Monstrum

The Mother of Vengeance: Grendel's Mom

The big baddie in Beowulf isn't actually the monster Grendel, but Grendel's Mother. Who maybe isn't a monster at all? Often depicted as a hideous beast or an alluring seductress, her true nature is debated. Despite appearances, she’s described in warrior terms, challenging traditional gender roles. Translation and interpretation have shape her lore as a fearsome yet misunderstood figure.

The Mother of Vengeance: Grendel's Mom

8m 44s

  • The Unspoken Rules of Slasher Movies: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Unspoken Rules of Slasher Movies

    S6 E11 - 32m 44s

    The 1974 movies Black Christmas and Texas Chain Saw Massacre gave rise to what would become one of cinema’s most enduring genres: the slasher film. In this special episode, we’ll talk about the origins, evolution and cultural impact of these gory popcorn films and take a close look at the key tropes—masked killers, final girls, and gore—that continue to make make slashers iconic.

  • Why Manticore Is a Dungeons & Dragons Legend: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Why Manticore Is a Dungeons & Dragons Legend

    S6 E10 - 12m 47s

    Featured in tabletop RPGs, card games, books, animated movies and shows, the manticore is a legend. And there’s a lot of speculation about the origins of the manticore. Is it a man-eating monster from Persian myth or simply a misidentified tiger?

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