The Quest for the Holy Grail Sangreal sang

The Quest for the Holy Grail Sangreal =“sang real”=“kingly blood”

General History �The cup that Christ drank out of at The Last Supper and the cup that caught the blood of Christ as he hung on the cross. �Somehow Joseph of Arimathea obtained the Grail and it stayed in his family and made its way to Britain.

Problems �What is its actual name? �What does/did it look like? �Who saw it/possessed it?

Chretien de Troyes (late 12 th century) �French, Countess Marie (courtly love)�Camelot, Lancelot, Holy Grail �Author of Le Conte du Graal (The Story of the Grail Perceval �“Graal”= flat serving dish. Keeping with Celtic tales of vessels of plenty

Perceval �Perceval has a hard time judging advice and knowing when to take it or not �Perceval meets a fisherman (Fisher King) who invites him to take shelter in a castle Sees a strange procession (including the grail) Fails to ask what the procession means Learns that the Fisher King is his cousin and that the grail provides sustenance for the king.

Robert de Boron (late 12 th-early 13 th century) �Wrote a trilogy of poems (Joseph d’Arimathie, Merlin, Perceval) �Power of Merlin �Uther Pendragon (Arthur’s dad) sets up Round Table �Perceval seeks and finds the grail �Gives us the Holy Grail as the holiest of relics. Defines it and puts it in historical context

Appearance in Malory’s legends �Day of Pentecost �Sir Galahad shows up Brave, pure Better than Lancelot? Grail appears in King Arthur’s court �All knights go on quest �Only Galahad is successful �

Symbolism behind the Grail �Other worldly power (Celtic) Similar to cauldrons and Horn of Plenty Healing, providing food �Christian symbol/promoting Roman Catholic sacrament-Holy Communion �Spiritual Pursuit (Malory) Had to be worthy to approach it