Description
In the twelfth century, a French poet wrote a verse romance about a young knight who witnesses a mysterious procession centered on a radiant vessel, a "grail." Left unfinished, the poem inspired other writers of prose and verse, until the story was completely rewritten into the Arthurian romances, in which the vessel becomes a relic of the Last Supper, the Holy Grail.
For hundreds of years, the Grail story has haunted the western imagination. But the original medieval texts are full of inconsistencies, as different writers attempted to complete the story in varied ways. This encyclopedia illuminates a path through the Perilous Forest of literature and legend. Entries summarize the stories of the principal characters, sacred objects and places associated with the Grail. An Afterword shows how mysteries of the grail continue to enchant the scholars and creative writers who have transformed the medieval legend into modern mythology.
Author: Jeffrey John Dixon
Publisher: McFarland & Company
Published: 03/31/2023
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.35lbs
Size: 9.92h x 6.93w x 0.94d
ISBN13: 9781476687940
ISBN10: 1476687943
BISAC Categories:
- Religion | Christian Church | History
- Social Science | Popular Culture
About the Author
Jeffrey John Dixon, after studying English literature at Sussex University, travelled widely and now lives and writes in Powys, United Kingdom.