Chamon:
A Medievalist's Dungeons and Dragons Fantasy Realm

Hayden Kammer

Fantasy surrounds and encompasses the Middle Ages. From fables of knights rescuing "damsels in distress" to never venturing into the woods alone, many critically acclaimed fantasies garner inspiration from these times, the most popular being a table-top roleplaying game called Dungeons and Dragons. The first version of Gary Gygax's Dungeons and Dragons was actually a war game, but after taking inspiration from Conan the Barbarian, Gygax introduced more fantasy elements: wizards, dragons, knights, magic, etc. From there, the game expanded into the cult-classic Dungeons and Dragons, with millions playing worldwide. Since 2015, the game has started to resurface and take pop culture by storm, with thousands of new "Game Masters" creating their own fantasy worlds while abiding to the code Gygax created.

Many of these unique fantasy worlds take inspiration from the Middle Ages, like Critical Role's "Exandria", created by Matthew Mercer. In the continent of Wildemount, two kingdoms face the ideas of conflict: the Dwendalian Empire, primarily made up of humans, elves, dwarves, and other civilized races, and the Kryn Dynasty, a society lead by drows (dark-skinned elves who cannot go out into the sunlight), bugbears, hobgoblins, and other monstrous races. This takes inspiration from the ideas of a "White/Light and Black/Dark Knights", the White typically representing light and good, while the Black typically represents evil, or some sort of foreign power. While watching Critical Role and making these connections, I wondered, "What would an entire medievalist world look like?" and thus, I set out on my personal creative quest.

The Creation

Controlled by Queen Alfreda Elmate and the rest of the Octagonal council, Chamon's only inhabited continent, Kyraneth, has had a convoluted history across its 1379 recorded years, and countless undocumented years.

The world began as a lightless void of purple-grey gooey mass, known as Yohr, but was made up of two separate entities. The purple entity was Aba, and the gray entity was K'os. Aba is the physical embodiment of good, while K'os was his polar opposite, representing evil. The two gods were in perfect harmony inside Yohr, but one day things chaged. They both wanted to have purpose in life, to be worshipped and respected. So together they created Chamon, a completely blank slate. Around Chamon they placed 3 moons- Yohr, the biggest, and Tala and Mosket, two smaller moons. These moons gave a day/night cycle to the world, a reminder for humanity to take a break. Next, the two gods created the land and sea. They added thousands of fish to the sea and plants to the land to give humanity the chance to farm and get food. After that, they created the forests and caves, giving humanity resources to build their homes when they discovered how to. Finally, it was time for the two gods to create the first humans. They first gathered the soil around them and molded them to look like humanoids. Then, the hard part. The two gods knew that creating souls was not as simple as it sounded, it would require a lot of energy and take them out of the action for a couple of hundreds of years. Nonetheless, they decided to anyway. They breathed life into the husks, and created the first humans. Aba made mortal hearts full of shareable love, while K'os influenced the deepest parts of the heart, sprinkling in negative emotions like jealousy and hatred. This created the complex human psyche.

This strenuous deed left both Aba and K'os overwhelmingly drained, to the point where their physical form started to fade. The only option the two gods had was to split, to cast off Yohr and to be their own two separate beings. The process was difficult, but they managed to do it. This process was dubbed, "The Rimination" and folklore says the sky was cast into darkness for several years. Because of this, plants stopped growing, which caused a major famine to go into place. Productivity took a downward spiral, and humans starved for many years while many of the fauna died. When Aba and K'os finally returned, their physical forms changed majorly. According to historical and religious documents, Aba is a huge, stout man adorned with shiny gold armor that covers his darker skin, and a blue-white helmet that covers his short hair. At first glance K'os appeared to be normal, but upon closer inspection his body was morphed and inhumane. His skin was made out of a rock-like substance, with his shoulder blades hardening like a weird shell. His eyes were as deep of a red as his hair, and two devil horns protrude from his forehead.

Besides their physical appearances, something had changed about the two gods. They were less limited and bound. The gods had full control over their powers of creation and destruction.

When the Rimnation finally ended, humanity wept in joy that they could see the sunlight again. They were able to readjust, but unfortunately the wildlife couldn't. Many of the plants grew malnourished and withered during the time, leaving the land completely barren and wasted. Aba saw this and heard the humans's struggles, so he created Oakider, the god of nature. A god with equal power to his own, Oakider nourished the trees and wildlife, even giving a few predators to ensure the plants don't grow too much. Humanity quickly flocked to these new, interesting parts of society, and pretty quickly decimated the ecosystem. The trees were turned into wooden logs for shelter, the plants were quickly made into food, the 'predators' quickly became the prey, and the soil was used for farming. Oakider was deeply upset by this, and created more predatory creatures to stop the humans. Large creatures like bears, wolves, snakes, and dinosaurs roamed the land, while aquatic creatures like sharks, whales, and polar bears roamed the oceans and icecaps. Many other animals were added to the environment as well, quickly sprucing up the world and filling it with life. Even though everything was wonderful, Oakider still felt like something was missing. He feared that these creatures wouldn't be enough, so he created the Elves, a beautiful, long-lasting race of humanoids that had an affinity for nature. Many elves stayed in Ka'Lumat, an elven fortress completely surrounded by mountains and forests while others ventured out to meet their human accomplices. Relations were somewhat tense, but they managed to be peaceful with one another. Oakider saw how wonderfully the elves lived in society by themselves, so he decided to reward them. He first created the Wandering Isles- a demiplane where elvenfolk could live with nature without physical constraints. In the Wandering Isles many new creatures were created- he created faefolk, tiny fairies, pixies, and even archfey that would constantly travel back and forth between planes, he created elementals- powerful beings that would take the earth, fire, water, or air and comprise it to their physical being, then use powerful attacks. He took these smaller elementals and combined them to powerful titans, and set them out all over Chamon. Their purpose is still unknown as they haven't been encountered yet.

As Aba continued to help the human families grow and prosper, he grew somewhat jealous and lonely. He wanted a wife of his own, someone who he could connect with. He created Ima, the goddess of fertility and motherhood. She stood as Aba's equal, loving him just as she would herself. Together they had triplets- Kalatal, Cantu, and Ethraee. While their children could not rival their power, they were still equally strong in their own right. Kalatal became the god of knowledge, helping expand humanity's limits by educating and making them more civilized. Cantu became the god of justice and order, and would constantly find himself picking champions to mediate disputes between one another. Ethraee became the god of the sun and moons, always making sure that everyone had a cycle to rely on.

When the gods were preoccupied with other situations, K'os went to work. He would instill superiority inside of the elves, making them view their lifespan as irrefutably better than the humans. In the humans, he would dredge up feelings of anger and frustration, causing arguments that Cantu would have to resolve. While the gods were busy with their lives, K'os created Hextor, the god of war and conquest. Hextor saw that the mortals had weapons, but they were still rudimentary. Hextor taught humans how to mine underground and use those resources to better 'upgrade' their weapons. He also taught humans how to fight with them, kill, and instilled a basic sense of combat tactics in their mind. Many of the other gods were too preoccupied to even notice K'os doing all this- they were too happy and content to care. Hextor took this opportunity to manipulate the humans even further- he drove humans to create kingdoms and provinces, manipulating them to create more conflict. Thus, the Age of Conquest begun.

Octagonal Council Houses

Villages and Cities

Violent, Vicious, and Valiant: An Analysis of Viking Medievalism in Masculinity

Gordon Harman-Sayre

Introduction

In the modern vernacular, Vikings are often synonymous with destruction and brutal acts of war. TV shows, video games, and movies about Vikings are dedicated to elucidating the savagery and masculine ability of these medieval warriors. The manga Vinland Saga, authored in 2013, serves as an example of these Viking tropes put into action fictionally. The manga’s primary character, Thorfinn, witnesses the death of his father and is forced to come of age in a society that defines masculinity based on strength and combat prowess. By purveying the common Viking tropes of heroic masculinity, excessive brutality, and pagan worship, Vinland Saga reinforces medievalisms found in authentic Icelandic Sagas about Scandanavian culture. Furthermore, these common Viking medievalisms are used by modern men to justify masculine expression and appropriate Viking culture as a signifier of masculine identity.

The Sagas and Masculine Definition

In Vinland Saga, Thorfinn’s father Thors has the reputation of a skilled and fierce warrior who as a result is feared and respected by his enemies and friends. Viking society, in this interpretation, rewards men who display heroism or exceptional feats of martial prowess as legendary and manly. When facing off against thirty men towards the beginning of the manga, he does not move an inch, and lives up to his legendary reputation after just subduing fifteen pirates single-handedly.[1] Here, Vinland Saga makes a direct allusion to medieval Icelandic sagas, wherein men who are skilled in combat are revered and respected as “real” men. In Njal’s Saga, principal character Gunnar is described as, “a tall man in growth, and a strong man - best skilled in arms of all men. . . he smote so swiftly with his sword, that three seemed to flash through the air at once. . . it has been said that no man was his match”.[2] In Njal’s Saga, men who are skilled in combat and physically formidable in stature are idealized as heroes, and serve as role models to other men. In both works, a good reputation in battle wins a man respect and honor in Scandinavian society, and confirms one’s masculine identity.

