Ragman’s Harbour
Hi! We are Ragman’s Harbour, the official podcast of the Planetosi Exchange Programme, a new podcast dedicated to discussing real-life historical and cultural parallels to ASOIAF, from a non-Anglo perspective. Because we, Virginie and Lo, come from non-English speaking countries although we use English as our common language!
Episodes
In this episode we take you on a journey to meet very real people (à la Brandon Starks if he were a king or a hunter) who are saints and actual people who are saints (with or without boobies and visions) with a bonus festive saint and singing (no fire was started in the making of this episode).
We manage to parallel Septon Meribald and Gregor Clegan (and bonus Oedipus!) to the same saint, and also talk Pretty Meris, Melisandre, Mot...
In this episode we talk about gender nonconforming people throughout history, and ASOIAF. We cover everyone from Joan of Arc, genderqueer Viking era people, possible trans saints, and a Polish gender criminal (of sorts). And we compare them to characters like Brienne of Tarth, Morna White Mask, Alleras the Sphinx, Arya Stark, Brave Danny Flint, and more. Join us as we discuss how the gender binary is fake and heteronormativity is b...
In this episode, your hosts take you once more to the delightful (or not) realm of political deaths. Some of them just stop being alive, some are murdered, some experience chop chop, but all men must die -kings, princes who are also kings, men who used to be kings, people who got rid of kings, people who didn't want to get rid of kings, people who are not monarchs too.
Also, Virginie needs to come clean: she said "kings" were banne...
In this episode, we talk about one of our absolute favourite characters: Wyman Manderly.
We analyse where he and his family stand in the North, how he is perceived and how he uses that, his sense of ethics, why we love him in spite of some... less savoury bits and we finally get to share artwork by the fantastic Hanieh @dr3adlady.bsky.social (We'll share it on social media and on our Patreon, on a public post like all our public e...
In this episode, your hosts and guest Ray, discuss what happens when different cultures meet, in ASOIAF and irl.
We discuss migration, culture clashes, prejudice, racism, colonialism, and more! Along the way we conclude that both Viserys Targaryen and Jorah Mormont are the worst (albeit in different ways), and that the Free Folk makes a good parallel to climate refugees.
We also chat with our guest about his journey through both t...
In this third episode of our series looking at the books, actually, we look at a neat trick GRRM uses for subtle storytelling: the blasons/sigils of the main Houses of the North, through the prism of semiotics -and specifically, the tools developed by the researcher, Greimas.
You don't know what semiotics are? Fair enough! Let us explain that it's the study of signs and symbols, and how they are used to create meaning, tell stories...
All men - and people in general - must die, but what happens afterwards? In this episode we discuss understandings of death, burial rituals, and the afterlife in ASOIAF and real life! Join us to learn about how the pop culture understanding of "Viking funerals" is somewhat inaccurate, but also how funeral processions for kings and nobles in ASOIAF are far less extra than they were in real-life France.
Tell your friends and even ...
In this second episode of our series looking at the books, in an extremely shocking twist of event (not), we are analysing Brienne!
We're talking gender, the patriarchy, transphobia, toxic gender norms, heresy and Podrick Payne, Hyle Hunt and Jaime Lannister get a mention. So do Cercei and Catelyn, for different reasons.
We hope you like this episode as much as we enjoyed making it!
Tell your friends and even your barista about it,...
Your hosts and guest Abi ( @szegfu.bsky.social ) take you on a trip around the world and across time to learn more about George's favourite topic, probably: food!
We discuss having to adapt to a new food culture in real life, like Catelyn and Tyrion as well as Areo Hotah and Ser Arys do in the books, what people eat in the North(s), what spices were found in medieval European kitchens, how to preserve food when you don't have a fri...
Who wants to play? Swedish games the Ironborn would not shy from or French games Tyrion approves?
Tell your friends and even your enemies about this episode, and if you liked what you hear, leave us a firework of stars and rave about us in a review on your podcast app of choice.
