In this episode, we journey through myth, memory, and modern magic to explore the powerful Norse goddess Freyja. From her ancient origins as a Vanir deity of love, fertility, death, and seiðr, to her medieval demonisation and Enlightenment dismissal, Freyja’s identity has evolved across centuries of cultural transformation. We trace how she was reimagined during the Romantic and nationalist 19th century and how today she rises again—this time as a feminist icon, digital warrior, and muse for video games, music, and literature. Join us as we uncover how Freyja’s story has been told, twisted, and reborn—again and again.Cool Stuff Mentioned In This Episode: http://germanicmythology.com/original/Freyja%20and%20Odr%202008%20CULT%20OF%20FREYR%20AND%20FREYJA.pdfhttps://skemman.is/bitstream/1946/27622/1/A%20New%20Kind%20of%20Feminine.pdfhttps://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/57994/1/Lan-Wang-thesis.pdfhttps://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203456385-9/freyja%E2%80%94a-goddess-many-names-britt-mari-n%C3%A4sstr%C3%B6mhttps://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315832951-13/viking-religion-old-norse-mythology-terry-gunnellhttps://www.proquest.com/openview/e198dc4fef9e6a4e40d0465d3538b2a7Support the showFollow me on Bluesky - @ladiesoflore.bsky.social Follow me on TikTok - @ladiesoflore
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52:34
Circe: Weaving Her Own Fate
This week we will be taking a look at the transformation of one of mythology’s most misunderstood women: Circe. From Homer’s dangerous enchantress to a symbol of female power and self-authorship, we'll trace Circe’s evolution through ancient texts, centuries of retellings, and her feminist reclamation in today’s literature and culture. Cool Stuff Mentioned In This Episode: https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/spellbinding-story-circe-goddess-magic-006787https://www.greekmythology.com/Other_Gods/Circe/circe.htmlhttps://uw.manifoldapp.org/read/odysseus-and-circe/section/00bcf35b-0057-450a-a122-781c91a8a73ahttps://devonte.blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/alfred-tennyson-e28093-ulysses.pdfhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/Circe-Greek-mythologySupport the showFollow me on Bluesky - @ladiesoflore.bsky.social Follow me on TikTok - @ladiesoflore
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50:16
Sirens: The Musical (ft. RPG Major)
Join me for a very special episode of Ladies of Lore, featuring the incredibly talented cast of RPG Major, the improvised musical actual play podcast. Today we explore the Sirens, find out where they come from, hear their stories and learn about how they have changed through time to arrive in today's modern world. All while hearing some amazing improvised songs from RPG Major. Follow RPG Major:https://www.rpgmajor.com/https://bsky.app/profile/rpgmajor.bsky.socialhttps://www.instagram.com/rpgmajor/Cool Stuff Mentioned In This Episode: https://www.theoi.com/Text/HesiodCatalogues.htmlhttps://www.frieze.com/article/siren-some-poetics-2022-reviewhttps://www.frieze.com/article/siren-some-poetics-2022-reviewhttps://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/248205https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/Odysseus-and-the-Sirenshttps://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/myths/odysseus-and-the-sirens/https://mnet.mwpai.org/sites/default/files/2021-08/Ulysses_and_the_Sirens.pdfhttps://www.historytoday.com/archive/foundations/ulysses-and-sirenshttps://www.cusd80.com/cms/lib/AZ01001175/Centricity/Domain/4937/6%20-%20The%20Sirens.pdfSupport the showFollow me on Bluesky - @ladiesoflore.bsky.social Follow me on TikTok - @ladiesoflore
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1:54:06
Pandora: A Jar of Hope
In this episode, we unravel the mystery of Pandora’s story, the true meaning of her jar, and the curious fate of hope. Was it a blessing, a trick, or something more? Cool Stuff Mentioned In This Episode:https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1884-0807-1https://turkisharchaeonews.net/object/pithos-garden-troyhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/Pandora-Greek-mythologyhttps://www.greekmyths-greekmythology.com/pandoras-box-myth/https://www.theoi.com/Heroine/Pandora.htmlhttps://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Pandora/pandora.htmlhttps://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=dXmx97UzO6IC&oi=fnd&pg=PR21&dq=pandora+in+modern+culture+across+literature,+film,+tv,+and+music&ots=PJVQqSk1Ae&sig=P2n7RMWm0odw29AwehDgu8ExUtM&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=falsehttps://www.proquest.com/openview/23bfa767dfd91f00c401c5faba630aa2/1?cbl=18750&diss=y&pq-origsite=gscholarhttp://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/18394/https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=VRttDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA102&dq=pandora+in+modern+literature,+including+books+and+novels&ots=tH6ayRSPt4&sig=lX2IEw3jxFEAIDi2D83vvOxQ0pY&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=pandora%20in%20modern%20literature%2C%20including%20books%20and%20novels&f=falseSupport the showFollow me on Bluesky - @ladiesoflore.bsky.social Follow me on TikTok - @ladiesoflore
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41:18
Guinevere: Part 2 - Power, Agency and Patriarchy
TRIGGER WARNING - SEXUAL ASSAULT For centuries, Guinevere has been portrayed as a cautionary tale—the woman whose love affair with Lancelot shattered Camelot. But was she truly the villain of the story, or was she a victim of the patriarchal narratives that have shaped her legend? In this episode, we reclaim Guinevere’s agency, exploring her role as a powerful queen, a woman caught between duty and desire. Welcome to the second part of our exploration of Queen Guinevere, where we take a look at how portrayals of Guinevere changed through time from Thomas Mallory, through to the Victorian period and into the modern day. Cool Stuff Mentioned in this Episode: https://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/guinever.htmlhttps://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/guinevere-0017503https://www.worldhistory.org/Guinevere/A Woman of Legend: The Once and Future Queen Guinevere | by legendarywomen | Legendary Women | Mediumhttps://matterofbritain.com/htmlpages/legendliterature3.htmlhttps://www.medievalists.net/2017/12/will-real-guinevere-please-stand/https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/84552/1/RMS-2004-04_P._S._Noble%2C_Women_in_the_Vulgate_Cycle.pdfhttps://www.bdtd.uerj.br:8443/bitstream/1/18264/2/Dissertação - Mariana Feitosa de Campos Oliveira - 2022 - Completa.pdfhttps://skemman.is/bitstream/1946/8367/1/Queen Guinevere.pdfhttps://www-jstor-org.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/stable/pdf/10.1163/j.ctv2gjwzx0.20.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default%3Aff80eb395a977d8ee47a694283a4ca18&ab_segments=&initiator=recommender&acceptTC=1https://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/French/DeTroyesLancelotPartIII.php#anchor_Toc534022913https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Fantastic-Imagination-Potter-Postmillennial/dp/1479806072/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1742329994&sr=8-1Support the showFollow me on Bluesky - @ladiesoflore.bsky.social Follow me on TikTok - @ladiesoflore
Ladies of Lore is the podcast dedicated to the fierce, forgotten and fascinating women of mythology and folklore. We unpick, unravel and explore their origins, their stories and explore how they have changed through time to arrive in today's modern world. From vengeful goddesses to cunning tricksters, warrior queens to mystical seers, we dive deep into the legends that shaped cultures - and the women who ruled them.Whether they've been erased, misunderstood or overshadowed, we're here to set the record straight and bring their stories to life. If you love myth, history and powerful women, this is the podcast for you.
Ireland