1 - Nature Abhors a Vacuum: Queering ‘The Ruin of Britain’ (Gildas, 548 CE)

Welcome to 🌈Queering Arthur👑, our first episode of the podcast, where you can join us in exploring ✨queer interpretations🧠 of 🫅🏾Gildas' The Ruin of Britain📜. Context in this episode includes: The Roman Empire vacates Britain, Britons fight amongst each other, Vortigern hires mercenaries Hengist and Horsa who betray him, Latin as the language of the educated elite, defining 'the vine of sodom'. Analysis in this episode includes: Roman sexuality, differing interpretations of German and French words used in translation, control versus submission, binary thinking, and how Gildas' judgements were self-defeating due to misogyny.

Find all out social media links at www.queeringarthur.com.

Queerthurs! Join our Virtual Roundtable on Patreon for access to the Community Discord:

https://www.patreon.com/QueeringArthur?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

We're discussing these questions:

- What meanings have scholars assigned to Roman sexuality?

- Is the interpretation consonant or dissonant with historical evidence?

- How can this interpretation be bolstered or transcended?

- What types of sexual acts and roles were associated with Roman sexuality?

- Where do we find evidence of Roman sexual practices and beliefs?

- When in Roman history do we see shifts in attitudes towards sexuality?

- Who were the key figures shaping Roman sexual norms, and why did they do so?

- What meanings and connotations are associated with the word "unkempt"?

- Is the use of "unkempt" in literature and language generally consonant or dissonant?

- Does the metaphor need bolstering with contextual information?

- How is "unkempt" used as a metaphor in different literary works?

- Where in the text or in literature can we find examples of "unkempt" being used metaphorically?

- When in history or storytelling is "unkempt" employed to convey deeper meaning?

- Who are the characters or individuals typically described as "unkempt," and why is it done?

- How do different philosophical or literary traditions interpret the yearning for domination by truth and justice?

- Is this desire consonant or dissonant with various ideologies and belief systems?

- Does this yearning need bolstering with examples from history or literature?

- What are some historical or fictional narratives that explore the theme of yearning for domination by truth and justice?

- Where in the text or in historical contexts do we see this yearning expressed?

- When in human history do individuals or societies exhibit a strong desire for truth and justice?

- Who are the key figures or characters who embody the yearning for domination by truth and justice, and why do they pursue it?

- How does Gildas employ binary thinking in his writings?

- Is Gildas's use of binary thinking consonant or dissonant with the cultural and intellectual context of his time?

- Does this binary thinking need bolstering with examples from Gildas's text?

- What are some specific instances of binary thinking in Gildas's work?

- Where in the text can we identify clear examples of binary distinctions?

- When in the narrative or historical context does Gildas employ binary thinking?

- Who are the characters or groups that are subjected to binary categorizations, and why does Gildas use this approach?

- How have attitudes towards sex work evolved over time and across cultures?

- Are the negative implications towards sex work in historical texts consonant or dissonant with societal norms?

- Do these negative implications needbolstering with historical context or alternative perspectives?

- What types of language and terms havebeen historically used to stigmatize sex work?

- Where in historical texts or records do we find evidence of negative attitudes towards sex work?

- When in history do we see shifts in societal perceptions of sex work?

- Who are the individuals or groups typically targeted by negative implications towards sex work, and what are the motivations behind such portrayals?

Members of our Queer Retinue (Patrons) also get stickers, merch, and members only events like methodology, Livestreams (tabletop games, videogames), readings, reenactments and radio plays, posters, comics, expanding sources, like Arthuriana in modern books, movies, shows, and comics, for example, Tennyson and Elliot, Boorman's Excalibur, Monty Python and The Holy Grail, Disney's Gargoyles, Hellboy, Divine Gate, and more. Arthuriana spans the world and time and we’re gonna queer it all: https://www.patreon.com/QueeringArthur?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Consider it: you can join us and discover the authentic queer narratives woven throughout Arthuriana from the authors and their works, the arts, language, history, politics, religion, and trade that shaped the culture. Unpack the 💖intertextuality📚 using mythology, psychology, biology, and cosmology 🏳️‍🌈 Come! 💙Queer Arthur💜 with us ₊˚✧𑁍.ೃ࿔*: #queer #podcast #arthurianlegend #lgbtq #hermeneutics #staychivalrous