Episode 116: Cabbages & Kings | Alice in Wonderland, Logic & Nonsense

Follow us down the rabbit hole as we wrap up a three-part miniseries on classic Disney animated features. This week, we’ll turn our gaze away from fairy tales and toward something curiouser… Alice in Wonderland. We’ll discuss the literary impact of Lewis Carroll’s beloved children’s masterpiece, the surprising logic behind the nonsense, and a philosophical outlook on Alice’s absurd adventures. What are Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum? What does the Cheshire Cat really want? And why oh why is a raven like a writing desk? Then we’ll investigate some of the key differences between the source material and Disney’s adaptation and what those differences can teach us about the historical context from which each version was born. A dash of Homer’s Odyssey and a pinch of psychedelia, and we might as well join the mad tea party.

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Episode 115: Mirror Mirror | Snow White, Mythology & Religion

Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the greatest podcast of all? After last week’s stimulating discussion of myth and fairy tale through the lens of Sleeping Beauty, we’re talking about the original Disney classic Snow White. We’ll deconstruct the iconic imagery of the poisoned apple and glass coffin, work through the uncomfortable implications of evil stepmothers, and spend some time with everyone’s favorite diminutive spirits, the seven dwarfs.

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If you enjoyed this episode, check out some of our sources and inspiration! Images are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase the item, a percentage goes to the podcast. Thank you for your support!

Episode 114: Briar Rose | Sleeping Beauty, Fairy Tales & Sexuality

Once upon a time… You know the story. King and Queen have a baby girl, evil fairy shows up to the celebration and curses the girl, girl is raised in the woods by good fairies, girl meets prince, girl falls into enchanted sleep, prince slays a dragon, true love’s kiss saves the day, happily ever after. But behind Disney’s 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty lies a dark and disturbing fairy tale tradition, one in which gender and sexual politics and questions of fate are as tangled as the thorny briars surrounding the castle. This week, Derek and Laurel explore the legacy of our most beloved fairy tales and their Disney adaptations. We’ll uncover corollaries to classical mythology, psychoanalytical interpretations, gender stereotypes and more in Sleeping Beauty.

CW: brief discussion of sexual assault

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Episode 105: A Diamond in the Rough

Can storytelling change the world? How does our media shape our understanding and perceptions of other cultures? As we await the release of the live-action remake of the beloved animated film Aladdin, these questions have bubbled to the surface. In this exploration of the best-known retelling of Aladdin and his Enchanted Lamp, we’ll learn about the jinn of Islamic theology, the tangled publication history of the One Thousand and One Nights, and the stories that came together to inspire a children’s classic. You ain’t never had a podcast like us.

Support us at www.patreon.com/midnightmyth

Check out our new merch store for Midnight Myth, Boomerangerang, and Wheel of Ka tees and totes!

Learn more, view sources and inspiration, and sign up for e-mail updates at www.midnightmyth.com

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Sources

If you enjoyed this episode, check out some of our sources and inspiration! Images are affiliate links, meaning if you purchase the item, a percentage will go to the podcast. Thank you for your support!

Episode 64: Way Down Below the Ocean

Once upon a time, way down below the ocean, there lived a little mermaid who longed to be part of a different world. This week, Derek and Laurel deconstruct one of the most beloved stories of all time, from its ancient mythic inspiration to its 19th Century origins—all the way to the classic Disney animated movie. We’ll break apart tragic themes and what it means to give a happy ending to a heartbreaking fairy tale, and explore the social hierarchies and family dynamics that make The Little Mermaid a perfect allegory for some of our worst fears. And, most importantly, everything comes back… to Plato.

Episode 55: Problem-Free Philosophy

Last week we began a conversation about what makes a good king. To continue probing the possible answers, we had to go back to one of our favorite monarchs in storytelling, The Lion King. In this episode, Derek and Laurel explore the connections (and departures) of the Lion King and Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the historical roots of the political systems laid out in the animated classic, and the ultimate philosophical messages it leaves us with. It may seem easy and ideal to say “no worries” for the rest of your days, but of course, we know there is no problem-free philosophy. Be prepared for a sensational podcast.