Christian/Pagan Influences The Grail House The Grail Knights “The Death of Arthur”

Christian/Pagan  Archbishop of Canterbury  Christian calendar  Religious oaths: “By grace of God.”  Archbishop of Canterbury  Christian calendar  Religious oaths: “By grace of God.”  Merlin’s prophecies  Arthur’s dream of dragons and beasts  Hand in the lake  Arthur’s departure to Avalon

The Holy Grail  Christ’s chalice from the Last Supper = spiritual vessel with healing power *or*  Chalice used to catch Christ’s blood after the Roman centurian Longinus pierced his side with a spear  Christ’s chalice from the Last Supper = spiritual vessel with healing power *or*  Chalice used to catch Christ’s blood after the Roman centurian Longinus pierced his side with a spear

The Holy Grail  Joseph of Arimathea carries the grail to Britain  On Pentecost Galahad assumes the Siege Perilous  Grail magically appears to the Round Table, feeds them, and vanishes  Joseph of Arimathea carries the grail to Britain  On Pentecost Galahad assumes the Siege Perilous  Grail magically appears to the Round Table, feeds them, and vanishes

The Grail Question  Along with Perceval and Bors, Galahad reaches Castle Carbonek, the Grail Castle  Perceval first fails to ask the wounded Fisher King the Grail Question:  What is the secret of the Grail? Whom does it serve?  Along with Perceval and Bors, Galahad reaches Castle Carbonek, the Grail Castle  Perceval first fails to ask the wounded Fisher King the Grail Question:  What is the secret of the Grail? Whom does it serve?

The Fisher King(s) aka the Maimed King(s)  Descendants of Joseph of Arimathea = Guardians of the Holy Grail  Wounded through the thighs (genitals?) by the Dolorous Stroke  Descendants of Joseph of Arimathea = Guardians of the Holy Grail  Wounded through the thighs (genitals?) by the Dolorous Stroke

The Fisher King(s) aka the Maimed King(s)  Wound makes his land an infertile Wasteland (impotence)  Vegetation myth = the king and the land are one  Wound makes his land an infertile Wasteland (impotence)  Vegetation myth = the king and the land are one

The Dolorous Stroke  Balin (Balan fratricide) stabbed his rival Pellam with the Lance of Longinus  Rendered the kingdom a barren Wasteland  The saddest blow since the lance pierced the side of Christ  Balin (Balan fratricide) stabbed his rival Pellam with the Lance of Longinus  Rendered the kingdom a barren Wasteland  The saddest blow since the lance pierced the side of Christ

The Wasteland  No king = no God = chaos  Lack of fertility = lack of spirituality  Corruption of Edenic verdance  Vegetation myth = the king and the land are one  No king = no God = chaos  Lack of fertility = lack of spirituality  Corruption of Edenic verdance  Vegetation myth = the king and the land are one

The Grail House Pellam: maimed by the Dolorous Stroke First King of the Wasteland Pelles: Pellam’s son and Elaine’s father Elaine of Carbonek = the Grail Princess Galahad’s mother by Lancelot Galahad: Heals the Maimed King Achieves the Grail

The Holy Grail  The three knights depart in a ship for Sarras (near Jerusalem?) with the silver Grail Table and the Holy Grail, covered in red silk  Galahad kneels in front of the Grail Table and ascends bodily into heaven  The three knights depart in a ship for Sarras (near Jerusalem?) with the silver Grail Table and the Holy Grail, covered in red silk  Galahad kneels in front of the Grail Table and ascends bodily into heaven

“The Death of Arthur”  Vision of spirit Gawain, accompanied by ladies = Knight of the Goddess  Wheel of Fortune turns fate upside-down  Monsters in the swamp of chaos and the imagination  Vision of spirit Gawain, accompanied by ladies = Knight of the Goddess  Wheel of Fortune turns fate upside-down  Monsters in the swamp of chaos and the imagination

“The Death of Arthur”  Fateful sting of the serpent = Satan in the Garden of Eden  Mortal conflict of father and son  Chaos and robbery on the battlefield = end of the Golden Age  Fateful sting of the serpent = Satan in the Garden of Eden  Mortal conflict of father and son  Chaos and robbery on the battlefield = end of the Golden Age

“The Death of Arthur”  Bedivere fails Arthur three times as Peter denied Christ three times  Avalon = the Fortunate Island, the Isle of the Apples  Otherworldly, heavenly  Three queens = three Fates, three Marys  Bedivere fails Arthur three times as Peter denied Christ three times  Avalon = the Fortunate Island, the Isle of the Apples  Otherworldly, heavenly  Three queens = three Fates, three Marys

“The Death of Arthur”  Arthur’s return = Christ’s Second Coming  Future restoration of a Golden Age  King = the land = vegetation cycle  Arthur’s return = Christ’s Second Coming  Future restoration of a Golden Age  King = the land = vegetation cycle

“The Death of Arthur”  Young Arthur united 11 rulers against Saxons  Quest for the Holy Grail temporarily restored kingdom fragmented by Mordred  Kingdom is ultimately destroyed by human weakness = Lancelot and Guinevere  Young Arthur united 11 rulers against Saxons  Quest for the Holy Grail temporarily restored kingdom fragmented by Mordred  Kingdom is ultimately destroyed by human weakness = Lancelot and Guinevere

Further Resources Select this link for excellent Arthurian resources The Camelot Project at University of Rochester Select this link for excellent Arthurian resources The Camelot Project at University of Rochester