Profs and Pints Northern Virginia presents: “The Women of King Arthur Legends,” with Brittany Warman, former instructor at Ohio State University and co-founder of the Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic.

Morgan Le Fay, Queen Guinevere, The Lady of the Lake, Elaine. Each of these women play crucial roles in the rise and fall of King Arthur, Britain’s greatest legendary hero. But they're almost always presented as enigmatic, ambiguous forces in the story.

Come gain a much richer understanding of all of them at Crooked Run Fermentation in Sterling, Virginia.

Brittany Warman, a folklorist who has earned a loyal following among Profs and Pints fans, will guide you through the complex world of Arthuriana and discuss how these women and their stories have been understood (and misunderstood) from ancient times to modern retellings.

Among the questions Dr. Warman will tackle: Is Morgan Le Fay the evil sorceress who plots Arthur’s demise, or is she the good fairy who takes the dying Arthur to the magical isle of Avalon for rest and healing? Is Guinevere an adulterous schemer, or a woman trapped by politics and the limited possibilities for women of her time?

The numerous gaps in the traditional materials of these legends allow many different interpretations. Some are positive or nuanced, while others hint at more than a little of the misogyny, fear, and contempt women have faced throughout the ages.

In an enchanted night of swords and sorcery, Dr. Warman will explore what these strange and powerful women offer today’s world. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.)

Image: "Queen Guinevere's Maying," a 1900 painting by John Collier.