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Medieval Myths & Mysteries Audible Audiobook – Original recording

Dorsey Armstrong (Author, Narrator), The Great Courses (Author), Audible Originals (Publisher)
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 4 ratings
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Was King Arthur a real person? What about Robin Hood? Is the Holy Grail a cup, or something else, altogether? Did Europeans really burn millions of people at the stake for witchcraft, in the past? These are just a few of the questions you will explore with the help of medieval scholar Dorsey Armstrong as she reveals the truth about the stories we continue to tell about the medieval period. Some contain nuggets of truth, others are wholly fabricated, but all of them can tell us something about the past.

From films like Braveheart and Excalibur to literature such as Ivanhoe and Morte d’Arthur, the years between 500 and 1500 have generated amazing stories of knights and damsels, superstitions and magic; some of these stories even made it into our grade school history curriculum. But what were those years really like? Known, somewhat inaccurately, as the “Middle Ages,” this period was not merely a transition from Roman antiquity to the Renaissance, but a vibrant time full of people just as curious, innovative, malicious, joyful, confused, ambitious, complex - in other words, just as human - as in any other period of history.

The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more.

With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths of a simpler and less civilized age, which was, in fact, much richer and more complex than many of us have been led to believe.

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  1. Listening Length
    5 hours and 6 minutes
  2. Author
    Dorsey Armstrong, see all
  3. Narrator
    Dorsey Armstrong
  4. Audible release date
    September 17, 2019
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Audible Originals
  7. ASIN
    B07XH4C958
  8. Version
    Original recording
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 5 hours and 6 minutes
Author Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
Narrator Dorsey Armstrong
Audible.com Release Date September 17, 2019
Publisher Audible Originals
Program Type Audiobook
Version Original recording
Language English
ASIN B07XH4C958
Best Sellers Rank #110,747 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#478 in Unexplained Mysteries (Audible Books & Originals)
#1,019 in Unexplained Mysteries (Books)
#1,151 in Folklore & Mythology Studies

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Just Me
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, Informative, Well-Delivered
    Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024
    The topics included in the Great Course were very interesting to me, from the legendary/non-historical -- King Arthur, Robin Hood, Prestor John, mythological beasts -- to aspects of history such as the Black Death and the Wars of the Roses, wrapping up with a discussion of several aspects of the popular Game of Thrones books and series and how they related to history, legend, and mythology. The instructor draws from old documents/literature and modern science, and covers why these characters and topics have remained so much a part of our culture. She has a lively tone and must be a fantastic teacher in the classroom.

    I enjoyed this Course through Kindle Audible.
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  • Elisabeth Carey
    5.0 out of 5 stars A lively look at medieval Europe
    Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2020
    This is a great set of lectures about medieval Europe and what many of us think we know that just wasn't so. We get lively accounts of King Arthur (almost certainly real, though not called either "King" or "Arthur"), and Robin Hood. We learn about the Knights Templar and the origins of a very popular modern conspiracy theory, and what the medieval Europeans did and didn't know about the physical world.

    Medieval bestiaries and real or fanciful travelogues, and a really interesting suggestion for the possible origin of the Questing Beast add a lot of fun to the listening. And Armstrong finishes up with a look how George R.R. Martin drew on medieval history to make A Song of Ice and Fire/The Game of Thrones a rich and fascinating story.

    It's entertaining, informative, and fun.

    Recommended.

    I got this from Audible's expanded May selection of free Audible Originals, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Gilbert M. Stack
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Great Courses Books
    Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2021
    This is one of the most delightful Great Courses books I’ve yet listened to. At its essence, Armstrong picks up a bunch of images from the Middle Ages that have filtered down to our modern society and explores both the modern story and the actual medieval roots. Some are about famous figures—Robin Hood and King Arthur. Others are about magical creatures like the Questing Beast. Still others are about events like the Black Death or institutions like the Templars. And at each point your understanding of the people who lived during the Middle Ages will grow, your understanding of how stories come into existence will evolve, and your appreciation of this rich and wondrous period of our history will expand.
    2 people found this helpful
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