? Because again, we can have this wonderful acknowledgement of, yep, this is, an hour of my life I'm going to change. This is not serving me. And I want to change. And I know exactly how I want to be. I give an example of I'm totally unfit, totally unhealthy. Therefore I know the negativity of all of that. How do I want to be? I want to be fit, I want to be lean. I want to be doing this. And what opportunities are going to give me? Will I be out with friends? I'll be able to do this. I'll be able to join other groups. I've got all these wonderful things that are going to happen. What am I going to do then? What I'm going to do is starve myself and go to the gym 6 hours a day, every day. And the first day I'm going to run 6 miles on a treadmill. And I'm also going to row for 5 miles. And the next day you give up because it's too hard, too big, too far. Because we hadn't taken into account the number of steps it would take. We've just jumped to the end resource. But we need that end picture. That's the big picture. The big picture that we keep in mind while we're doing the smaller steps. Because that big picture, when you dive into it, if you could metaphorically dive into that, you in that desired state, that wonderful place, it would feel bloody awesome. And when you were there, looking through your own eyes, having got there, you'll be able to see all the effects it's had on that change, all the wonderful opportunities you're going to get. And so you've got a wonderful feeling. And we all know what we call that feeling. It's called the feeling of the wish fulfilled. And it feels bloody awesome. And that's why we tend to want to make that big jump. We get confused. We either get overwhelmed or we just get injured. And it feels horrible. It's too much. So we give up. And the worst thing about that is we can create a habit of doing that. And then we get a belief about ourselves, which is a totally bonky belief of, well, you know, I was never meant to be, I'm not good enough for that. People found me out and I suck at it, which is totally wrong. The only thing you sucked at is you made too big a jump. And it was just a, you know. And if we look at that, that's not failure. The first thing you look at, there's I got a result. It was the worst result I could think of. It wasn't the one I wanted. But I know what I can learn from that, which is take bloody smaller steps. Think about it. But holding that big picture in mind, the ultimate vision of that. So what I thought was, well, you can put all your resources in there, but now we could, now you could do this. And I do suggest if you want to do this as a process, you do it in handwriting. To start off with. To start off with. Because it's good to describe your present state. Because I like to get present states to be the most horrible present state you can get. Because that means you are going to move heaven and earth to change. Especially. The only thing about this is once you describe the present state as being probably the worst you can think of. Don't make it sillily worse. If that's a word, make it factual, but don't hide it. Let's be truthful about ourselves. For me, those things I've done, and, I've called myself a dick, and I know I was at that time, and that's something I've got to change. So I would write that down. Write down what you want in the world. What is that desired state But also you have to do the second part of this, which is how you want to be. What is that desired state, that desired behavior, that desired way of being in the world. You have to do both together. Because if you only do the negative side, life's worth not living. Oh, that's just it. Ah. Everything. I just carry on. Now we do the other one, you go, ah. Now I know what I want in the world, but I haven't. I've thought about it, but I've never written it down. Because, again, when you write it down, because if you write the negatives down, knowing you're going to change, you can realize how crappy they are, how silly they are, how they are no longer appropriate, that anger or whatever, or that fear is no longer getting what you want. It's not supporting you. And one thing, is it comfortable? Is it safe? Is it helping little old planet Earth? and is it helping other people? All the ecology. And the answer is going to be no, no, no, no. So now you know you got to change, and then you know which direction you're going to change. And it feels bloody good because when you write it down, you have to describe what it'll feel like. And when you describe what things feel like, you have to feel them because you can't describe them m any other way. You can't go, oh, yeah, I'll be happy. No, I will feel this way. I'll have this wonderful sensation in my heart. And I want to be, it's got to be beating. I'm going to be smiling. And it's going to be painful in my bloody cheeks because I'm going to be smiling so often. I'm going to be loving this bit of world. You have to. That means you relive it now you've got the motivation, the value. This is why it's so important to me. You get a top value. This is why it's so important to me. It's going to make me feel so good, so safe. It is going to be good for me. It is going to be good for other people. It's good going to be good for a little old, planet Earth because I'm going to do good stuff in the world. See how all ecology comes back in. Then you'd write down the things that you have available to you to change. So it could be here if we're changing behaviours or