Mythsogyny

Mythsogyny

Join story nerds C Alexandra and John Cordial in their often meandering and illuminating conversations about the stories humans tell themselves, historical, mythological, and legendary, and how no one—not even gods or heroes—can escape misogyny.

  1. JAN 26

    Eleanor Roosevelt pt 4: "Then remaining silent is cowardly."

    "If silence seems to give approval then remaining silent is cowardly." - Eleanor Roosevelt, My Day September 1944. And now, dear listeners, C takes us on a voyage through the final years of Eleanor's life. From being a delegate at the first ever UN, to becoming the strongest champion for human right's we have ever witnessed. Eleanor took on huge challenges, built bridges, and never, ever stopped speaking out for what was right. She wrote more, politicked more, and in the end left a legacy of activism that would be a fine example for us all to follow. It only seems fitting to include one more quote from her: "Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down." - Eleanor Roosevelt. Resources: Eleanor and Hick: the Love Affair that Shaped a First Lady by Susan Quinn https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/11/22/the-first-kitchen https://erpapers.columbian.gwu.edu/browse-my-day-columns (for the My Day column specifically) If You Ask Me: Essential Advice from Eleanor Roosevelt, ed by Mary Jo Binker Dinner with the President by Alex Prud’Homme Eleanor in the Village: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Search for Freedom and Identity in New York’s Greenwich Village. By Jan Jarboe Russell Eleanor Roosevelt, vols 1-3, Blanche Wiesen Cook The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/timeline/ Ken Burns’ documentary, The Roosevelts https://considerthesourceny.org/document/your-hands-guide-community-action https://www.fdrlibrary.org/documents/356632/390886/sears.pdf

    2h 60m
  2. 10/21/2025

    Eleanor Roosevelt pt 3: "But For The Honor Of Our Country."

    Continuing the epic journey into the life of the finest first lady we've ever had, C takes us through Eleanor's White House years. Detailing her tumultuous relationship with Lorena "Hick" Hickok, Mrs. Nesbitt's terrible food, hot dogs with royalty, and the hard years of the depression. Throughout it all, Eleanor shined as a tireless beacon of hope for an exhausted nation that often did not know where our next meal was coming from. A steady voice helping embolden hearts as her hand helped to guide this nation right into WW2. She spoke reasonably about some of our most shameful hours. She said for the honor of our country, we must ignore racial differences and now as in her day, Eleanor's words ring true with the clarity and empathy sorely missed in leadership. It is a real honor to present part 3 of her story.  Resources: Eleanor and Hick: the Love Affair that Shaped a First Lady by Susan Quinn https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/11/22/the-first-kitchen https://erpapers.columbian.gwu.edu/browse-my-day-columns (for the My Day column specifically) If You Ask Me: Essential Advice from Eleanor Roosevelt, ed by Mary Jo Binker Dinner with the President by Alex Prud’Homme Eleanor in the Village: Eleanor Roosevelt’s Search for Freedom and Identity in New York’s Greenwich Village. By Jan Jarboe Russell Eleanor Roosevelt, vols 1-3, Blanche Wiesen Cook The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt https://www2.gwu.edu/~erpapers/timeline/ Ken Burns’ documentary, The Roosevelts

    2h 46m
  3. 05/27/2025

    The Power of Morgan le Fay

    Diving back into Arthuriana, C and John explore the power of sorceress supreme Morgan le Fay. She is a figure of stunning and unmatched female agency in the tales of King Arthur. Mother of Yvain, Master of the Green Knight, Guinevere's number 1 hater-in-chief, staunch admirer of Rube Goldberg, and eventually queen of Avalon. Also she should be the patron saint of sibling rivalry. So kick back, grab an apple fritter, and heal with us as we learn no one does it quite like Morgan le Fay. References “From The Lady to The Tramp: The Decline of Morgan le Fay in Medieval Romance.” Arthuriana, volume 4, issue 1, 1994, pp 1-18. Maureen Fries https://theconversation.com/morgan-le-fay-how-arthurian-legend-turned-a-powerful-woman-from-healer-to-villain-109928 Armstrong, Dorsey. Gender and the Chivalric Community in Malory’s Morte d’Arthur. University Press of Florida, 2003. Folklore Rules: A Fun, Quick, and Useful Introduction to the Field of Academic Folklore Studies, Lynne McNeill Scott, Cynthia A. "Creating Her Own Power: "Morte Darthur's" Morgan Le Fay." https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8777&context=etd https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1885&context=leg_etd Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory  Erec and Enid; Yvain, the Knight of the Lion; and Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart by Chrétien de Troyes The Vulgate Cycle, Anonymous Vita Merlini; Historia regum Britanniae by Geoffrey of Monmouth

    2h 3m
  4. 03/31/2025

    What A Woman Can Do: The Illustrious Artemisia Gentileschi

    This episode for Women's History Month C takes us on a journey to Baroque era Italy and introduces us to one of the greats: Artemisia Gentileschi. A woman is more than just the stories they tell about her, more than her deeds, but Artemisia certainly lived a life with many great stories. One of the most famous artists of her era but shortly forgotten by history, her amazing tale and incredible artworks have been revived by women dedicated to bringing her epic life and artworks back into the public consciousness and now C is doing her part to present to you, dear listener, a story about a woman we all should know by now. You've seen her painting of Judith Slaying Holofernes, but there is so much to this artist than just the canvases she left behind. Sources and links to paintings Garrard, Mary D. (1989). Artemisia Gentileschi: The Image of the Female Hero in Italian Baroque Art.  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/10/05/a-fuller-picture-of-artemisia-gentileschi Cropper, Elizabeth (2020). "Artemisia Gentileschi: La Pittora". https://dia.org/collection/judith-and-her-maidservant-head-holofernes-45746 https://www.arthistoryproject.com/artists/artemisia-gentileschi/susanna-and-the-elders/ https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/15612/ https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103QTA https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/judith-beheading-holofernes https://www.caravaggio.org/judith-beheading-holofernes.jsp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanna_and_the_Elders_(Artemisia_Gentileschi,_Bologna)#/media/File:Artemisia_Gentileschi_-_Susanna_and_the_Elders_near_a_Balcony.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Magdalene_in_Ecstasy#/media/File:Artemisia_Gentileschi_-_Mary_Magdalene_in_Ecstasy.jpg

    2h 34m

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Join story nerds C Alexandra and John Cordial in their often meandering and illuminating conversations about the stories humans tell themselves, historical, mythological, and legendary, and how no one—not even gods or heroes—can escape misogyny.