Reputation is not the only signifier of manhood, however. In Njal’s Saga, killing and violence is discussed as mans work, “Thou, Hauskuld, shalt have nothing to do with it, for thou wilt often be sent about alone without due heed; but I mean Sigmund for myself; methinks that is like a man”.[3] Here, the character Skarphedinn singles out a man named Sigmund as his kill, and relays that he is doing so specifically because he views killing Sigmund as a masculine action. Besting one’s opponent is the path to the aforementioned increase of respect and reputation. One can only prove worthy of heroic identity by accomplishing masculine feats of violence and dominance. In Vinland Saga, there is a light subversion of this trope. Thorfinn at a critical point in the story, vows to never again take the life of another man. One would think Thorfinn has come across a significant challenge to maintaining his masculine identity; if a man’s reputation is determined based on his violent acts, how does Thorfinn assert his masculinity nonviolently? In reality, the subversion of this trope is merely cosmetic. Combat prowess is still the defining feature of masculinity in the manga, but Thorfinn reframes it by asserting his skill is so great he can best a man without killing him. Instead of scorn, however, Thorfinn’s take on violence is often met with confusion (and also a significant increase in respect). His masculinity is still affirmed by his ability in combat, and his refusal to take a life is portrayed as an extra challenge instead of a sign of weakness.[4]

Viking paganism, especially in relation to Christianity, is inherently tied to masculine expression in both Vinland Saga and Njal’s Saga. Scandinavian paganism is a form of masculine identification for Vikings. Gods such as Odin and Thor are ideals of Scandinavian masculinity; they are strong, possess a killer instinct, and are renowned heroes of legend. In Vinland Saga, pagan gods are compared to Jesus in a way that demonstrates their heightened level of masculinity for Viking men, “Thor would pulverize him with one swing of his hammer. He would be useless on the battlefield”.[5] Here, Vinland Saga is drawing on a comparison made specifically in Njal’s saga, “’Hast thou heard,’ she said, ‘how Thor challenged Christ to single combat, and how he did not dare to fight with Thor?’”.[6] Viking paganism in both sources is displayed as superior in masculinity to that of Christendom, and compares their deities based on Viking definitions of manhood. Thor, due to his martial prowess and superior strength would be able to defeat Jesus in combat, and this thereby reinforces his masculinity. Scandinavian pagan gods are idols which Vikings model themselves after, and when confronted with an “inferior” man (Jesus), they call into question competing definitions of masculinity.

Viking Appropriation – Medievalism in Action

The medievalisms present in Vinland Saga are not isolated to only media or entertainment, but function widely as a signifier of masculine identity to a variety of groups. Military organizations and far-right groups in particular have appropriated Viking culture and masculine definitions as a method to reinforce a vision of violent and aggressive masculinity. The idolization of heroic figures has been a trope used by far-right groups in specific reference to Scandinavian culture, “The soldier-sailor-warrior trope is closely tied to hero fantasies about being a guardian, protector, vanquisher, champion, defender, challenger, or conqueror. . . an image of an Ansgar Aryan T-shirt depicting a U-Boat captain, he noted ‘at first glance it looks a little bit like. . . hero worship’”.[7] Modern heroes in the far-right are revered for much the same reasons that Gunnar was revered in Njal’s saga; they embody masculine ideals of dominance and violence. Here, Viking medievalisms are drawn upon to reinforce definitions of manhood that are dependent on the same traits that Vikings honored.

The masculine glorification of combat and marital prowess in Viking culture has found an outlet specifically in military organizations. The Telemark Battalion, a Norwegian military unit that served in Afghanistan, shows how warrior culture was emphasized through the memoirs of soldiers in the battalion, “This ‘warrior culture’, they argue. . . consists of nurturing specific traits, most of which are traditionally associated with masculinity, such as ‘aggression’, ‘independence’, ‘bravery’, ‘honour’. . . Vikings symbolize a kind of ‘marital race’ that the Telemark Battalion in part tries to emulate”.[8] The focus on specialized traits in the Telemark Battalion demonstrates how characteristics such as ‘aggression’ are used to facilitate a warrior culture that draws inspiration from Viking medievalisms. Just as Viking men used their martial skill to prove the worth of their manhood, some modern militaries are appropriating medieval Viking ideals to construct a barometer of masculinity that positively characterizes violent masculine qualities.

Viking paganism, too, is appropriated by military organizations as a signifier of masculinity. In the United States, a predominantly Christian nation, some soldiers have made a symbolic statement by converting to Norse paganism while in the armed forces. Scandinavian paganism, just as it is portrayed in Vinland Saga is at odds with Christian ideals due to its emphasis on a strong, aggressive brand of masculinity; the antithesis of the character of Jesus. By claiming their religion as paganism, modern soldiers are creating a religious demarcation between warriors and non-warriors, one where military personnel are beholden to the pagan values of strength, honor, and bravery in combat. This is evidenced most notably by religious services held by United States military soldiers, “a small group of sailors devoted to the Norse gods and goddesses in weekly services that are even advertised on the ship’s one-main circuit. . . no matter the chasmic disconnect between Heathenry followers and those oblivious to its tenets, there is no denying that the religion has gained a foothold — however small — in the U.S. military”.[9] Paganism, at least in the military, is fundamentally connected with the idea of a warrior culture and the renunciation of Christianity. Soldiers have identified further with Scandinavian paganism through the idea of Valhalla, a version of the afterlife in which men who died in combat feast and battle in preparation for the end of the world. Valhalla and its connection with warrior culture is evident, and is one of the most popular representations of Viking medievalism, “The myth of Valhalla has permeated modern special operations culture and is an outstanding analogy for those seeking to understand and tap into the mindset of warrior culture. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Hollywood cast the same actor who played Thor also played Special Forces Captain Mitch Nelson in the movie 12 Strong”.[10]

Conclusion

Viking medievalism has permeated modern notions of masculinity, and as a result has seen great recognition in far-right groups and military organizations. Pieces of media and entertainment such as Vinland Saga prove how Viking medievalism is still alive and well in today’s understanding of warrior culture and masculinity. Hero worship, reverence of combat ability, and pagan faith all form the cornerstones of masculine understandings of Viking medievalisms, and in doing so perpetuate the popular medieval notions of manhood. Njal’s saga, just like Vinland Saga, purveys centuries-old masculinity and propels it to the front of popular culture.

[1] Yukimura, Makoto, and Scott O. Brown. Vinland Saga. New York: Kodansha Comics, 2013: Ch 13, pg. 2

[2] DaSent, George W. “The Story of Burnt Njal.” Icelandic Saga Database, 2007: Ch 19

[3] DaSent, “The Story of Burnt Njal.” Ch 45

[4] Yukimura, Makoto, Vinland Saga: Ch 155, pg. 21

[5] Yukimura, Makoto, Vinland Saga: Ch 21, pg. 174

[6] DaSent, “The Story of Burnt Njal.” Ch 98

[7] MILLER-IDRISS, CYNTHIA. "SOLDIER, SAILOR, REBEL, RULE BREAKER: Embodying Extremism." Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2017: 169

[8] Dyvik, Synne L. "‘Valhalla Rising’: Gender, Embodiment and Experience in Military Memoirs." 2016: 140

[9] Simkins, J.D. “Heathens Hold Religious Services Rooted in Norse Paganism Aboard Aircraft Carrier.” Navy Times. Navy Times, January 8, 2019.

[10] Sherpa, Cadre. “Till Valhalla! A Civilians Guide to the Mindset of Special Forces by Cadre Sherpa.” GORUCK News & Stories, July 12, 2019.

Bibliography

DaSent, George W. “The Story of Burnt Njal.” Icelandic Saga Database, 2007. https://sagadb.org/.

Dyvik, Synne L. "‘Valhalla Rising’: Gender, Embodiment and Experience in Military Memoirs." Security Dialogue 47, no. 2 (2016): 133-50. Accessed November 9, 2020. doi:10.2307/26294215.

MILLER-IDRISS, CYNTHIA. "SOLDIER, SAILOR, REBEL, RULE BREAKER: Embodying Extremism." In The Extreme Gone Mainstream: Commercialization and Far Right Youth Culture in Germany, 162-80. Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2017. Accessed November 9, 2020. doi:10.2307/j.ctvc777md.13.

Sherpa, Cadre. “Till Valhalla! A Civilians Guide to the Mindset of Special Forces by Cadre Sherpa.” GORUCK News & Stories, July 12, 2019. https://blog.goruck.com/rucking-training/till-valhalla-a-civilians-guide-to-the-mindset-of-special-forces/.

Simkins, J.D. “Heathens Hold Religious Services Rooted in Norse Paganism Aboard Aircraft Carrier.” Navy Times. Navy Times, January 8, 2019. https://www.navytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2019/01/07/heathens-hold-religious-services-rooted-in-norse-paganism-aboard-aircraft-carrier/.

Yukimura, Makoto, and Scott O. Brown. Vinland Saga. New York: Kodansha Comics, 2013. https://vinland-saga.me/manga/.

For this final project I decided to create weapons from the medieval era. I created a sword, a hatchet, and a shield. For the sword I created a medieval sword and a medieval hatchet. For the shield I put the beasts of battle on the shield. The beasts of battle for the medieval era are a raven, an eagle, and a wolf. This was a great final project for this class. I was able to have fun creating these weapons out of cardboard and colored pencils. I had a few inspirations for this final project. The inspirations I had were the poem Battle of Maldon and the poem Battle of Brunanburn. These were two poems that we read for class. They were about battle, had soldiers, weapons, and the beasts of battle. The other inspiration I had for this project was the movie Braveheart. I love when movies, stories, books, or poems have a lot of action or battle in them. All three of my inspirations had action and battle in them. The purpose of this final project was to get our creative sides of our brains thinking and relate the project to something that we learned from the class or something that was an inspiration to us.