emotions, you go, well, I've got Joseph's, hypnosis tracks. I've got some of the modules for people who've gone through all the modules. You've got all the modules as tools now to be able to change. You've got q and a's here that you can keep asking people exactly what you want. So even though it may not be exactly to do with mind mastery, it is, because it's about you and what you want to do and how you can do it. You may have friends to support you, you may have books. You've got there's maybe old courses that you've been on that you can remember that. Ah, now it makes sense. It didn't make sense then. Now it does. Maybe you've got things like, I don't know where this came from in my head just then, but you've got the beautiful moments in life. You go, that's a great resource. If I start with the state of all the beautiful moments in life, and life is beautiful, life is wonderful, I'm going to be able to get to my desired state, a lot quicker than if I think life's a pail of crap or anything like that. So now I've got a direction, I know where I want, I've got the pull. All I have to do then is begin to think. Out of all of those, I now know where I want to go, I know where I'm leaving. I also know if I jump that far, I'm going to end up with a result, which is what I don't want. So Paul has said, pick the smallest, pick the smallest thing and you pick something. And then you ask yourself, is there a smaller step? Because we always, I'll tell you now, you will always pick the step which is two or three too big, even when you try to pick the smallest one, because we have this thing that we. Oh, well, let's. We have this thing. We have to make it tough on ourselves. Let's make it bloody hard. And, why would you want to make things bloody hard? If there's an easy way or a simple way, work it easy. Sometimes even those little steps take willpower, take a little bit of push, take a bit of looking at that desired state, getting that pull from that motivation, that value. But you find the smallest step and you put it in your diary, you put it in your day, I'm going to do it today. You're even going to record some of it, maybe in one of these saying, that was a beautiful moment when I did that one little step to move towards that goal, that change. It was a beautiful moment because I'm congratulating, the beautiful moment is congratulating yourself for carrying it out. And then you work out the next and the next and the next. And what happens is those small steps don't stay that small. This small step gets bigger and bigger. and you start, it's like when you go to the gym, you, can start to lift heavier weights. You can't in the beginning, or you can run further, run faster, you can walk faster, row faster, you can do anything. You can focus for longer because you're now training yourself towards that goal and what you might find. And here's the kicker. You're going towards that desired state and something comes along and goes, here's something better. Because what do we always tend to say, this or something better? Good old shakti Gawain comes, slaps you on the back of the head and goes, no, you can have something better. So as you're going along towards that goal, something comes a little bit better and you go, oh, I'm allowed to turn a little bit off because now I know I want to go over here because it's going to get a better result. Because if you've done a big, big jump, got overwhelmed and let it go, you've missed it completely. And what a shame you'd have to start again, but now we can do that. So that's something I would do, and I do do on, my puzzle book. I call them puzzle books, which is a book that I have that is all just my little problems or my little things I want to work out in my life. So I have this thing called a puzzle book. I actually sell them, by the way, if anybody wants to buy a puzzle book, I will sell them to you. You could go to any stationery store and buy a plain book But the thing is you could go to any stationery store and buy a book, a plain book. That's it. That's your puzzle book. Don't need anything fancy. You need to have a little one like this. So I don't sell them, by the way, you just buy them. But what we can also do, once you've done all of that, you've got all those things. We can actually just think about it before we jump in, just to make sure. Ask your unconscious mind what you would like to change about yourself And that's what I wanted to do today, really, to finish off with a little bit, a little bit of a process. So, and it's more, the process might, it might resolve something for you straight away. It might give you an idea what your smallest step is or it might hone, in on the desired state, your goal that you want to be, how you want to be. But it's more of a process just to get your unconscious mind and your conscious mind to get thinking of the steps along the way. So what is the thing I want to change? How do I want to be? What are the resources I've got and, what are the smaller steps I can take to get there? So I wonder if you have, if it's okay, something you like to change and it could be something really, really big, not the core issue you're on, in mind mastery because we've got that process and you're going to crack that. You're going to knock that out of the park. You're going to feel so good and you're going to keep telling us, but something that you'd like to either improve upon to change something could be big, could be small. And I want you just to, go inside for