Mythology & Fiction Explained
The Mythology & Fiction Explained podcast is a weekly show that covers mythological tales and fictional stories. Many episodes originate from the popular YouTube channel of the same name.
Episodes
Episode 64: The Dark Origins of Japanese Yokai
Today we take a deep dive into the crazy world of Japanese Folklore. Examining the strangest and most disturbing Yokai, starting with some of the most well known and ending with the most obscure Japan has to offer.
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Episode 63 : Frankenstein: by Mary Shelley the Origin of Gothic Horror
Today we take a look at Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a true gothic horror classic. A young scientist discovers the secret to creating life and attempts to do what so many before him failed to do. When his experiment fails, he bestows life upon what he can only describe as a monster. A monster who seeks revenge for the cruel life he had been thrust into, but who will prevail in this battle of creat
Episode 62 : Sun Wukong - A Detailed Summary of Journey to the West
Today we take a look at Journey to the West a true classic of Chinese literature. An epic pilgrimage that features everyone's favorite shapeshifting trickster Sun Wukong the Monkey King.
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Episode 61: The Forgotten Creatures of the Arctic: Inuit Mythology
Today we explore the secrets of the Arctic, its forgotten and obscure creatures found in Inuit folklore and mythology.
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Episode 60 : Dracula by Bram Stoker - Fiction's Most Infamous Vampire
Today we take a look at a true horror classic in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Hopefully you enjoy this abridged version narrated by Mythology & Fiction explained.
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Episode 59: The Forgotten Book of 16th-century Apocalyptic Visions
In today's episode we take a look at the Augsburg book of miracles, a manuscript from an unknown author containing miraculous signs through out the ages, a collection of renaissance art and religious stories that many thought would predict future events.
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Episode 58: The Book of Forgotten Demons & Occult Secrets - Exploring the Infernal Dictionary
Today we take a look at the Dictionnaire Infernal otherwise known as the Infernal Dictionary, written by Jacques Collin de Plancy. This manuscript delves into many of the lesser known and forgotten demons as well as the practices and beliefs surrounding the occult.
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Episode 57: The Beast of Gevaudan | The Hunt for the Unidentified Monster that Terrorised 18th Century France
In today's episode we take a look at the mystery behind the monster that plagued the French countryside in the 18th century, but what exactly was the beast of Gevaudan?
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Episode 56: The History of Dragons | The Strange Origin Stories You Were Never Told
Today we take a look at the dragons, the history behind these mythical monsters and how their appearance and significance has changed over time.
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Episode 55: Dante's Inferno, Purgatorio & Paradiso - A Complete Summary of The Divine Comedy
Today we take a look at the all three parts of Dante's Divine Comedy, Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso.
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Episode 54: Is Tiamat the Queen of Monsters? The Mesopotamian Creation Story
Today we take a look at some Mesopotamian mythology with the goddess Tiamat and the creation story of the Enuma Elis. Was she the mother of monsters or the creator of life?
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Episode 53: Paradise Regained: Lucifer's Forgotten Sequel You Were Never Told
Today we return to the work of John Milton to take a look at the sequel to Paradise Lost. Paradise Regained follows the events Paradise Lost where the son of God must overcome the temptation of Satan.
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Episode 52: Trojan War | Exploring Greek Mythology's Most Significant War
Today we take a look at the events that transpired which caused one of the largest scale wars in Greek Mythology the Trojan War.
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Episode 51: The History of the Grim Reaper & the Deities of Death
Today we're taking a look the origin and history of the Grim Reaper as well as a look at the various deities and spirits of death from around the world.
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Episode 50: The Children of Loki | A Tale of Neglect, Fear and Prophecy
Today we take a look at Loki's children, some are fairly monstrous and others less so. These include Fenrir, Hel, Jormungandr, Sleipnir and Nari.
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Episode 49: Paradise Lost | The Story of Lucifer You Were Never Told
Today we take a look at John Milton's classic poem, Paradise Lost. The story that attempts to paint Satan as a sympathetic character with reasoning behind his actions that extend past just being an evil demon.
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Episode 48: The Many Love Affairs of Zeus | The Strange & Tragic Stories That May Surprise You
Today we take a look at the various stories surrounding Zeus and his lovers, some strange and some quite tragic.
