The Search for the Holy Grail
What is the Holy Grail? A chalice? A philosophers' stone? The bloodline of Christ? In Arthurian romances the quest for the ever-elusive Holy Grail and the secrets therein was the highest spiritual pursuit one could embark on. In today's times it is a mental, rather than a physical, journey, and while not fraught with the danger it once was, it is still, for all practical purposes, an exciting and adventurous journey. To discover the truth of the identity of the Holy Grail, one must first look to see what it originally was, and how it evolved to become what is commonly known as the Holy Grail today. There are many ways of doing this. For example, one can look at it through the romances concerned mainly with the quest for the Grail and the heroes in it, or through the romances whose chief concern was the history and lore surrounding the Grail itself. Both examples will be addressed. The best way to start any adventure is from the beginning; thus, this is where the paper shall start, and then continue to move chronologically through time and the development of the Grail Perceval ou Conte del Graal (Perceval, or the Story of the Grail),
It entered through the great door, and at once the palace was filled with fragrance as though all the spices of the earth had been spilled abroad. The other two squires entered holding in their hands a candelabra of pure gold, crafted with enamel inlays. He is made worthy once again of the Grail, and the Grail King is healed, as well as the surrounding land restored, after Parzival asks, "Dear Uncle, what ails you?" As the nephew of the Grail King, he is also to be his successor, and the story ends with Parzival as the new Grail King. The story continues, but only slightly more is heard about the Grail, and it is never seen again, as the story ends, abruptly and in mid-sentence due to Chretien's death. The story of the Quest of the Holy Grail is entirely encompassed in Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory in the chapter "The Tale of The Sangreal", and thus we shall examine the two stories together. The first author to "Christianize" the Grail story and link the Grail to the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper was Robert de Boron in his poem Joseph d'Arimathie, written in the early 13th century. A maiden accompanying the two young men was carrying a grail with her two hands. It could also be derived from the term Lapis Ex Coelis, which translates as "the stone from the heavens" and seems to fit with the usage in Parzival. In Parzival, by Wolfram von Eshcenbach, there is a different sort of Grail altogether; it is said to be Lapis Exillis, a precious stone of special purity possessing miraculous powers, though Lapis Exillis could be a corruption of the name Lapis Elixir, translated as the "philosophers' stone". In Wolfram's account, Parzival arrives at what he identifies as the Grail Castle, called Munsalvaesche, the home of the Maimed King. In this moment they were all illumined as it might be by the grace of the Holy Ghost, and they began to look at one another, uncertain and perplexed. These are both apparently additions of Wolframs own creation. The term grail comes from the Latin gradale, which means a slightly deep dish or platter brought to the table at the various stages of a meal.
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Acceptance Essays
