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…
Meet Dr. Hysell, the New Medieval and Renaissance History Professor
We were all sad to see Dr. Ellen Arnold, our previous medieval history professor, leave us this past semester. Despite this loss, students of medieval and renaissance history have plenty to look forward to as Dr. Hysell takes over the position this fall. A former OWU alumni, Dr. Hysell earned his BA in History here…
The Ballad of Brunhilde and Fredegund, Part Two: The Bloody Conclusion
Last we left off, the state of the kingdom of the Franks was an unsteady one, as the balance of power had suddenly shifted with the death of Sigibert and Chilperic. In short order, their wives were in charge of their kingdoms as regents for their sons. Brunhilde and her son Childebert II waxed in…
Dr. Deborah Kamen: Insults in Classical Athens Review By Dr. Donald Lateiner
This review was written by Dr. Donald Lateiner, Professor Emeritus of at Ohio Wesleyan University Humanities-Classics & AMRS departments, regarding a book recently published by Dr. Deborah Kamen discussing insults and derogatory language among the Ancient Greeks. We would like to thank Dr. Lateiner for contributing this article, and for being willing to work with…
The Ballad of Brunhilde and Fredegund, Part One: The Royal Rumble Begins
Time often tends to obscure historical figures, reducing them to little more than names and dates, and preventing us from seeing the true nature of their character. They end up being either entirely irrelevant in the popular imagination, or end up so mythologized that scarcely a trace of the original human is left, as a…
Saint Patrick’s Day: Who are we Forgetting?
Happy Saint Paddy’s day! Across the globe, St Patrick’s day is celebrated to honor the saint who died on that day and is said to have converted all of Ireland to Christianity. The day is perhaps more popular, however, as a celebration of Irish culture and history, honoring the legacy of the people of Ireland…
Medieval Food: Less Sugar, Some Spice, But Generally Nice!
“Food is a major component of culture today, and it was no different during the Medieval period.” It would be hard to imagine a world without potatoes, tomatoes, and ample amounts of sugar and salt on the daily. At least, it would be for me. But the diet of the people of Medieval Europe was…
Capri Pappas: Medieval Studies at OWU and After
Capri Pappas, a graduate of OWU from the class of 2020, agreed to sit down with me for an interview about her time in the AMRS program, her experiences here, and what she’s been up to since graduation. At the moment she is attending one of the premier Graduate programs for Medieval studies at the…