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Episode 47: The History of Fairies | The Dark & Tragic Stories You Were Never Told
Today we take a look at the history of fairies, what exactly they are and where they came from. This includes multiple regions around the world and features creatures such as Changelings, leprechauns, Pixies, Banshees, Boggarts and even angels and demons.
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Episode 46: Zeus vs Thor | Who is the True Lord of Thunder? (Mythological Battle Royale)
Today we explore what a potential encounter between Zeus and Thor could look like, how it would take place and who would ultimately end up victorious.
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Episode 45: Samael, Angel of Death or the Father of Demons? (Exploring Angels & Demons)
Today we explore the angel Samael and the various texts that seem to contradict and confuse many as to who Samael was and what role he played.
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Episode 44: Anansi the Spider-Man, The Story of West Africa's Spider Trickster
Today we take a look at some West African Folklore with the Ghanaian legend of the trickster spirit Anansi the spider.
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Episode 43: The Forgotten Cryptids & Legends of Britain - (Pt.1 Exploring English Folklore)
Today we explore five legends & cryptids from Britain. The terrible swamp hag Jenny Greenteeth, the brave giant slaying Jack, the terror Black Annis, the fiendish Black Shuck and the mysterious Hairy Hands.
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Episode 42: 5 Wonderfully Weird Christmas & Festive Legends - (Exploring Festive Folklore)
Today we take a look at 5 festive legends including, Gryla, the Yule Cat, the Yule Lads, Befana and the Kallikantzaros. From Iceland we have the terrible child eating troll Gryla, her pet cat the Yule Cat which stalks the snowy countryside looking for those who were unfortunate enough to not receive any new clothing during Christmas. Lastly we have her 13 sons, the Yule Lads. Who arrive in town on
Episode 41: The Strange Creatures of the Witcher Season 2 (Exploring Witcher & Slavic Folklore)
Today we take a look at some of the creatures that may feature in the second season of the Witcher as well as some we have already seen. We also explore some of the folklore influences behind these creatures.
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Episode 40: The Strange & Terrifying Creatures of Native American Folklore - (Exploring Native American Folklore)
Today we continue our Strange & Terrifying creature series with 6 figures from Native American Folklore.
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Episode 39: Who are the 7 Archangels & What Do They Represent? - (Exploring Angelology)
Today Mythology & Fiction Explained explores the concept of the seven archangels. Who they were and what they represent.
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Episode 38: What is the Leviathan? - (Exploring the Gargantuan Biblical Monster of the Sea)
Today we take a look at a gargantuan mythical monster of the sea that has appeared in cultures all around the world. A creature so terrifying humanity is powerless to stop it, the creature is of course the Leviathan.
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Episode 37: The Crazy Creatures of North America - (Exploring North American Folklore)
Today we travel to North America, a region that has hundreds of strange and unique creatures. The five creatures or Cryptids we will be focusing on today are, Bigfoot, Devil Dogs, the Beast of Busco, the Loveland Frog and the Flatwoods Monster.
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Episode 36: The Strange & Terrifying Creatures of Sweden - (Exploring Scandinavian Folklore)
Today we take a look at the many strange creatures and legends that are native to Sweden. These creatures include the Draugr, Skogsraet, Myling, Nacken, Mara, Trollcat and Vittra.
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Episode 35: Why Biblically Accurate Angels Look Like Your Worst Nightmare - (Exploring Angelology)
Today we take a look at how angels were described in various religious texts and they look nothing like you'd expect, unless you imagined nightmarish Lovecraftian beings. These figures include the Seraphim, Cherubim, Ophanim and the Virtues.
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Episode 34: Ovid's Metamorphoses: A Collection of Gruesome and Unmissable Transformation Tales & Legends
Today we finally take a look at Ovid's Metamorphoses a selection of cautionary transformation tales. Some of the figures we'll be taking a look at today include Calisto, Arachne, Pygmalion, Daedalus & Icarus and Battus.
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Episode 33: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - (Exploring Arthurian Lore)
Today we will be exploring the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. A great piece of Arthurian lore that covers multiple themes from Honesty, chivalry, temptation, seduction and human nature.
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Episode 32: The Seven Deadly Sins - What Are They and Why Are They So Dangerous?
Today we take a look at the Seven Deadly Sins with one main goal, to find out why they were considered so deadly. In order to uncover their origins we must examine how and why they came to exist.