Queer Robots vs. Heteronormativity: Neomedieval Representations in Saga

Henry Egan

References to the Middle Ages are ubiquitous in Western popular culture. Franchises like Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, or even Star Wars call upon the Middle Ages to inform and inspire their fictional worlds. We consider texts like these medievalisms or neomedievalisms (I will focus on the latter in this paper). Unfortunately, many of these texts present a version of the medieval that privileges white, male, heterosexual perspectives. These fictional, problematic representations permeate our collective view of the historical Middle Ages and perpetuate very real systems of oppression (Young). Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’s 12 Eisner Award winning comic Saga creates a fantasy universe that challenges these problematic tropes at every turn. Vaughn and Staples create vast fictional world that The Atlantic describes as populated by a “stable of heroes, antiheroes, and villains who span the spectra of age, class, gender, race, and sexual orientation,” (Amin). In this paper I will focus on Saga’s representation of LGBT characters. I will do so by first situating Saga within the definition of a neomedievalism, then I will demonstrate how many of the characters in the comic challenge the heteronormative tropes that are so often found in neomedievalisms.

Saga takes place in a universe that has been devastated by a long, bitter war between two fronts: Landfall and Wreath. Landfall is a large, technologically advanced planet inhabited by winged humans. Wreath is a moon orbiting Landfall inhabited by horned humans with a rich magic-based culture (vol. 1, ch. 1)[1]. The plot of Saga begins with the birth of the narrator, Hazel. Alana and Marko, Hazel’s parents, the comic’s main protagonists, are on the run. Alana was a prison guard from Landfall and Marko was a soldier/prisoner from Wreath. Their escape has led them to a small, war-torn planet called Cleave. By the time we meet our protagonists, the war has spread far beyond its original planet and moon. Civilians on the home front of Wreath and Landfall are hardly affected by the war anymore and planets across the galaxy were forced to pick a side in the bloodshed (vol. 1 ch. 1). Hazel’s very existence is proof that the two opposing superpowers can coexist. Both Landfall and Wreath high command will stop at nothing to bring the dissenting family to an end. Likewise, both superpowers hire people to track down and kill the family in secret (vol. 1, ch. 1). The parents escape Cleave on wooden rocket and travel the universe narrowly evading capture (vol. 1, ch. 6). Along the way they come across a laundry list of new friends, acquaintances, and enemies from all walks of life. (The rest of the story is too much to summarize here but I will do my best to provide relevant context for the characters I address in the paper.)

I would classify Saga as a neomedievalism (sort of). David Marshal categorizes neomedievalisms as “a self-conscious, ahistorical, non-nostalgic imagining or reuse of the historical Middle Ages that selectively appropriates iconic images, often from other medievalisms, to construct a presentist space that disrupts traditional depictions of the medieval.” Neomedievalisms are thus media that uses allusions to the medieval or other medievalisms to challenge our present perception of the historical Middle Ages (Marshal, 22). Many aspects of Saga are inspired by popular neomedievalisms. The Robot Kingdom for example is distinctly neomedieval. It is a monarchy located on a small moon inhabited by humanoids with television heads (vol. 1, ch. 1). This strange moon’s culture reflects a many of the common stereotypes we often attribute to medieval Europe. Much of what is shown of the Robot Kingdom are the interiors of vast castles (vol. 4, ch. 19). There are even references to the code of chivalry (vol. 6, ch. 34), an aspect of the Middle Ages that is often misinterpreted and misappropriated.[2] Another way the kingdom is medieval is its specific emphasis on class inequality. The lower-class robots have blocky, black, and white T.V.’s while the nobles have sleek, color T.V.’s. The Robot Kingdom is just one of the aspects that make Saga a neomedievalism.

Wreath and its people are also neomedieval. In her narration, Hazel describes her father’s home: “Wreath…is a magical fantasy realm rooted in ancient tradition,” (vol. 8, ch. 43). Wreath’s use of magic reflects that portrayed in other popular neomendievalisms such as Dungeons and Dragons or Lord of The Rings. Wreath’s soldiers look like druids and use magic and enchanted weapons on might encounter in a D&D game. Marko and Alana’s engagement rings are magic and allow them to speak and understand any language (vol. 2, ch. 14). Landfall soldiers with white armor and laser guns resemble something you might see in a Star Wars movie (vol. 1, ch. 5). One could even argue that the level of violence, sexual content, and the intricate storytelling resemble (a queerer) Game of Thrones. The family’s magic rocket ship tree could be thought to resemble the Great Deku Tree from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (vol. 1, ch. 6). Saga uses familiar neomedieval elements to ground its story and characters while it challenges the more problematic conventions often found in the genre.

Vaughan and Staples made a point to include diverse characters into their fantasy world (Amin). Saga challenges the heteronormativity of popular neomedievalisms by introducing LGBT characters into familiar storytelling tropes. For example, Petrichor, a transgender woman and war prisoner is introduced midway through the series. Hazel accidently learns of Petrichor’s identity and expresses her childlike confusion towards seeing a woman with a “dad piece.” Petrichor explains her identity to the child and Hazel accepts her almost instantly (vol. 6, ch. 31). Later, when Marko breaks into the prison to help them escape, Petrichor becomes permanent member of their crew (vol. 6, ch. 36). At one point, Petrichor expresses her anxiety that the others might find about her identity and force her to leave (vol. 7, ch. 37). This anxiety is an unfortunately common experience for those in the LGBT community, especially trans folx. Trans representation is distinctly lacking in neomedieval media. This is frustrating because there are accounts of trans individuals in the historical Middle Ages. For example, Elanor Rykener was a trans sex worker in 1300s London whose clientele included priests and other high-ranking officials at the time (Pavlinich). Therefore, it would not be inaccurate to have trans individuals in media that loosely utilizes medieval elements. Characters like Petrichor challenge the common perception that the Middle Ages and representations of them were heteronormative.

Two more LGBT women in Saga are Izabel, Hazel’s ghost babysitter, and Gwendolyn, Marko’s ex-fiancé. Izabel is a native of the planet Cleave where she meets Alana and Marko. Natives of Cleave are entrusted with protecting their planet as ghosts after they die. These ghosts are often referred to as “horrors” because of the terrifying illusions they can project on the living. Izabel stepped on a landmine when she was a teenager, when she meets Alana, she sees her chance to leave her home planet and see the universe. She leads them safely through the illusions set up by the other ghosts and brings them to a rocket ship tree so they can escape. To leave her home Izabel must bond with a living being. Alana allows her to bond with Hazel and become their permanent babysitter (vol. 1, ch. 3). In a later conversation with Alana, Izabel mentions her girlfriend, Windy (vol. 4, ch. 23). Izabel is a great example of subtle but effective LGBT representation that helps to make Saga’s fictional world feel more inclusive. Gwendolyn is Marko’s ex-fiancé who works as a diplomat for Wreath (vol. 1, ch.4). She teams up with a bounty hunter called The Will to hunt down Marko. The comic references her previous relationships with women (vol. 3, ch. 16). Later in the series, The Will tries to reconnect with Gwendolyn but learns that she married her wife, Velour (vol. 7, ch. 38). The comic even shows a few domestic scenes with the couple (vol. 7, ch. 42). These characters show how Saga creates a fictional world with solid LGBT characters that challenge the heteronormativity often displayed in neomedievalisms.

Another character that serves as effective LGBT representation is The Brand. The Brand’s brother and fellow bounty hunter, The Will, was hired by Wreath to hunt down Alana, Marko, and Hazel. The Brand teams up with Gwendolyn to help save The Will when he is gravely injured (vol. 5, ch. 25). The Brand challenges gender roles by dressing masculine and having short hair as well as by being a woman in a traditionally masculine field. Although her gender identity is not explicitly stated, when a character asks her if she is “lady folk” she responds by introducing herself by her title rather than answering (vol. 4, ch. 24). Although she is a minor character, The Brand is rare example of representation for those who challenge society’s gender roles. The Brand challenges the traditional gender representations that neomedievalisms too often uphold. These characters help to portray a more inclusive neomedievalism that reflects the reality that the middle ages was more than just heterosexual men.

Another couple of LGBT side characters are the semi-aquatic tabloid reporters, Upsher and Doff. The duo is introduced when they respond to a lead from a Landfall soldier who clashed with Marko and Alana. The family’s story could tear the universe apart if it were to get out and Upsher and Doff want to be the ones to tell it (vol. 3, ch. 13). As the series progresses, they become caught up in the stream of bounty hunters and jilted exes also trying to track down the family. Gay couples are a rare sight in common neomedievalisms so these two are a welcome break from the mold. The couple is from Jetsam, a planet and society where homophobia is the norm (vol. 3, ch. 16). The couple faces homophobia in their workplace in the form of verbal harassment (vol. 3, ch. 18). The fictional couple’s experience of homophobia reflects very real stigma that LGBT readers may know all too well.

My final (and most neomedieval) example of LGBT representation in Saga is Prince Robot IV from the Robot Kingdom. The reader is introduced Prince Robot IV when he is assigned to hunt down the series’ protagonists by Landfall secret forces (vol. 1, ch. 1). When IV’s newborn son is kidnapped by a robot kingdom commoner, IV is forced to work with Marko so they can track down Alana and the princeling (vol. 5, ch. 25). IV and Petrichor also become romantically involved in volume eight. After saving Petrichor from a group of pro-lifer terrorist centaurs, the two get to talking and hit it off. IV expresses that he “had a sense from the moment [they] first met” because he himself “[has] always been rather fluid.” (vol. 8, ch. 46). The two become closer as the series goes on and Petrichor even becomes like a second parent to IV’s son, Squire (vol. 9, ch. 49). Petrichor and IV’s relationship provides powerful representation for queer relationships and “non-traditional” families. Representation like this helps to challenge the heteronormative relationships that are often found in neomedievalisms.

