Book Description:
"In the 13th century, over a few decades, a huge literature emerged around an unlikely tale. Survivors of the core of early Christianity make a perilous journey to Western Europe. They begin a hidden bloodline, preserve immensely powerful relics of the crucifixion, and carry a secret which, if revealed, would turn the established church on its head...
A.E. Waite gets to the core of the Grail legend, an interwoven mass of narratives which started with seeds of pagan folklore and grew into a massive allegorical Christian epic. This 700 page book will satisfy both the academic reader who wants a survey of the Grail literature, and the more mystically inclined who seek the Grail itself. Waite examines in great detail every known source text for the Grail legend. His literate style makes interesting reading for well-educated readers, despite the repeating themes and story lines. Unlike some of the other writers on this topic, Waite is organized, focused, and not hesitant to turn a critical eye on half-baked theories.
In the last two hundred pages, he attempts to make some sense of it all. He examines and dismisses 19th century theories which linked the Grail to the Templars, or Masons, as well as the unorthodox Cathars, Albigensians and Waldensians of Southern France. His conclusion is that there is an 'inner church' in Christianity: not a conspiracy or a subterranean sect, but a mystical core. Instead, Waite's concept of the hidden church is based on a deep comprehension of the sacrament of communion, and the Holy Grail is symbolic of this.
Waite published this magnum opus about the time that he (with Pamela Smith) was putting the finishing touches on his Tarot deck. A close read of this book will illuminate much of the Waite Tarot deck symbolism." (Quote from sacred-texts.com)
Table of Contents:
Publisher’s Preface; Preface; Book I.; The Roots Of The House Of Meaning; Some Aspects Of The Graal Legend; Epochs Of The Legend; The Environment Of The Graal Literature; The Literature Of The Cycle; The Implicits Of The Mystery; Book ii.; Mysteries Of The Holy Graal In Manifestation And Removal; A Preliminary Account Of Certain Root-secrets Included In The Whole Subject; The Institution Of The Hallows, And In The First Place General Introduction Concerning Them; The Institution Of The Hallows, And, Secondly, The Variations Of The Cup Legend; The Graal Vessel Considered As A Bowl Of Plenty; The Lesser Hallows Of The Legend; The Castle Of The Holy Graal; The Keepers Of The Hallows; The Pageants In The Quests; The Enchantments Of Britain, The Times Called Adventurous And The Wounding Of The King; The Suppressed Word And The Mystic Question; The Healing Of The King; The Removal Of The Hallows; Book iii.; The Early Epochs Of The Quest; The Antecedents Of The Legend In Folk-lore; The Welsh Perceval; The English Metrical Romance Of Syr Percyvelle; The Conte Del Graal.; Book iv.; The Lesser Chronicles Of The Holt Graal; The Metrical Romance Of Joseph Of Arimathæa; The Lesser Holy Graal; The Early History Of Merlin; The Didot Perceval; Book V.; The Greater Chronicles Of The Holy Graal; The Book Of The Holy Graal And, In The First Place, The Prologue Thereto Belonging; New Consideration Concerning The Branches Of The Chronicle; The Minor Branches Of The Book Of The Holy Graal; Some Later Merlin Legends; The Great Prose Lancelot; A Preface Or Introductory Portion Appertaining To All The Quests; The Longer Prose Perceval; The Quest Of The High Prince; The Welsh Quest Of Galahad; Book vi.; The German Cycle Of The Holy Graal; The Parsifal Of Wolfram Von Eschenbach; Gleanings Concerning The Lost Quest Of Guiot De Provence; Sidelights From The Spanish And Portuguese Quests; The Crown Of All Adventures; The Titurel Of Albrecht Von Scharfenberg; The Dutch Lancelot; Book vii.; The Holy Graal In The Light Of The Celtic Church; Statement Of A Possible Implicit Acc
"In the 13th century, over a few decades, a huge literature emerged around an unlikely tale. Survivors of the core of early Christianity make a perilous journey to Western Europe. They begin a hidden bloodline, preserve immensely powerful relics of the crucifixion, and carry a secret which, if revealed, would turn the established church on its head...
A.E. Waite gets to the core of the Grail legend, an interwoven mass of narratives which started with seeds of pagan folklore and grew into a massive allegorical Christian epic. This 700 page book will satisfy both the academic reader who wants a survey of the Grail literature, and the more mystically inclined who seek the Grail itself. Waite examines in great detail every known source text for the Grail legend. His literate style makes interesting reading for well-educated readers, despite the repeating themes and story lines. Unlike some of the other writers on this topic, Waite is organized, focused, and not hesitant to turn a critical eye on half-baked theories.
In the last two hundred pages, he attempts to make some sense of it all. He examines and dismisses 19th century theories which linked the Grail to the Templars, or Masons, as well as the unorthodox Cathars, Albigensians and Waldensians of Southern France. His conclusion is that there is an 'inner church' in Christianity: not a conspiracy or a subterranean sect, but a mystical core. Instead, Waite's concept of the hidden church is based on a deep comprehension of the sacrament of communion, and the Holy Grail is symbolic of this.
Waite published this magnum opus about the time that he (with Pamela Smith) was putting the finishing touches on his Tarot deck. A close read of this book will illuminate much of the Waite Tarot deck symbolism." (Quote from sacred-texts.com)
Table of Contents:
Publisher’s Preface; Preface; Book I.; The Roots Of The House Of Meaning; Some Aspects Of The Graal Legend; Epochs Of The Legend; The Environment Of The Graal Literature; The Literature Of The Cycle; The Implicits Of The Mystery; Book ii.; Mysteries Of The Holy Graal In Manifestation And Removal; A Preliminary Account Of Certain Root-secrets Included In The Whole Subject; The Institution Of The Hallows, And In The First Place General Introduction Concerning Them; The Institution Of The Hallows, And, Secondly, The Variations Of The Cup Legend; The Graal Vessel Considered As A Bowl Of Plenty; The Lesser Hallows Of The Legend; The Castle Of The Holy Graal; The Keepers Of The Hallows; The Pageants In The Quests; The Enchantments Of Britain, The Times Called Adventurous And The Wounding Of The King; The Suppressed Word And The Mystic Question; The Healing Of The King; The Removal Of The Hallows; Book iii.; The Early Epochs Of The Quest; The Antecedents Of The Legend In Folk-lore; The Welsh Perceval; The English Metrical Romance Of Syr Percyvelle; The Conte Del Graal.; Book iv.; The Lesser Chronicles Of The Holt Graal; The Metrical Romance Of Joseph Of Arimathæa; The Lesser Holy Graal; The Early History Of Merlin; The Didot Perceval; Book V.; The Greater Chronicles Of The Holy Graal; The Book Of The Holy Graal And, In The First Place, The Prologue Thereto Belonging; New Consideration Concerning The Branches Of The Chronicle; The Minor Branches Of The Book Of The Holy Graal; Some Later Merlin Legends; The Great Prose Lancelot; A Preface Or Introductory Portion Appertaining To All The Quests; The Longer Prose Perceval; The Quest Of The High Prince; The Welsh Quest Of Galahad; Book vi.; The German Cycle Of The Holy Graal; The Parsifal Of Wolfram Von Eschenbach; Gleanings Concerning The Lost Quest Of Guiot De Provence; Sidelights From The Spanish And Portuguese Quests; The Crown Of All Adventures; The Titurel Of Albrecht Von Scharfenberg; The Dutch Lancelot; Book vii.; The Holy Graal In The Light Of The Celtic Church; Statement Of A Possible Implicit Acc