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Episode 31: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse - Who Are They & What Do They Represent? -
Today we take a look the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Conquest, War, Famine and Death. We examine who are they are and what they represent using information from the book of revelation and the book of ezekiel.
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Episode 30: Purgatorio - A Summary of the Divine Comedy Pt. 2
Today we finally return to Dante's Divine Comedy with Purgatorio, having covered Inferno and due to very very popular demand we are now tagging along with Dante and Virgil as they travel through Purgatory. Join us on this wild adventure and we take another look into the wild mind of Dante Alighieri.
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Episode 29: Hera: The Queen of Gods - (Greek Mythology Explained
Today we explore the queen of Olympus herself, Hera! We take a look at the domains and worship surrounding Hera, as well as the many stories she appears in. The story of how she married Zeus, her involvements in the story of Jason and his hunt for the golden fleece, her hatred for Heracles, how she played a large role in starting the Trojan war and of course the treatment of Zeus' many lovers.
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Episode 28: The Worst Punishments of Greek Mythology - Mortal Edition (Greek Mythology Explained)
Today Mythology & Fiction Explained explores the worst punishments of Greek mythology that were dished out to kings and regular mortals alike.
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Episode 27: Mermaids: The Dark & Messed Up Origins - (Exploring the Myths Behind Infamous Sea Creatures)
Mermaids - Today we take a look at the stories behind Mermaids from Greek mythology, Mesopotamian mythology, Russian & British folklore.
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Episode 26: The Watchers - The Angels who Abandoned God & Heaven (Exploring the Book of Enoch)
The book of Enoch is a religious text that covers Angels, Demons, Giants and even the events surrounding the great flood. Today we take a look at the book of the Watchers which discusses the angels fall from grace.
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Episode 25: A Christmas Carol - The Story of Ebenezer Scrooge (A Charles Dickens Story)
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Episode 24: Trolls - The Origins of Europe's Man Eating Monsters - (Exploring Scandinavian Folklore)
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Episode 23: Jinn - From Evil Spirits to Genie - (Exploring Middle Eastern Folklore)
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Episode 22: Vampires - A Brief History of Obsession - (Exploring Vampire Folklore)
Today we explore the numerous legends surrounding Vampire folklore from all around the world. As we attempt to draw a conclusion as to why Vampires in fiction today differ so greatly from the Vampires of old.
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Episode 21: Who Are The Seven Princes of Hell? - (Demonology Explained)
Today we explore the seven princes of hell using a classification written by Peter Binsfeld based on the seven deadly sins.
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Episode 20: Koschei The Immortal Sorcerer & How He Finally Met His Demise - (Slavic Folklore)
Prince Ivan has freed the evil sorcerer Koschei the immortal, now he must embark on a quest to save his wife and defeat a sorcerer who cannot be killed.
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Episode 19: Dante's Inferno - A Summary of the Divine Comedy Pt. 1
Today we take a look at the first part of the Divine Comedy... Dante's inferno. We journey through the nine circles of hell with Dante and Virgil as they try to escape with the ultimate goal of making it to paradise.
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Episode 18: Curse of the Wendigo - Dark World Ep.2
Dark World is our very own series of short horror stories that feature all sorts of creatures and monsters from folklore all around the world. Today in Dark World episode 2 Curse of the Wendigo, our protagonist Chase struggles with his own personal demons while what he believes to be a Wendigo stalks his family.
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Episode 17: Satyrs & Fauns - The Goatmen of Greek & Roman Mythology
Today we explore the stories behind the Satyr and Faun as they appeared in both Greek and Roman mythology. We take a look at the different types and how the two differed in appearance and personality.
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Episode 16: Amazons - The Most Feared Warrior Women of Greek Mythology
Today we take a look at a tribe of fierce warrior women that the ancient Greeks referred to as the Amazons. An isolated tribe of warrior women who were very accustomed to the spartan way of life, they had many queens and took part in a many wars as they could but were they even women to begin with? We take a look at who they were, where they came from and where in Greek mythology they were mention
Episode 15: The Strange Locations of the Cthulhu Mythos
Today we take a look at some of the most popular strange locations that appear in the work of H.P Lovecraft and the Cthulhu mythos.