Why does any of this matter? The middle ages are frequently portrayed in popular culture as heteronormative. This perception is not only untrue but harmful to those who do not fit into this convention (Young).

Popular culture medievalisms, particularly those that achieve massive success in the mainstream, areas lacking in diversity, if not more so, than the medieval academy. Creators and audiences alike invoke TheRealMiddleAgesTM to justify heteronormativity, the absence of disabled characters, extreme violence, especially towards women, and the whiteness of the majority of protagonists. (Young)

Medievalisms and neomedievalisms today tend to uphold problematic tropes such as heteronormativity, sexism, and whiteness. Representation like the wealth of LGBT characters in Saga challenges these problematic assumptions that the Middle Ages and representations of them did not and cannot have LGBT individuals. By creating and promoting more diverse neomedievalisms we can create not only more inclusive but also accurate representations of the Middle Ages. In doing so, we can make the neomedieval more accessible to everyone and challenge prejudice in the real world today. Texts like Saga are crucial to changing our problematic perceptions about the Middle Ages. In a popular culture flooded with heteronormative neomedievalisms, Vaughan and Staples’s Saga is a refreshing beacon of diversity.

Works Cited

Amin, Shaan. The Sprawling, Empathetic Adventure of 'Saga'. 25 Mar. 2020, www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/03/saga-comic-series-image-issue-50/556481/.

Marshall, David W. “Neomedievalism, Identification, and the Haze of Medievalisms.” Studies in Medievalism XX: Defining Neomedievalism(s) II, edited by Karl Fugelso, vol. 20, Boydell & Brewer, Woodbridge, Suffolk; Rochester, NY, 2011, pp. 21–34. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.7722/j.ctt81hp7.6. Accessed 5 Nov. 2020.

Pavlinich, Elan Justice. “Eleanor Rykener.” Wabash Medievalists, Wabash college, https://sites.google.com/d/1ahGm45KDd1lHiBOd0XroRH6b23WHU4FG/p/1zHrNfeAOOiM-hDYEkUic6fU-JizKLUI3/edit. 8 Nov, 2020.

Vaughan, Brian K., and Fiona Staples. Saga. Image Comics. 2012. Vol. 1-9 iss. 1-54.

Young, Hellen. “Re-making the Middle Ages.” In the Middle, Aug 21, 2014.

For my final project, I chose to analyze the 2010 version of Robin Hood. This film is an action-packed thrill that effectively positions the audience on the edge of their seat the entire time. By analyzing the film, I was able to highlight demonstrations of toxic masculinity through the depiction of vulgar violence and the power of the Feudal System. Specifically, I focused on how the main characters, Robin Longstride and King John, represent hegemonic and toxic masculine traits. In addition to this, I analyzed how the film presents Medieval artifacts and educates the audience on the different lifestyles, cultures, and ethnicities present in the Middle Ages.

“Rise and rise again until lambs become lions” (Robin Hood Quotes). The expression that guides Robin Longstride, played by American actor Russel Crowe, to oversee and effectively lead a group of hungry, outlandish men against the English Throne in the 2010 film, Robin Hood. Set in the year 1199, the film presents Robin Longstride as a common archer in the army of King Richard the Lionheart. While attempting to invade the French, King Richard suffered an arrow puncture through the neck which caused an immediate and obscene death. His death led to the rise of his brother, Prince John, as the new King of England. As the new leader of England, King John attempted to carry out his brother’s wishes of defeating King Phillip of France to establish England as the ultimate world powerhouse. Through an analysis of the 2010 film, I will argue how toxic masculinity is displayed through vulgar depictions of violence and a cutthroat system of tyranny. In addition to examining the implications of toxic masculinity, I will analyze how the film utilizes medieval artifacts to strengthen the historical context and provide the audience with a more complex view of the Middle Ages.

The portrayal of masculinity in modern media is an area of academic research that has not received the attention it deserves. However, in his book titled, “Masculinities in Contemporary American Culture: An Intersectional Approach to The Complexities and Challenges of Male Identity,” Thomas Keith discusses the implications of masculinity in modern film. He comments, “the depiction of men has blossomed into a multifaceted and diverse mosaic of masculine expression and identities. White men have been and continue to be overrepresented in media and are traditionally cast in roles of being heroic, sexual, brave, noble, wealthy, and usually as protagonists in positions of power and authority” (Keith 185). His interpretations of masculinity in modern film is applicable to the characterizations presented within Robin Hood. Every character within the film is white and depicted as being “heroic, brave, and strong.” In other words, characters like Robin Longstride and King John display the characteristics described by Keith as being “masculine expressions and identities.”

Robin Longstride explicitly possesses masculine dominant identities as he leads a group of “outlaws” through the European forests. Within the film, his character is repetitively depicted as being violent, provocative, and lewd. In other words, he possesses qualities that challenge the ideologies of masculinity. For example, after escaping King Richard the Lionheart’s trap, Robin Longstride leads a small group of archers towards the harbor where England has boats docked and ready to return home. While traveling, Robin crosses paths with King Richard’s white horse running wild through the forest. Knowing that the King had died in battle, Robin investigates the area where he finds a group of men who were ambushed by French allies. Before the allies could escape the area, Robin springs into action and vigorously murders three of the ambushers. This serves as an example of his character being portrayed as violent and arguably “masculine,” under what Keith may interpret as both heroic and brave. Not to mention, this sparks Robin into being the leader and “protagonist” of the working class, the class scrutinized the most by the English throne.

In addition to Robin, King Richard’s successor, King John, possesses traits of toxic masculinity. For example, before abruptly receiving the crown, he is shown deliberately cheating on his girlfriend in front of her and his mother. Without a care in the world, he expresses how his “social power” gives him the authority to do as he pleases with women. In addition to cheating on his girlfriend, he reminds his mother that he does not take orders from her and that before too long, he will be the King of England and she will do as he says. This vulgar depiction of King John is relatable to the gender theory known as “Connell’s social theory of gender,” which “emphasizes the relations of power between men and women and also between different groups of men” (Lusher and Robbins 387). The theory also asserts, “hegemonic masculinity is defined as the configuration of gender practice which embodies the currently accepted answer to the problem of the legitimacy of patriarchy, which guarantees the dominant position of men and the subordination of women” (Lusher 387). King John’s character inhibits the ideas of hegemony as he makes it clear that he will not listen or care about a woman’s feelings, especially those closest to him.

An analysis of his character would be incomplete if I did not address his treatment of England’s countrymen. Once taking over the crown, he immediately sent representatives across the countryside to collect payment and tax from England’s citizens. If citizens did not have the monetary funds in order to pay him, he demanded the representatives burn the villages and murder the men living nearby. Additionally, later on in the film he promises the men of his army that if they fight against King Philip of France, he will organize England under a union with lower taxes and more economic and political freedom. This promise did not last as he ordered the death of Robin and burned the Union agreement in front of everyone. The deceptive act represents his true character and lack of leadership. He glorifies hegemonic masculinity and politically acts under what many scholars formally refer to as the “feudal system.”

In addition to displaying toxic masculinity through violence, the film presents it through a cutthroat system of tyranny. This system of tyranny is an example of the “feudal system.” As described by Fernando A. P. Pereira, “It was the Normans who brought the feudal system to England. Quickly they created taxes and incomes, depriving the people to lead a minimum conditions life. The Lords squeezed the villagers (servants) of all goods and profits, usually to satisfy their own greed” (Pereira 37). The film presents King John acting as the “lord” squeezing the countrymen of everything they had which forced them to live their lives in a rather unethical manner. This system of tyranny exemplifies how toxic of a character King John is and how his actions and ideas inherently possess toxic traits of masculinity.

The two characters possess and display the complex qualities of toxic masculinity through the actions and words. Thomas Keith’s belief that modern film producers depict white men as being “heroic, brave, and strong” is prevalent within this film as it is applicable to both Robin and King John. Robin possesses the traits of being “heroic and strong” while King John is witnessed as “sexual and wealthy.” Connell’s social theory of gender is shown through King John’s actions towards his girlfriend and mother, as he vulgarly asserts masculine dominance over women. Lastly, Fernando A. P. Pereira’s description of the feudal system is prevalent within the film as the citizens are ordered to pay the King or suffer the consequences. The film challenges a modern perception of the Middle Ages by vulgarly showing the hardships of life and the cruelness of the social hierarchy that, during those times, was normal.

The film actively presents two artifacts that deserve attention. The first artifact is Robin’s sword that has the encrypted message of “rise and rise again until lambs become lions.” Robin spends a majority of his time tracing the sword back to its original owners, which leads him into much distress and complicated scenarios. Nonetheless, I believe the sword portrays toxic masculinity by its message. The message means to “never give up,” a common theme of masculinity and violence. In other words, the notion to never give up is one that possesses extreme masculine traits while also having implication of a violent natured character. The film exhibits how rigorous life in the Middle Ages were and without possessing this attitude, survival would be difficult. The second artifact is King Richard’s white horse that Robin begins riding after coming across it in the forest. This horse exhibits strength and leadership as the only characters who ride it are those in a position of power over someone or a group of people. A relatable exhibit has been uncovered in southern England and is known as, “the Uffington White Horse.” The Uffington White Horse is a large – scale design of a horse that sits upon a hill. According to Joshua Pollard, an archeologist at the University of Southampton, “the monument was probably created as a solar horse depicting the mythology that the sun either rode a horse or was drawn by one in a chariot across the sky” (Powell). It is important to compare King’s horse to the Uffington White Horse as the plot is set in England during the Middle Ages, around the time when the monument was thought to of been created. This may seem to be a far stretch, however I find there to be a connection worth highlighting. This connection is significant to our modern understanding as it encompasses two artifacts and portrays their similarities. The similarities can be chiseled down to the themes of strength and boldness as the film depicts the horse being courageous and pertinent to authority, especially to Robin Longstride.

