Composed by an unknown author in early thirteenth-century France, "The Quest of the Holy Grail" is a fusion of Arthurian legend and Christian symbo...
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Aug 04, 2011
Although choppy at times, and the characters seem to be superhuman in terms of combat and piety, this remarkable book is useful on a number of levels.
What many reviewers fail to note is that this book was intended primarily to be a manual on spiritual growth, not to tell stories of great knights. Given the original audience, this makes sense. The average peasant in the 12th century would not be able to follow scholastic reasoning, but they would be able to follow a story of heroism and spiritu More...
What many reviewers fail to note is that this book was intended primarily to be a manual on spiritual growth, not to tell stories of great knights. Given the original audience, this makes sense. The average peasant in the 12th century would not be able to follow scholastic reasoning, but they would be able to follow a story of heroism and spiritu More...
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Aug 04, 2009
From the Introduction by translator P.M. Matarasso: "The QUESTE DEL SAINT GRAAL despite its Arthurian setting is not a romance, it is a spiritual fable. This may seem surprising in view of the fact it forms part of a vast compilation know as the PROSE LANCELOT, which might justifiably be called the romance to end romances. It is less surprising however when one considers that it is the product of a period when things were rarely quite what they seemed, when the outward appearance was merely
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Aug 13, 2011
Roumissette
rated it: 
This is a great little spiritual book that was recommended to me by a friend. I did not know what to expect and thought that all I needed to know about Lancelot was that he was the knight that steals his best friend and King's wife; but the story was written as a spiritual text, to teach people about enlightenment. It was then used as inspiration for other texts on forbidden love.
But this book rocks. Galahad is amazing in terms of showing the behavior and standards required to be worth More...
But this book rocks. Galahad is amazing in terms of showing the behavior and standards required to be worth More...
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Sep 01, 2011
Olga
rated it:
If you are looking for spiritual symbolism, spiritual teachings and metaphoric analogies for enlightenment and spiritual quests etc.. you will find it in the Quest of the Holy Grail.
This book is by far the best of the Arthurian Legends, seeming the most authentic and undistorted.
It is right on my top 3 spiritual books along with The Bhagavad Gītā and The Flight of the Feathered Serpant which have each touched me and inspired me very unexpectantly.
I truly had More...
This book is by far the best of the Arthurian Legends, seeming the most authentic and undistorted.
It is right on my top 3 spiritual books along with The Bhagavad Gītā and The Flight of the Feathered Serpant which have each touched me and inspired me very unexpectantly.
I truly had More...
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Jun 04, 2011
Ed
rated it: 
The translation is workable, and with copious footnotes for those who have't read much of the Bible. Yes, it's allegorical.
This is, in a way, thirteenth century revisionism, reworking the earlier naturalistic chivalric tradition and the Celtic mythos (can I say mythos without cracking up?... mythos, mythos, mythos, OK, it is a little pedantic, but I will let it stand).
It does not attempt to deconstruct gallantry as such, and still gives a shout out to incredible, and s More...
This is, in a way, thirteenth century revisionism, reworking the earlier naturalistic chivalric tradition and the Celtic mythos (can I say mythos without cracking up?... mythos, mythos, mythos, OK, it is a little pedantic, but I will let it stand).
It does not attempt to deconstruct gallantry as such, and still gives a shout out to incredible, and s More...
Jan 11, 2012
This is the story of the Quest for the Holy Grail by the knights of King Arthur's court. The ideal of knighthood here is a spiritual one so the flawed Lancelot is replaced as foremost knight by his unsullied son, Galahad.
Combat and the perils described here are also spiritual, spuring your horse into battle to aid the weaker side runs the risk of aiding the devils fighting against the angels. The landscape is mystical. Almost as soon as the knights ride out from Camelot they are More...
Combat and the perils described here are also spiritual, spuring your horse into battle to aid the weaker side runs the risk of aiding the devils fighting against the angels. The landscape is mystical. Almost as soon as the knights ride out from Camelot they are More...
Dec 22, 2010
Richard
rated it:
This tale is described as an "anti-Romance", with pious and virginal knights whose ideals are a critique of the "cult of the lady" and other aspects of courtly chivalry. As expected, the knights travel around rescuing maidens and attacking castles, but visions also abound and the landscape is dotted with mysterious chapels and innumerable hermits who pop up at convenient moments to give interpretations and religious discourses. Lancelot encounters several of these in a row wh
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Mar 02, 2010
russell
rated it: 
Slightly more religious than I anticipated, but that made it all the more inadvertantly amusing. You can see where Terry Jones got most of the source material to take the piss out of in Monty Python and Holy Grail.
It's brilliant, particularly whenever God gets involved when the otherwise Byzantine dreams and visions easily get explained as works of God. You get used to it, but it's still funny...
It's brilliant, particularly whenever God gets involved when the otherwise Byzantine dreams and visions easily get explained as works of God. You get used to it, but it's still funny...
Nov 23, 2007
Gretchen
rated it:
After having read much of the Grail legend, I still find this among the funniest of versions--given its authorship, which some scholars attribute to a member or members of a monastic order, the monks are portrayed as witty and brilliant, while most of the secular figures we know and love are characterized as incompetent nitwits. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Sep 17, 2007
Benji
rated it:
Couples with the Death of King Arthur. It is an easier read than the Wolfram von Eschenbach version but also totally different. This one having Galahad as the true Grail hero. It is basically a string of allegorical vignettes which all get explained for you within the story as the adventure progresses.
Mar 27, 2008
James
rated it: 
There's something exciting about reading something written in 1225. Obviously it's not going to read like a modern book -- we've had 800 years to refine pacing, character development, plot points, etc. But I enjoyed the glimpse into the mind of a pre-renaissance writer.
Mar 30, 2008
Jon
rated it:
sermonizing classic wtih disconnected plot, good historical reference of course, very much related to monty python's quest for the holy grail. not fun to read otherwise of course, besides historical enlightenment.
Jul 19, 2010
Hat of Nikitich
rated it:
I'm a little timid of giving a star rating to a piece of medieval spiritual literature. It sort of defies what I think about its readability by just ...being a thing.
That said, this was a tedious and difficult read.
That said, this was a tedious and difficult read.
Apr 15, 2007
Courtney
rated it:
I know it's a seminal work, but it bored me to tears. I just can't get enthusiastic about the Arthurian legend.
Nov 09, 2007
Michael
rated it:
This is one of the most exciting and entertaining books I have ever read.
Feb 12, 2012
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