The Elizabethan hedgehog was a symbol of darkness and malevolence, not today's adorable ball of squish.
This episode explores how Elizabethans, particularly William Shakespeare, perceived hedgehogs as creatures of darkness and malevolence, contrasting sharply with modern views of them as adorable animals. The host examines historical sources like Pliny the Elder's Natural History and Edward Topsall's bestiary to trace the origins of these bizarre beliefs about hedgehog behavior and symbolism.