The Robin Hood film of 2010 produces many examples of toxic masculinity through its vulgar depiction of violence and tyranny. Modern media has a unique, charismatic way of presenting male figures in a toxic manner that challenges an audience’s perception of masculinity. Contrary to my analysis of Robin Hood, Kenneth R. Bartlett and colleagues determined that “the Robin Hood character most frequently presented a charismatic/value-based leadership style across all films” (Bartlett, Kenneth R., et. al.). I argue the exact opposite and in fact, believe that the character of Robin Hood represents toxic and unhealthy traits that misguide the idea of masculinity in modern film. Aside from the deliberate representation of false masculinity, I believe the film accurately presents Medieval artifacts that challenge and inform the audience of the difference cultures and ethic identities of the Middle Ages.

References

Bartlett , Kenneth R., et al. “A Cinematic Analysis of the Leadership Behaviours of Robin Hood.” Taylor and Francis, Online, 7 July 2020, doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2020.1789400.

Keith, Thomas. “Chapter 6: The Construction of Normal.” Masculinities in Contemporary American Culture: an Intersectional Approach to the Complexities and Challenges of Male Identity, Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group, 2017, pp. 185–186.

Lusher, Dean, and Garry Robins. “Hegemonic and Other Masculinities in Local Social Contexts.” Men and Masculinities, vol. 11, no. 4, June 2009, pp. 387–423., doi:10.1177/1097184x06298776.

McEvoy, Steven R. “Robin Hood 2010 - Movie Review.” Book Reviews and More, 1 Jan. 1970, www.bookreviewsandmore.ca/2010/05/robin-hood-2010-movie-review.html.

Pereira , Fernando A. P. 2017, pp. 1–45, Robin Hood - The Legend in Medieval Culture.

Powell, Eric A. “White Horse of the Sun.” Archaeology Magazine, 2017, www.archaeology.org/issues/269-1709/from- the-trenches/5830-trenches-englandprehistoric-uffington-white-horse.

“Robin Hood Quotes (37 Quotes).” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/robin-hood.

The main point of the stubbornness that will be focused on in this paper is violence to solve problems. Salter (2019) wrote a piece in The Atlantic about the fight against toxic masculinity. In this piece, Salter (2019) highlights aggression as one of the most commonly associated traits with toxic masculinity. As mentioned above, male aggression is one of the most common themes in How to Train Your Dragon. However, the following questions remain, is the aggression in How to Train Your Dragon an example of toxic masculinity? If so, do the directors try to deconstruct this toxic male aggression? Is this deconstruction successful? This paper will build arguments that provide support for both sides and attempt to come to a conclusion about aggression in How to Train Your Dragon and its relationship to toxic masculinity.

To analyze toxic masculinity, it is essential to understand what toxic masculinity is and how we decide what traits are deemed "toxic". When people use the term toxic masculinity, they tend to "diagnose the problem of masculine aggression and entitlement as a cultural or spiritual illness-something that has infected today's men and leads them to reproachable acts" (Salter, 2019). This definition is highly problematic because it gives the idea that toxic masculinity is inherently wrong with men and ignores the societal factors that perpetuate toxic masculinity. The view of toxic masculinity as a cultural illness can be seen in one of the opening lines in How to Train Your Dragon, where Hiccup attributes Viking stubbornness to the violence that has torn apart their village. By pointing to an innate stubbornness in Hooligan men leading to violence, Christopher Sanders and Dean DeBlois neglect Viking culture's aspects that perpetuate the aggression seen throughout the film.

In his analysis of the fight against toxic masculinity, Salter (2019) argues that the new sociology of masculinity shows that multiple masculine identities are shaped by class, race culture, and sexuality (Salter, 2019). This is an important development in the study of masculinity because it allows for the analysis of how different cultures view masculinity. In the analysis of How to Train Your Dragon, Viking culture (especially Hooligan culture) plays a large role in how they view and exhibit masculinity throughout the film.

In How to Train Your Dragon, the Hooligan tribe is a village that is governed by a chief (Stoick the Vast in the film), and tribal elders play a large role in decision making with the tribe. The tribe also relies heavily on livestock and agriculture to survive. The social class system for the Hooligan tribe does not have much to do with money or name, but rather the greatest dragon warriors seem to inhabit the top of this pyramid. These aspects of Hooligan culture are important to note because they play a large role in how masculinity is portrayed by the members of the village. Their version of masculinity is shown through warrior spirit, stoicism (which will be touched on later in the paper), and protection of the village through wars with dragons. This version of masculinity closely aligns with the definition of traditional masculinity set forth by the APA, highlighted in de Bois (2019). Using the benchmark for masculinity set by Salter (2019), the Hooligan’s toxic masculinity stems from the culture and definition of masculinity set by societal standards within the village.

Now that the source of the toxic masculinity within Hooligan culture has been identified, it is important to note how/if Sanders and DeBlois go about deconstructing this toxic masculinity in How to Train Your Dragon. Sanders and DeBlois go about deconstructing toxic masculinity through the main character, Hiccup. In the film, Hiccup is portrayed as weak and is delegated to making weapons instead of fighting the dragons. Hiccup's weakness is seen by his lack of physical stature and his lack of a killer mentality, which are both seen as vital to manliness in the Hooligan tribe. Hiccup is only able to overcome his lack of "manliness" through his relationship with dragons. Hiccup's relationship with dragons is important because it is representative of the importance of perspective in deconstructing stereotypical archetypes of manliness. In order to understand Hiccup's relationship with dragons and how they represent the importance of perspective, more analysis of the film is needed.

In How to Train Your Dragon, Hiccup is able to shoot down one of the most feared dragons in Berk, the Night Fury. The next day, Hiccup tracks down the dragon with the intention of killing it and returning to the village with the heart to demonstrate his manliness and worth as a Hooligan warrior. He cannot kill the dragon and quickly begins to develop a friendship with the dragon he named Toothless. Through this friendship, Hiccup gains excellent insight into a dragon's mind, which he applies to his dragon training, where he can subdue the dragons without weapons. With his success in his dragon training, Hiccup finds newfound fame among the villagers as an elite dragon warrior, despite his ability to fight or kill a dragon. Hiccup's fame grows to the point where he is awarded the ability to kill a dragon and become a Hooligan warrior. Instead of killing the dragon, though, Hiccup tries to show the villagers that dragons can be friends and not enemies, but the village is quick to reject his ideas. Hiccup's father (Stoick the Vast) becomes enraged to the point where he pushes Hiccup and disowns him as his son. In the end, Hiccup ultimately shows the value of friendship with dragons by defeating the Red Death on the back of Toothless.

Although this was a quick and very brief synopsis of How to Train Your Dragon, it shows that the key to deconstructing the toxic masculine aggression in Hooligan culture was through the understanding of another species. Through his relationship with dragons, Hiccup can overcome traditional views of masculinity in Hooligan culture. Hiccup’s understanding of dragons represents the importance of perspective when deconstructing traditional masculine roles. Hiccup is only able to overcome societal expectations of masculinity when he travels outside of his village and gains an understanding of dragons and his people in the process.

Another way that toxic masculinity is represented in How to Train Your Dragon is through the lack of emotional intelligence. In de Boise (2019), he includes a definition of masculinity that contains the phrase "marked by stoicism" (de Boise, 2019). The definition provided by de Boise (2019) shows that a lack of feeling is apparent in most definitions of masculinity. In How to Train Your Dragon, stoicism is part of the Viking definition of masculinity. By analyzing Stoick the Vast and Hiccup, it will be evident how stoicism portrays itself in the film and affects the main characters.

In many films and other media, characters often have names that represent the characters and their actions or core values. One example of this is highlighted in Conway (2019) through the character Kratos in the videogame God of War. Kratos is a character that exhibits great rage and power, which is fitting given the meaning of his name. Kratos can be translated literally as power, and the word also shares the same root as the word "akrasia," which can roughly be translated to lack of control (Conway, 2019). The role of character names representing characters is also present in How to Train Your Dragon. The first character that comes to mind is Stoick the Vast, who is Hiccup's father and chief of the Hooligan tribe. Stoick, seemingly coming from the word stoic in English, meaning not affected by or showing passion or feeling, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. This name is fitting because, throughout the film, Stoick the Vast has a hard time developing a relationship with Hiccup due to their differences in mentality and inability to express emotions with one another. One scene where Stoick the Vast's lack of emotional intelligence is apparent is when he first confronts Hiccup about his dragon training. In this scene, he is trying to express how proud he is of Hiccup's success in dragon training. This conversation is very awkward and forced, and this is due to Stoick's inability to grasp and talk through his emotions. This lack of emotional intelligence causes a divide between Stoick and Hiccup. This gap is further widened when Hiccup’s relationship with dragons is made known to the entire village.

