A Brief History of Christmas Carols Where our Christmas Classics Come From by Noelle Weaver The Christian holiday of Christmas was established and set on December the 25th on 354, set in between the Roman festival of Saturnalia and Kalendae. It seems like we’ve been extra eager for Christmas to come this year: we’ve been hearing…
Allhallowtide: The Season of Dead Souls and Saints
Allhallowtide The Season of Dead Souls and Saints By Noelle Weaver While we have widespread Halloween celebrations on October 31st in the US, this popular holiday is followed closely by two holy days in the Roman Catholic church. The Hispanic community’s Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos has come into pop culture…
The Green Knight Film Review (The Finale)
The Green Knight Film Review Part III: The Conclusion By Noelle Weaver A24’s The Green Knight is an adaptation of the classic medieval story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Most of the middle of the film, the rising action as Gawain wanders through the wilderness, is comprised of original scenes. Despite this straition from…
Of Spirits and Celebration: Samhain and the History of Halloween
Of Spirits and Celebration: Samhain and the History of Halloween by Helena von Sadovszky Samhain is a Celtic pagan religious festival typically celebrated from October 31 to November 1. It is one of four yearly fire festivals; Samhain marks the midpoint between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. As such, Samhain celebrates…
The Green Knight Film Review (part 2)
The Green Knight Film Review Part II by Noelle Weaver The middle of the film’s tone is full of eerie surrealism, and the viewer can never be sure if what they’re seeing is reality or not. The sepia-toned barren landscapes Gawain travels through offer no comfort, and everyone he encounters on the road is looking…
The Horrors of Sir Gowther
The Horrors of Sir Gowther Halloween-worthy Moments in the Breton Lai by Katie Korenge Fall comes with many perspectives of how to spend the season, with the highlight being Halloween at the center. Halloween is celebrated in a variety of ways, but one of our favorites is the recounting tales of supernatural happenings and what…
Who are The Daughters of Leda?
Who are the Daughters of Leda? The Women behind the Myths By Noelle Weaver This past weekend, OWU’s drama group put on a stunning production of Madeline Sayets’s Daughters of Leda. The struggles and hurt of the characters genuinely brought me to tears, and they were painted well enough that you didn’t need to know…
The Struggles and Triumphs in Translating Arabic Poetry
The Struggles and Triumphs in Translating Arabic Poetry by Jenna Nahhas Unless your name happens to be Amanda Gorman, being a poet in the 21st century does not typically mean fame and fortune. But in the medieval Mediterranean, the life of a poet was full of political intrigue, civic ambition, and sometimes, in the case…
The Green Knight Film Review (Part 1)
The film company A24, behind hit indie films like Lady Bird, Hereditary, and Midsommar has at long last released their adaptation of a classic medieval tale from Camelot. After a year of people avoiding theaters and films pushing back their debuts or resorting to digital releases, The Green Knight has arrived on the big screen. The source material, Sir Gawain and…
Why You should Check Out the Ohio Renaissance Fair
I’ll never forget the first time I discovered the Renaissance Festival here in Ohio. My dad had gotten some free tickets, and while it wasn’t something that had ever been on my radar before, it sounded like a lot of fun. My teenage self was not disappointed. The Ohio Renaissance Festival in Waynesfield is…