Episode 5 - Woven and Rewoven: Creative Criticism and the Medieval World (A Conversation with Ella O'Shea, Issi Marklew and Libby Histed)

What does a napkin have to do with the modern-day reception of medieval literature? How is it that Rosalia's album 'Lux' invites new interpretative possibilities for the study of female mystics? And how does Shrek fit into all of this?In this episode, I am joined by Libby, Ella and Issi (the genius behind my intro and outro music) as we unpack the powerful ways that creative criticism can challenge and extend our understanding of medieval literature. We talk about how creative criticism destabilises our understanding of an 'original' or 'unified' text as the past is reconfigured when it comes into conversation with the present. We discuss the inherently iterative nature of medieval literature, as it weaves and reweaves itself, undoing itself and then reviving. Inspired by the work of Dr. Laura Varnum and Carolyn Dinshaw, we talk about the role of shared affect and bodily sensation in allowing us to effectively hold hands with the past. But we also ask what's at stake in our relationship with the medieval, as we remain wary of the danger that comes with romanticising the past. We see creative criticism as a way of departing from the right-wing, extremist use of medieval literature that tends to advance views of an ethnically 'pure' past. Through artistic adaptations, traditionally marginalised voices are brought into the limelight. At its core, this episode is a light-hearted conversation between four deeply enthusiastic students of medieval literature who have been influenced by the medieval in seemingly unexpected ways. Grounded in our personal responses to medieval literature, our discussion gets to the heart of why it is that the medieval world matters in today's world. Join us to discover how scarves, napkins, pocket shrines, musicals and even Shrek reconceptualise our relationship with the medieval past. Note: I, unfortunately, was unable to find a way to upload an image of Ella's pocket shrine :( You can find images of it on her Instagram page where she uploads all of her fantastic creative critical responses: @modcearig.crafts. If you enjoyed this episode and want to stick around for the next one, do hit follow and review the show!Music credits go to Isobel (Issi) Marklew.