Myths, Games & Meaning
What do Greek gods, video games, and popular culture actually have in common?
I'm Dr Dani Shalet. In Myths, Games & Meaning, I sit down with scholars, performers, storytellers, and creatives to explore how ancient myth keeps resurfacing in the culture around us today. We look at how these stories move from antiquity into video games, films, books, and the worlds we build through play.
From Medusa to Middle earth, from the Hero's Journey to Tomb Raider and Baldur's Gate, we dig into the threads that shape contemporary storytelling, and the ways we express our hopes, fears, and identities through storytelling and imagination.
If you're drawn to mythology, folklore, narrative design, or the tales woven through the games and stories we love, you'll feel right at home here.
More at https://www.mythsgamesmeaning.com
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About the Host:
Dr Dani Shalet is a theologian, mythologist, educator, and lifelong gamer who explores how humans make meaning through story, from ancient legend to modern games. She brings a warm, thoughtful approach to conversations with actors, scholars, creatives, and fans, drawing on her academic background to make complex ideas feel accessible, cosy, and alive.
Through Myths, Games & Meaning, she invites listeners into a queer aware, emotionally intelligent space where narrative, culture, and identity meet.
New episodes released throughout the year.
Myths, Games & Meaning
The Hero's Journey: Wizard of Oz, Poppy Fields, Emerald Cities & the Illusion of Authority in Myth
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In this episode of Myths, Games & Meaning, Dr. Dani Shalet is joined by Dr. Chris Deacy and Dr. Paul March-Russell to explore myth, authority, and the hero’s journey through The Wizard of Oz.
Continuing our journey with Dorothy, we move from the trials of the Poppy Field to the shining promise of the Emerald City, and finally to the Wizard’s unmasking as “just a man.” Along the way, we examine how myth challenges authority, offers moments of escape, and helps communities make shared meaning.
The conversation also reflects on the ritual power of watching films together, the cyclical nature of the hero’s journey, and how retelling familiar myths helps us make sense of desire, transformation, and identity.
Find us at https://mythsgamespod.wixsite.com/myths
We would love to hear from you.
Music: Intro and outro — Spirits of the Woods by Rotem Moav.
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