a moment and just notice and ask your unconscious mind. Now I've thought about this thing I would like to change. Just ask. And it's always good to ask this question before you do anything. Is it okay with you, my unconscious mind, to make these changes today and have an undeniable experience of it consciously and notice what you get and the answers you'll get is either yes, no, or maybe if you get a note, then you want to explore it further. Before you jump in, you're going to say, well, okay, what's the intention? And just work out, make sure it's the best thing you want. If you get a maybe, that's brilliant. I love maybes in all of this because a maybe says, I'm going to do it. But if I don't find it's a better way, then I'm not changing. And, why would you want to change if it's not a better way? But the thing is, we know it's going to be a better way anyway because it's a desired state you don't want and you're uncomfortable with, and the desired state is something you're going to be really good with and comfortable with. So it's a no brainer for me. The unconscious mind is going to, but it's not going to jump to it, which is what I like. I don't like unconscious minds. Goes, yeah, give it to me. Give it to me. Now, I want you to assess it. Just think about it unconsciously and then move forward. So once you ask that question, if you get a yes and a maybe, fine. If you get a no, pick another one for the moment and that will work out. And when you've got that little thing that you want to change or big thing, just get a different impression. What I'd like you to do, if it's okay, is to close your eyes because we're going to do this eyes closed. You don't have to, but it's nice to have your eyes closed because you've got nothing to distract you. And as I like to always do, I want you to take a nice in breath with me for the count of four. Hold it for the count of four. And then breathe out gently for the count of eight, all the way down. And feel yourself being drawn down. And then breathe normally, but in my normal way, making every in breath more gentle than the one before and feeling every out breath, drawing you deep inside, just a little deep inside where you connect with your unconscious mind. And because this is not true. Well, it is hypnosis, but it's not deep hypnosis because it doesn't need to be. You can go as deep as you want, or you can just be aware of everything. You're going to be aware of everything that's going to happen anyway because you are, consciously leading this. Now, this is where we're going to get conscious and unconscious. integration, guiding, setting your goal, the conscious mind being the goal setter. your unconscious mind being the gold getter. Joseph asks you to describe what you want to change about yourself and I want you to think just now of that first circle, the thing you want to change. And, just in your mind, you could maybe describe it, the way you feel, the way it makes you feel after the effect of it. For me, when I work with bits of anger, I get a little bit of grief after it, I feel sad after. So maybe there's the things that you feel after the event, the effects, but also in the moment. And Just describe to yourself how uncomfortable maybe it is or how it's not healthy because the negative emotion and negative belief is. Well it is unhealthy. Maybe you can acknowledge the positive intention, your unconscious mind trying its very best. Trying its very best. But the behaviours, beliefs and emotions are no longer appropriate because it no longer feels comfortable and its not what you want. So maybe just in your mind describe it to yourself, describe it to your best friend, how it makes you feel in the moment, post moment, the physical feelings. And then let it stay in that circle, that metaphorical circle. Leave all that description in that metaphorical circle and head on to the next one. How you want to be. So it's completely different now. The other one's over there. You are completely cut off from that. You've done your bit there. You're now in the desired state. How do you want to be when you've made the changes? So it's not how you're going to make the changes, why you're going to make the changes, but you've made the changes already. You might see yourself first, over there being the way that you desire. Maybe you're seeing yourself walking, talking, maybe in with people, communicating with people, doing that thing with ease as if you've been doing it forever. so natural now. And you may just then flow into that you and describe everything that you want, how you want to be. Maybe you want to be more calmer, maybe you want to be more aware. Maybe you just want to have more energy. Maybe you want to be more creative. Whatever comes to mind of you, choose. And please do not be an adult. Have that childlike quality of imagination and creativity where anything and everything is possible. Have it the way you choose now. And as you do that, notice how it feels. But also notice from this point onwards what will allow you to do that's even more better. Maybe you'll make better acquaintances, connect with more people. Maybe you'll serve the world better. Maybe your contribution will just go up, and up. Because when you do that it just feels even more better. Feels bloody awesome. Maybe m you see the effects on your family, your friends, your loved ones. And then notice how it affects yourself, your reaction to yourself, how much better you feel about yourself, maybe even how much