Marya Morevna, the Wondrous Queen: Part 2

09/17/20 • -1 min

Prince Ivan has come back to life after Koschei the Deathless chops him into pieces. But he still has not rescued his wife, Marya Morevna. To do so, he'll have to brave everyone's favorite villainess, Baba Yaga herself. But if he's not careful, he'll lose his head a second time! In the analysis section, Nicholas Kotar concludes his exploration of Tolkien's "On Fairy Stories" by examining why escapism isn't as bad as some people say it is, and how good fairy tales are actually closer to scripture than you might expect.

Previous Episode

Marya Morevna, the Wondrous Queen: Part 1

Prince Ivan has lost his parents, and now must take care of his three sisters. After marrying them off to an eagle, a falcon, and a raven, he sets out to find a wife for himself. He finds one in the great warrior-queen Marya Morevna. But he also finds more than he bargained for. And it just might lead to him being chopped into pieces . . . In the analysis section, Nicholas Kotar leads us through J.R.R. Tolkien's excellent essay "On Fairy Stories," exploring why now, more than ever, we need the consolation and enchantment provided by old tales.

Next Episode

Finist the Bright Falcon

The third daughter of a poor villager has a secret. No one suspects this quiet, unassuming girl of being betrothed, much less to Finist, a falcon by day and a prince by night. But when her sisters find out, they put knives on her windowsill . . . Instead of an analysis section, Nicholas Kotar talks with Natalie Wilson, the composer of the podcast's wonderful music, about womanhood, spiritual and physical hardship, and how the ritualistic nature of fairy tales reflects reality on a far deeper level than we realize.