Also, check out our Patreon where we publish exclusive bonus episodes for our beloved patrons: Virginie reads LOTR for the first time, you do not* want to ...
We debute a new episode series, all about, who could have predicted: ASOIAF. Like, actually, the books/ shows and not historical parallels.
In this first episode, we talk about the greatest leader possibly ever, and certainly, a speaker for GRRM's pet project (to finish off the work JRR Tolkien left pending, something something genocide of baby orcs and tax policy): Tormund. If you've only watched the show and are confused about th...
We take you on a trip to discover how fascists in our world and Westeros use what they like in the Middle Ages, pick and choose and lump it all together and bam! have lovely (or not) symbols to show and things to say to justify their hatred and actions. We mostly only look at our world, and how Vikings and the Crusades are used, and look at what GRRM uses and doesn't use.
Tell your friends and even your enemies about this episode, ...
In this episode, your hosts take you on a trip all the way to the Early Middle Ages and back, to discuss queens of France and Sweden -a couple each, no one is jealous! And also Cercei, a lot. Somehow. And ask the real question: is Catelyn the most medieval character of ASOIAF?
Tell your friends and even your enemies about this episode, and if you liked what you hear, leave us a firework of stars and rave about us in a review on you...
This is but a taste of what is to come on our Patreon!
In this bonus episode, one of your hosts discovers the prologue of the Fellowship of the Ring as she ventures into reading the Lord of the Rings for the first time. Sometimes, your other host represses a remark so there is suspense: what went wrong? Please don't spoil her: Your newbie host is curious and thrilled!
She looks not only at the meta analysis and the story told, but ...
In this episode, your hosts tell you stories you best not try at home: political assassinations, successful and failed, in Sweden and France.
From the Middle Ages to the 2OthC, discover stories bigger than fiction which sadly don't include dragons :((
Also, we have a Very Exciting Announcement: we're starting a Patreon! Find out more at the end of the episode and directly at the mouth of the river of time: Ragman's Patreon
Tell you...
In this episode, your hosts take you on a journey to medieval and not so medieval Europe to explore the rich world of heraldry to compare it to its Westeros counterpart: sigils.
Who gets to have a coat of arms? How to pick your doodle? What are the rules? Are imaginary coat of arms a new thing?
We discovered so much we didn't know about, it was an actual delight to learn so much -and hopefully you enjoy learning with us. It's not ...
In this episode we discuss season 2 of House of the Dragon with a special guest, Bidonica! Together we talk about art in ASOIAF/HotD compared to the history of art in our world, (trans)gender politics in HotD and our world, language and power, class politics, and more!
And also why Italian fan artists draw Sansa with dark hair...
You can contact us at:
Where to find Bidonica:
Are you feeling bereft after season 2 of HotD? Not sure what to do with your free time? We are here for you! In this mini-episode, we provide tv show recommendations to fill the void that HotD might have left in your life.
Lo's recommendations:
SKAM
Young Royals
Ragnarok
Virginie's recommendations:
Polar Park
Icon of French Cinema
Peepoodo and the Super Fuck Friends
Unplanned bonus chat about:
Jordskott
Maria Wern
Nói albin...
During this HotD season, we thought both our dear listeners and ourselves could use a break from just talking about the dragon show. So here is the second of three mini-episode where we recommend stuff to you all! In this episode we talk books!
Lo’s books & authors:
- Stöld (Stolen) - Ann-Helén Laestadius (Sápmi/Sweden)
- Kallocain - Karin Boye (Sweden)
- Read more
The Ragman's Harbour visited The Silent Sisters to chat about House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3! We had so much to say that not everything could fit in the podcast episode, so here is an outtake just for our listeners. Join us as we discuss how the name Ulf comes from the Swedish/Norse world "ulv", meaning "wolf", the history of that word and other taboo words, and the history of languages in general.
And of course, go listen ...
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