As opposed to Stoick, Hiccup is a very introspective character who seems to be very in touch with his emotions. One scene where this is apparent is when he is describing the moment he chose not to kill Toothless, describing that Toothless looked as scared as he was trying to kill him. In many ways, Hiccup is a great representation of the Mexican masculine identity called Machismo (Sobralske, 2006). Machismo is translated to manliness in English and represents positive masculine traits like bravery, emotional intelligence, independence of thought, and confidence. Hiccup represents many of these characteristics throughout the film, highlighted by his independence of thought and emotional intelligence.

Although How to Train Your Dragon highlights the importance of emotional intelligence, was it successful in thoroughly deconstructing the lack of male emotional intelligence? While they did use a protagonist with high emotional intelligence, Sanders and Deblois fail to tackle this issue in the resolution of How to Train Your Dragon. At the end of the film, Stoick is only able to admit he is proud of his son after he defeats the Red Death. This shows that while he can accept his son's relationship with dragons, he is only able to accept him and pronounce his love and proudness when he participates in the violence that has plagued the Hooligan village.

Overall, How to Train Your Dragon brings to light two of the most important aspects of toxic masculinity, aggression, and emotional intelligence. These themes are portrayed positively by the main character Hiccup, and negatively through Hiccup's father, Stoick the Vast. Through these two characters, How to Train Your Dragon attempts to deconstruct these two problematic themes of toxic masculinity. The film falls short, however, in completing Stoick's development into a positive masculine figure. The film also falls short in women's roles during the play, with only one female character serving an essential role in the film's plot.

References

Conway, Steven. "Poisonous Pantheons: God Of War And Toxic Masculinity". Games And Culture, 2019. SAGE Publications, doi:10.1177/1555412019858898.

de Boise, Sam. "Editorial: Is Masculinity Toxic?". NORMA, vol 14, no. 3, 2019, pp. 147-151. Informa UK Limited, doi:10.1080/18902138.2019.1654742.

Salter, Michael. "The Problem With A Fight Against Toxic Masculinity". The Atlantic, 2019, https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/02/toxic-masculinity-history/583411/. Accessed 16 Nov 2020.

Sanders, Christopher, and Dean DeBlois. How To Train Your Dragon. Dreamworks Animation LLC, 2010.

Sobralske, Mary. "Machismo Sustains Health And Illness Beliefs Of Mexican American Men". Journal Of The American Academy Of Nurse Practitioners, vol 18, no. 8, 2006, pp. 348-350. Wiley, doi:10.1111/j.1745-7599.2006.00144.x.

Video Game Authenticity in Relation to Medieval Constructs of Sexuality

Dylan Torbush

The Middle Ages are a mysterious segment of history with significant cultural influence in our current society, however most of what we know about it involves war and conflict spurring up and much less about sexuality constructs. Today we are flooded with neo-medievalism's in so many different media forms: graphic novels, shows, movies, cartoons, amusement parks, and video games which all try to touch on different aspects of what it may have been like to live during this time. A time period that has had so much controversy over what exactly happened during the course of it has made a perfect recipe for modern adaptations and different artistic interpretations of it. Part of the reason we don’t know much about constructs of sexuality is because they didn’t really exist at the time, and people kind of just did whatever they wanted to do and experienced far less state regulation (Burgwinkle, 2006). Normal, regular people didn’t think much about what you did sexually, as there were so many other chaotic things going on in their lives that they needed to worry about. In many ways people of the medieval time period received much less judgement based on their private sexual affairs than they do today. The neo-medievalism video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a modern artistic interpretation that showed how status in the social sphere determined a lot about what you could and couldn’t do sexually as a man; in this aspect, the game was authentic to the ways of life during this period of much chaos and violence.

During medieval times, if you were a part of higher nobility you had more power to get the king to exile and or publicly kill for acts deemed unfit in society in order to maintain a cultural identity (Cartwright, 2018). In the feudalism system, nobles were often the most in contact with the kings, as they were given pieces of land to take care of that were vessels of the monarchy. Regular people’s sexuality in this game, ones towards the bottom of the standard hierarchical pyramid, are openly expressed and accepted. However, characters that were involved with people of higher class, the nobles and kings in the top half of the pyramid, were made to follow a more strict set of rules due to being the “model” for society. As we come to see in this game, a person could be exiled specifically for having a secret affair/ gay relationship with a king’s son. However, if characters were participating in gay acts and were not shown to be involving themselves with “powerful people” of society then they were often left alone and were unbothered.

Being involved in the higher ranks of society, although you may have been more rich and had more resources, meant you experienced far less sexual freedoms. The son of a king in this game, despite his high social rank in society, was not protected and he hung himself as a result of the scrutiny he faced once the public found out what he had done. The other man in the relationship, who was not a part of the higher nobility class, was exiled and lost his livelihood as a result as well. The way people in this game could be either killed or uprooted from their way of life shows the way sexuality and prejudices against people based on their private affairs restricted certain peoples way of life. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt video game is authentic in the sense that it proves not everyone had equal freedom and that the power system in place made certain people have to hide and be secretive with their sexuality to ensure their own safety from prosecution under the law.

Another aspect of this game that was authentic to true medieval times in relation to social constructs was how the men were able to behave. Far different from women, men had much more freedom to participate in sexual acts with other partners than were their wives (Sex and Romance, 2020). As we see in this game, the protagonist Gerald is aided in his journey to find his adopted daughter by his current and ex-lover. Throughout the journey it is unclear what each of these women’s intentions are with Gerald, but both just seem to be side objects for him. Since they are Geralt's current and ex “lovers,” they are in a way his “objects”. In the game Gerald has freedom to do whatever he wants to do sexually, but they do not get granted the same thing by Geralt. This double standard exposed the power dynamic in relationships of the time, and the toxic masculinity factor displayed added to the authenticity of the game. Lower class women throughout the Middle Ages were often “bakers, brewers, milkmaids, barmaids, artisans, weavers and, primarily, tenant farmers who worked alongside their husbands and children in the fields” (Mark, 2019). The feudal system that everyone in Europe was a part of dictated the most valuable resources: the land. All land belonged to the lord, and he or she would often rent it out to tenants and make them be in charge of it and take care of it. The lord controlled every aspect of the person's life that was living on his land, and this even extended off to the man’s wife and daughters. All in all this just showed how men had all the power in this feudal system during the Middle Ages; just as Geralt sexually used the women in this game, so did men of the actual time period.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a big open world that offers you many different quests you have the freedom to choose and try to finish. Many of these different quests involve different female characters in the game that are trying to seduce and romance Gerald into doing things with them. These romantic quests are the interest of this paper, as they back up the idea that women of the time were seen as lesser than a man. Even though Geralt has his current lover with him and while at the same time is trying to work out things in his relationship with his ex-lover, he still can choose participates in sexual acts with these women that violate a standard relationship if not mutually agreed upon.

Another part of what makes this game a neo-medievalism is the aspect of how much combat and violence that occurs throughout the game. There is a lot of fighting and in-game combat that this game offers you as you are able to use swords, crossbows, shields, and ride horses in the form of cavalry. These are all characteristics of medieval times, so this game does a good job matching that with a current new-aged video game. Just as it is up to you whether you decide to do a romantic quest, you also get to decide if you want to partake of brutal, violent quests. The game forms around the decisions you make and is personal to you, so in many ways this game is very flexible and offers players many different avenues to explore a game based off of medieval times.

The last aspect I want to touch on before concluding this paper is about the game's architecture. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt video game has the typical castle layout that was so very common during the medieval times. The huge fortified structures that house royalty and people in the branches under their leadership were well protected in these big buildings. People of higher status had the luxury of living and controlling these places, and lower class peasants could only dream about owning it or just work in one for the king. Either way, class division clearly existed, as some people lived in giant stone castles while others in poverty in small rugged shed-like buildings or the streets.

Works cited

Burgwinkle, Bill. Queer Theory and the Middle Ages, French Studies, Volume LX, Issue 1, January 2006, Pages 79–88, https://doi.org/10.1093/fs/kni311

Cartwright, M. (2020, November 08). Feudalism. Retrieved November 13, 2020, from https://www.ancient.eu/Feudalism/

Mark, J. (2020, November 12). Women in the Middle Ages. Retrieved November 15, 2020, from https://www.ancient.eu/article/1345/women-in-the-middle-ages/

Sex and Romance - The Witcher 3 Wiki Guide. (2020, March 06). Retrieved November 13, 2020, from https://www.ign.com/wikis/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt/Sex_and_Romance

Masculine Escapism through Medievalisms in Army of Darkness

Alex Goodnight

The medieval setting in media, whether it be present in a film, book, or game, provides the beholder with a sense of mysticism that is difficult to capture with others. The time that the Middle Ages occurs is one that is not too distant to fail to comprehend. People, throughout the years have been able to unearth and decipher historical artifacts that lend us knowledge about a time where record keeping was not the norm. These findings give people a better understanding of how people lived during medieval times. Even though this is the case, there are references that directly relate to the medieval period that do not provide accurate depictions to the audiences that consume what is presented to them. More often than not, it is the films produced by Hollywood that muddy the waters that constitute the understanding of what really took place so long ago. This means that people are exposed to information about medieval times that are based in fact and fiction.

This blend of the types of information at both sides of the spectrum is what allows people to immerse themselves in a time where they can fabricate a tale that suits them best. This is known as escapism, and it is a coping mechanism that allows people to shut out the present world that they find themselves in. There are many instances of escapism in relation to medievalisms, but a notable example of this practice is the pursuit of the ideal masculine identity. Yes, there is not a clear-cut definition of what it truly means to be masculine, but people expect themselves to be perceived in a particular light by those around them. In the context of this article, I argue that Army of Darkness represents a fantasy masculinity for Ash, the main character. Although he protests and seems to resist his situation, ultimately, the medieval setting provides unique, essential challenges that allow him to demonstrate his ideal version of masculinity that he does not feel in his everyday life. Some aspects of his fabricated masculine identity are negative while others tend to be more positive.