These include Arkham, a hub for the supernatural. Innsmouth, the sleepy fishing town where the deep ones hide. Dunwhich, the home of a true terror. The Nameless City, home to a mysterious race of reptiles. Carcosa, the ruins of a once great city. Hyperborea, a harsh a
Episode 14: Lucifer - The Story Behind the Fallen Angel
Today we take a look at the fall of Lucifer and how he went from the most beautiful angel in heaven to a grotesque demon who ruled hell. We examine the references in biblical scriptures and how Lucifer and Satan became the same figure. We then take a look at how Lucifer and Satan are represented in two works of literature, Dante's Inferno and John Milton's Paradise Lost
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Episode 13: Hestia - Goddess of the Hearth & Sacrificial Flame
In today's episode we take a look at some Greek mythology with Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth & Sacrificial Flame. Hestia is one of the first six Olympian deities and perhaps the least mentioned because of her commitment to keeping the sacred hearth burning. We examine the few stories she appears in, how she was viewed in overall Greek religion, how her worship took place and why it was so impo
Episode 12: The Jersey Devil - The History Behind New Jersey's Most Famous Cryptid
Today we take look at the history and alleged sighting involving New Jersey's most famous Cryptid, the Jersey Devil!
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Episode 11: Poseidon: Lord of the Sea
Today we take a look at some more Greek mythology with one of its most iconic deities... Poseidon lord of the sea! We examine the origins of his worship, the stories he appeared in and some of his many many children and lovers.
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Episode 10: Krampus: Exploring the Legend of the Christmas Demon
Watch out boys and girls because he certainly knows if you've been naughty... In today's episode we examine the legend of the Christmas demon Krampus! We take a look at the influences and stories surrounding Krampus pre Christian era followed by the more modern Krampus figure used by the church to slowly phase out pagan practices.
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Episode 9: Succubus: The Story Behind the Infamous Demon
In today's episode we take a look at the stories behind a demon who comes to men in their dreams and feeds off them in order to sustain themselves and create more demons, the Succubus. This is an old episode but it's still one of my personal favourites as it covers some very interesting points in history regarding how the church viewed demons like the succubus, it also includes a pope who claimed
Episode 8: The Giants of Greek Mythology
In today's episode we take a look at the giants of Greek mythology, their creation, battles, personalities and the most famous stories they appear in. The most famous of these stories being the Gigantomachy, the epic battle between gods and giants.
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Episode 7: The Kraken - Exploring the Origins Behind the Legendary Sea Monster
In today's episode we explore the origins of the most legendary sea monster of all time, the Kraken! We take a look at it's mythical origins and how 19th and 20th century literature made sure it became one of the most notorious monsters in fiction. Even today it's rather strange how often the name and imagery still appears.
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Episode 6: Goblins: The Story Behind the Creepy Little Men of European Folklore
Today in this episode we take a look at a set of creatures that have become a staple in modern fantasy, Goblins. We examine their various origins from countries all around Europe and how they are represented in more modern forms of media. We also learn the true identity of our host, is he truly human?
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Episode 5: Baba Yaga: The Wild Witch of the Slavic Woods
Today we delve into some Slavic folklore with the tale of Baba Yaga the wild witch of the woods. In this episode we take a look at her many different depictions, origins and the classical stories that she appeared in.
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Episode 4: The Many Faces of Medusa - Monster, Victim or Protector?
Today we explore the many stories surrounding one of Greek Mythology's most iconic and misrepresented figures, Medusa. Was she always a monster? Perhaps an unfortunate victim who was in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or did the ancient Greeks view her as a protector who could keep evil away?
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Episode 3: Spring Heeled Jack: The Demon Terror of London
Today we explore the stories behind the Victorian legend of Spring Heeled Jack the demon terror of London. A mysterious shadowy figure who stalked the rooftop of London in search for his next victim.
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Episode 2: Lilith: The Mother of Demons or The First Woman?
Today we explore a very popular figure in Jewish demonology & mythology as well as some biblical stories, Lilith the mother of demons. We take a look her various depictions over the years to try and understand whether she was a demon that all other demons came from or whether she was the first wife of Adam before she rebelled and fled the garden of Eden.
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Episode 1: Jason & The Argonauts - The Epic Quest for the Golden Fleece
Today we explore the story behind the Greek Hero Jason and his crew of Argonauts as they embark on an epic and perilous quest to recover the golden fleece and reclaim the kingdom that was stolen from him.. This episode follows Jason's journey to Colchis in search of the legendary golden fleece, but along the way the Argonauts must brave treacherous conditions, hostile natives, six armed giants, si