you love yourself. That's maybe a big jump, but it's a big jump to make because you're here, you're in your desired state, how you want to be. So you're going to have that love, yourself and everybody else giving and receiving love, making a difference to you and the world and everyone else and feel that feeling. And now I want you to hold on to that feeling, just the feeling. And as you move away from that circle, we're going to move into that circle, which we call, the circle of stretch because each step will be a stretch because you're starting from that desired, from that present state, the state you want to change from. And you're moving towards, this feeling. Now, maybe just consider for a moment the skills that you have, skills maybe you're not using at the moment, but you've certainly got those skills. And those skills can actually be emotional skills too, because you've been, if it's calmness, you've been calm before. If you've been connected, you've been connect. If it's connection, you've been connected before. You've made a difference before, you've made people laugh before, you made people feel comfortable before. A bit like my qualities, all those wonderful things. You've got mind mastery here, you've got Joseph, you've got myself all as your support and knowing you've got all those skills, all those resources, you've got that wonderful set of positive beliefs about yourself, holding that wonderful feeling, that wonderful feeling of that desired state, the feeling of the wish fulfilled. Ask your unconscious mind what is the smallest step I can take today that will move me towards this wonderful feeling, this or something better? What is a smaller step, something that's so small that might even seem insignificant to me, but knowing as I build upon it, like a domino rally, getting bigger, faster, quicker, where the steps will get bigger. but what is the smallest step that I can take so when I do it, I can even record it so I can remember it forever and build upon it and just sit quietly for a moment and notice what comes to mind and take any judgment from it. Don't edit it, because this is your best friend. They're going to make this wonderful change with you and have an undeniable experience of it changing consciously and knowing that every step you take, this feeling of the wish fulfilled will get stronger and stronger because it's being triggered by the steps that you take and this feeling is triggering the steps that you take. So it's a wonderful loop. And when you have that little thing, that one step, I'd like you to commit to it. Think of a time when you can do it comfortably and commit to making that step. And then think about recording it later. And then when you've got that, you can open your eyes, come back into the room, m as they say, and notice everything around and just notice how you feel now, how you feel about that old state that you want to change that behavior and how you feel about the steps you're going to take. Okay, so I did. I do hope you enjoy that and you use that process. If you want to learn more about the, program that Joseph runs, it's josephcluff.com and it's called mind mastery. And it's a lovely program. And it's a program where you become what we call part of the mind mastery family, where you get supported along the way by both Joseph and I and everybody in the program. It's such a supportive place to be. We celebrate, we support each other, and people make magical m changes. It's not magic, but they make magical changes. So if you're interested, just hook up with josephcluff.com and have a chat with Joseph. But that's not the push for this. The push is for you to be able to make changes easily and effortlessly. And this is a nice little process to begin to do that. I do hope you enjoyed it. Please do. Share. Share everything you've learned here, if you would, and let me know if there's anything else you need, email me feedback@personaldevelopmentunplugged.com and we'll see if we can get some more processes. We can either develop them, find new ones, get some old ones back out, and find ways that we can really change ourselves in wonderful ways. Okay? Paul clough says it's time to fly on your own So until the next time, my friend, it is time to fly. Warning. You are now leaving the unplugged mind of Paul clough. It's time to fly on your own. Be brave, my friend. Personal development unplugged.

This week we're going still further back in time, and further north, to read some Middle English from the tale of Gawain and the Green Knight. It's a galloping adventure that's been translated by some of the greats--including J.R.R. Tolkien--and reading the original is a good chance to practice dipping your toe into the more obscure forms of English that make the past feel like another country. Plus: how we appropriated Viking culture. Pre-order my new book, Light of the Mind, Light of the World: https://a.co/d/2QccOfM Check out our sponsor, the Ancient Language Institute (now offering Old English instruction!): https://ancientlanguage.com/youngheretics/ Subscribe to my new joint Substack with Andrew Klavan (no relation): https://thenewjerusalem.substack.com Tips on pronouncing Middle English: https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/cb45/middle-english-basic-pronunciation-and-grammar https://folgerpedia.folger.edu/mediawiki/media/images_pedia_folgerpedia_mw/1/1f/How_to_pronounce_Middle_English.pdf Recordings of expert readings: https://www.arthuriana.com/sggk-rendall