To begin, it is important to note that the Evil Dead series is one that does not fit the typical formula for horror films because of its use of Ash, a male character, as the main protagonist. It was, and is, quite common to place the lead role in the hands of the female character because they are supposed to be “abject terror personified”, according to Carol Clover’s observations (Pugh, 125). This alteration of the rules for the Evil Dead is something that the director, Sam Raimi, and Bruce Campbell hoped would add more terror to the film. Bruce Campbell notes that “if you could reduce a man to scrambling and screaming and yelling and being tormented, it would be even more horrifying than a woman doing that” (Pugh, 125). This is intriguing because the role of the “Final Girl”, as the female protagonist in horror/slasher film is called, is one that is supposed to empower women since it forces her to break societal norms in order to survive the fearsome world that a story depicts. However, when the “Final Girl” role is placed in the hands of a male actor, it has an emasculating effect on the audience. When the male character is seen struggling to survive and reach a favorable end to the narrative, he is seen as weak because he does not have the manliness to finish everything himself. This “wimpy” version of Ash is seen during the first film of the trilogy since he is not pictured as a “hero-in-a -torn-shirt”. He was not as muscular in the first two films as he was in the third installment of the series, and, according to Campbell himself, this detail is a central component to the character arc of the protagonist. He states, “Ash is no longer the whimpering moron he was in the first [film]. He progresses from being sort of ‘with it’ to being more of a movie hero” (Pugh, 126). Ash, as a character, was forced to become a caricatured, exaggerated version of a male to transition from a weakling to a “leader of men”.

With this information from the creators of the cult classic, it is quite arguable that Army of Darkness is a narrative about how Ash is trying to prove himself as a “real man” to feed his ego and to boost others’ perception of him. The film’s medieval setting requires Ash to behave as a fearless, twentieth-century man because he is so detached from the unfamiliar world of thirteenth-century England. None of the societal rules, such as chivalry, that an English Nobleman would be expected to follow apply to Ash’s character. A prime example of this in the film occurs just before the infamous boom-stick line when Ash promptly ends a duel with Lord Arthur before it starts by firing his “twelve-gauge double-barreled Remington” at his challenger’s sword (Raimi). This observation is evidence for Ash attempting to pave his own path as a “manly” male character. Although he directly challenges the concept of chivalry by shooting at Arthur, he asserts himself as the alpha-male through force, violence, and nonchalant arrogance. In the setting of medieval England, Ash is too tough and groovy to follow any societal norms of the time. He refuses to listen to others, does not recognize the authority of figureheads, and is aggressively sexual towards women. These traits are not favorable by far, but it does show how Ash is trying to use the fantastical tale presented by The Evil Dead to escape from what he is expected to do in the real world as a retail worker at S-Mart.

Given that Ash is a retail worker when he is not fighting hoards of deadites, it is arguable that he feels emasculated by his career. According to Joseph Williams, a writer for The Atlantic, working retail is almost everything but a demoralizing job that does nothing to benefit the worker. These unfavorable aspects of working in a retail store seems to be magnified when an individual goes from “having once supervised an 80-member news division of a major metropolitan newspaper” to being critiqued on shirt folding technique (Williams). For Ash, it would make sense for someone that wants to be portrayed as a “real man” to want to get out of a job with such little reward. In his medieval adventure, Ash is like Mr. Williams because he went from nearly being crowned the warrior king of the screwheads to being thrown back into the monotonous world of selling goods from behind a counter whilst being surrounded by unenthused associates. Ash is desperate to shake the notion that he is not a man by constructing a made-up world with chainsaw hands, magical books, and unwavering armies at his disposal. Using an imaginative world to detach from reality is commonly referred to as escapism. People utilize this way of thinking as a coping mechanism where they place themselves at the head of an internalized fable. According to another Atlantic article, by Cody C. Delistraty, “Humans are inclined to see narratives where there are none because it can afford meaning to our lives—a form of existential problem-solving”. Ash utilizes this escapism to achieve a feeling of ideal masculinity so that he feels better about the reality he faces in a career with little room for growth.

In the movie Ash is consistently portrayed as a brutish, conceited individual that, ironically, wants to make it back to his home in the early 1990s as a retail worker at any cost. He consistently acts this way until the rising action of the film takes place. Ash is on his way to secure the magic text that will send him home by uttering a spell when he encounters a bizarre sequence of events that causes him to become two versions of himself, good Ash and evil Ash. Without much surprise, the muscular protagonist, or good Ash, does not provide much warning before firing a kill shot into the supernatural mitotic division of himself. After he kills his evil counterpart, he says “Good. Bad. I’m the guy with the gun” and this line cues the audience to start asking questions about the moral stability of the man they are supposed to be rooting for. Some may argue that evil Ash is nothing but an excuse to insert an antagonist into the plot of the story because it is him that goes on to lead the deadite army in the battle at the end of the movie. Yet, it is also arguable that this sequence symbolizes how Ash’s attitude toward masculinity changes, even if it is minute. After the Army of Darkness rises from the grave and his damsel in distress is actually in distress, Ash realizes that his carelessness has caused a major problem for the people of this fictional Arthurian land. It is at this point where he takes the liberty to utilize his knowledge of modern science, leadership, and combat skills to bring two warring factions together to eliminate the onslaught. Yes, Ash does not shy away from his typical usage of violence and one-liners, but his character does seem to change from being self-centered to being more cognizant of those around him. Ash, according to Sara McCartney from Horror Homeroom, even acknowledges his own weaknesses and uses them to his advantage. This is especially apparent when Ash constructs a powerful looking prosthetic hand that seems to add to his abilities as a man. He knew that exclusively using his forceful tactics, such as shooting and chopping through problems, would not be the biggest help in fighting the Army of Darkness. Essentially, Ash goes from being a closed off, brooding anti-hero to being a beacon of hope for the humans living in antediluvian England by channeling his energy into exhibiting some quality masculine traits.

Although Ash is far from being the epitome of what it means to be a person that exhibits positive masculine traits, his character and narrative that he is the center of provides medievalists and other scholars with an interesting perspective on masculine escapism through medievalisms. This film, upon an initial viewing, does not seem to be much more than a satirical horror or action film. But, after thoroughly examining the nuances of the film, it is evident that the film acknowledges the topic of masculinity by utilizing Ash as the focal point. Ash is a character that carries out questionable actions, uses violence, and does not have much emotion at the start of the film. After he recognizes that he has caused a problem, he takes responsibility by rallying troops and constructing tools that would give the army of the living a chance of survival. This role as a leader is a mile marker that Ash longs for in the real world, and may have very well met it when he exclaims “sure I could've stayed in the past, could've even been King, but in my own way, I am King” (Raimi). Through his journey in thirteenth-century England Ash was forced to question his thoughts on what it means to be manly. He wanted to fight and make his way home alone, but understood that he needed to work with others to reach his ultimate goal.

Works Cited

McCartney, Sara. “The Constructed Masculinity of Evil Dead's Ash: Horror Movie.” Horror Homeroom, 16 June 2020, www.horrorhomeroom.com/the-constructed-masculinity-of-evil-deads-ash/.

Delistraty, Cody C. “The Psychological Comforts of Storytelling.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 3 Nov. 2014, www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/11/the-psychological-comforts-of-storytelling/381964/.

Pugh, Tison, and Lynn T. Ramey. Race, Class, and Gender in Medieval Cinema. Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.

Raimi, Sam, director. Army of Darkness. Dino De Laurentiis Company, 1992.

Williams, Joseph. “My Life as a Retail Worker: Nasty, Brutish, and Poor.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 17 Apr. 2015, www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/03/my-life-as-a-retail-worker-nasty-brutish-and-poor/284332/.

The Knights of Wabash

Andrew Gawrisch

Once upon a time in a land far away, a group of extraordinary knights came together to defeat the evil lurking in the shadows of their kingdom. Nine in total, four from the north, four from the east, and one from the south. The war against evil lasted for years in a stale mate until the knights made their way to front lines. Together they pushed the monsters and hellish creatures out of there sides of the kingdom. After that, they met at a small church and decided that they would all team up and finish the monsters in the west.

The battle lasted for months. No one in their villages knew if they had survived. One day the monsters stopped coming from the forest, or so the knights had thought. As the knights started reaping the rewards of the fallen, a devilish creature came out. It had dark red ram looking horns, a black cape, his feet were hooves and he had a spade tail. The most terrifying part was his skin was blood soaked from him eating his fallen comrades.

In fear of his life one of the knights started to flee. The creature realized this and in a split second it caught up to the knight and slaughtered him. The knights tried to regroup and get in formation. The creature circled for around and found a weak point. He targeted the weak points until all the knights had been killed. After that the creature went back to the woods.

The knights home towns eventually got word of the slaughter that happened and made a memorial for them. They each got their own castle which became housing for young potential knights. The young knights trained for four years or until they mastered their skills.

On the 100^th year anniversary of the slaughter that took place in the West, the creature came back to the kingdom. For the next nine days he showed up at every castle. At midnight he would say a chant and the castle vanished. No one knew where the castles went or the knights who lived there. After that the creature became known as the Devil.

