The Middle Ages have been a source of endless fascination for ages, and have had a strong impact on modern popular culture.  “The Fantasy of the Middle Ages,” written by Larisa Grollemond and Bryan Keene, explores this connection and complements an exhibit similarly titled that ran at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.  

The authors argue that life in the real Middle Ages was far more multidimensional than many people imagine, including individuals who defied gender norms. Grollemond and Keene also examine the pervasive influence of the Middle Ages on music and art, extending to “subcultures on TikTok that use medieval manuscript images and castle-speak” and to “musical groups on YouTube that recreate pop songs with medieval melodies.”  Games with Middle Ages themes have also expanded beyond such staples as “Dungeons & Dragons” to massively multiplayer online games such as “Worlds of Warcraft,” note the authors. 

The authors will be interviewed by Daniele Cybulskie, a writer, speaker, and podcaster focused on “making the Middle Ages fun, entertaining, and accessible.” 

Following the reading, there will be a question and answer period.

This is a live-stream event requiring to have the Zoom application installed on your computer. Free download at https://zoom.us/support/download