That happened 198 years ago. Those castles got sent to a tiny town called Crawfordsville in Indiana. Their the knights had to adapt to life while still keeping there goal in mind, save the kingdom. Eventually, after many years, the knights decided it would be best if they became a “college”. This is was an unknown concept for them as they only knew how to fight. They managed to make buildings and hire teachers with the money from their treasure rooms.

Next was getting potential knights to come. The knights set up a meeting with some of the new teachers and asked how they could get people here. After much brainstorming they decided being a liberal arts all male school would be the best. The liberal arts gave the knights a well rounded education while also giving them time to hone their skills. Making it an all male school meant that everyone had a chance to become a knight.

Later that year the school opened and the knights experienced there first issue. Not everyone wanted to become a knight. To help solve this issue, the knights made normal dorm buildings for students. After the dorms were made the knights made the executive decision to call a castle a fraternity. This change sparked something within the students. All of a sudden the fraternities started to fill with members.

The fraternities decided not to tell the newcomers (pledges) the true agenda until they’ve proven their loyalty and mental toughness to the members of the house. The time for pledges to prove themselves became known as pledgeship. Basically the members of the house can make the pledges life miserable if they wanted. While this dwindled down the number of future knights it ensured that they would be prepared to fight when the day comes.

Once pledgeship ended the competitions came up for the new members. Here they would go to the mall. The mall is an area where there’s grass and trails that lead to the academic buildings and it’s oval shape. During the night, after pledgeship ended for all the fraternities they would send there new members to the mall. Here they would see which house has the strongest pledge class through sword fighting and jousting. Along with that during pledgeship the pledges made a weapon that they could use for a special round where anything goes.

When all the rounds are done the higher up members from each house decided on who has the strongest class. Whoever is the strongest class makes the preparations for the mission during winter break there senior year. This includes making roles for everyone and how they strategize attacks when they go back to the other world.

During the next three and a half years, the knights got their education and honed there skills. When winter break happens all the seniors do there comps, or at least that what it says on paper. What actually happens is the students from the dorm take the comps but the knights all do a ritual under the arch and get teleported to the other world. This ritual can only be done on Christmas Eve and has to have a blood sacrifice.

When the blood sacrifice is made all the knights have 3 minutes to go under the arch. If they don’t, they fail their mission and get kicked out of the fraternity. Along with that once they get to the other world they have 3 weeks until they have to come back or else they’re stuck there forever. If a knight gets stuck he’s called a ghost and the school considers him a drop out. Since it started 198 years ago only 5 ghosts have happened. No one knows what happens to a ghost and it’s one of the knights biggest fears, being forgotten.

Or at least that’s my biggest fear. I leave in two hours to the other world and fight the evil creatures and the Devil. The past knights say they’ve trained us well but it’s not that convincing due to the fact half of them died when they went. I’ve already written my letters to my family in case I become a ghost…

The time has arrived and the senior knights all gathered around the arch. The sacrifice is a deer that was found a couple towns over. The light above the arch turned red and that was the trigger. Right away the deer’s neck got cut and red dyed the snow on the surrounding area. Then a gust of wind came and the portal opened. I was in the middle of the pack.

When I took my first step in my surroundings totally changed. One second I was in chilly Crawfordsville with my armor, sword, and shield but then it became a purple and black circle like I was walking on the Milky Way. After about fifteen steps I stepped foot in the new world.

The world looked so peaceful, there were barely any signs of human life besides the cottages the villagers made. The snow made it seem like a winter wonderland or a snow globe. After taking in the sight we all heard a scream. When we went to see the commotion, it was terrifying.

The hellish creatures used guerilla warfare and started attacking villages at random. This village was getting burned to the ground and a massacre was taking place right before our eyes. We just stood there taking it all in. The smell of burning flesh and blood filled our noses as we saw the village crumble. Many of the knights had to turn around as the sight was to horrible to bare.

It’s a good thing they did, a few evil creatures tried to do a surprise attack from behind while we watched the village burn. The creatures were even worse than the fraternities described. Fallen knights were resurrected and were closing in on us. With each step the intensity grew, no one thought they were going to fight their own fraternity. Behind them were mages they had a long cloak on and a book in there hand. There first spell was a fireball that obliterated seven knights in an instant.

That’s when everyone realized it wasn’t Crawfordsville anymore it was war. A foreign land with one rule. Survive.

Without thinking about a third of the knights charged towards the resurrected knights and mages. The clashing of metal and screams ringed in my ears as people started dropping. After about an hour the noise died down and the fight was over. Bodies of our knights, resurrected knights and mages laid on the ground with pools of blood around them. The armor pierced by the swords or burnt threw by the mages.

The rest of the knights fled to the woods and hid.

When we thought the coast was clear we slowly started coming out. After discussion we decided that we would split into teams. The first team was to protect the villagers and the second was to find the devil and slay him. Everyone was given a number to decide what group they’re in. I got two which put me in the group to find the devil.

Whether or not this was the better group was hard to tell. Slaying a monster that’s been around for at least 298 years isn’t exactly a piece of cake but at least I wasn’t a sitting duck protecting a village. Both groups went to village to set up barriers for the next attack while also gaining of where the devil lives.

After three days the barrier was put up, first we created a wooden wall to surround the village. Along with that we made pits that if weight was put on it the ground would collapse dropping the object onto spikes. If they got through that we had archer towers and knights ready paroling the walls at all times. We also decided to train the villagers how to fight but my group didn’t stay for that.

My group after asking most of the villagers finally got an answer to where the devil lives. Apparently there’s a mountain about two days out east where he lives unless he comes down to wreak havoc. With that information we set out.

The first day was easy with few monsters attacking. At night was a different story. We got attacked three times and lost half of the group. When the sun started to rise the monsters left leaving us only the bodies of the fallen. When we started to search for anything useful I found a mage with a gold cloak instead of the normal black. I searched its stuff and found a map along with a stone.

The map led straight to the mountain showing the routes to take to avoid contact with monsters. The knights rejoiced, they had one less thing to worry about now. As for the stone it was bright red and oval shaped. Oddly enough it fit perfectly into my sword right where the blade and handle met. When placed the stone sent a shock wave wiping out everything around me. The shock took the life of everything around me. The rest of my group, plants, and animals all died in that instant. The stone started to glow more and a light from the sky hit it and my sword turned red.

A second after an eruption came from the East. The devil had saw the light and decided it was time to come out of his lair and find the source of the light. Me. At the same time I was trying to find him so I went forward. Every time I got close to a living thing it died, I saw the life drain from every living thing as they slowly turned into dust.

After about three hours of walking a saw a large figure in the figure in the distance that looked like a person. I tried to warn them not to come close as they’d die but they started sprinting towards me. Then it clicked, that’s the devil and he was ready. From three hundred feet away I could feel the blood lust pouring out of him. As he got closer you could see how savage he was, as soon as he was close enough he lunged in for an attack. I put my sword out just in time, he tried to pierce me with his barehand.

The strength and speed of him was something unearthly, he deserves to be called devil. The devil kept attacking, slashing into the sword and armor. There was no chance to attack I could defend myself. While defending his hands the devil used his tail and stabbed my leg.

His tail went straight through the armor and I dropped to one knee. A huge hole was in my leg and blood started flowing out. The devil started to laugh and that was my opening. I stepped on his tail and slashed his left arm clean off. He let out a horrendous roar in pain and tried to stab me again. Somehow I was able to dodge it and sent my sword flying up toward his other arm. It made contact and chopped his arm off from the elbow down on his right.

The devil then pulled his tail out from under my foot and flipped me in the air. While mid air he went for my chest but I was able to rotate and only get hit in my right shoulder. The armor shattered and a deep gash was there. When I hit the ground I could barely see, I got tunnel vision from the blood loss.

The devil mocked me and commented how I was weak and all the knights will die because of me. Then the stone started to glow and my wounds began to heal. My leg and shoulder healed completely. The devil in disbelief tried to flee. At that moment I knew what I had to do, I used every ounce of strength I had and threw the sword at him. Unfortunately I threw it slightly to far to the right.

As the sword spun in the air it was a gamble that the blade would hit him. The devil turned to the right to see if I was behind him. As he turned the sword pierced his heart and he dropped. The life slowly draining out of him. For a split second I couldn’t believe my eyes. The devil was the knight that fled 298 years ago. He smiled and said thank you as he turned to dust.

After that I walked back by myself to the village. When I arrived the place was a ruin. The barricade didn’t work and the village was destroyed. The group that was stationed there has been annihilated. I saw this I walked alone for two weeks trying to find anyone with no avail. Eventually I gave up and waited for the portal to open. Two days later I went back to Crawfordsville alone. I could never speak of the events that happened, all I could say is the mission is done and we can break the arch.

Once the arch was torn down the Knights of Wabash disbanded, never to be spoken about again.

Works Cited

Brine , Kevin R, et al. “The Jewish Textual Traditions.” The Sword of Judith - 2. The Jewish Textual Traditions, Open Book Publishers, 1 Jan. 1970, books.openedition.org/obp/986?lang=en.

Camara, Dr. Esperança, and Dr. Esperança Camara. “Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes.” Smarthistory, 19 July 2015, smarthistory.org/gentileschi-judith-slaying-holofernes/.

Frey, Angelica. “The Biblical Heroine Who Became Art History's Favorite Icon of Female Rage.” Artsy, 4 Apr. 2019, www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-judith-beheading-holofernes-art-historys-favorite-icon-female-rage.

“Judith .” The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: The Medieval Period , 3rd ed., vol. 1, Broadview Press , 2015, pp. 117–126.

Judith and Holofernes by Donatello, 2009, www.donatello.net/judith-and-holofernes.jsp.