Why did an enigmatic relic discussed in a series of medieval romances of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table leap out of the Arthurian myths and rise to become the most famous object in the history of literature? What does the vessel represent spiritually, morally, and sexually? And what the heck is a "grail" anyway? We begin by examining the medieval legends and what they say about the origin, nature, and miraculous powers of the sought-after holy relic.
My previous lectures on the Arthur cycle:
https://soundcloud.com/historiansplaining/myth-of-the-month-12-the-arthur-cycle-part-1-making-king-arthur
https://soundcloud.com/historiansplaining/myth-of-the-month-12-king-arthur-pt-2-the-rise-and-fall-of-camelot
Suggested further reading: Richard Barber, "The Holy Grail"; Arthur Edward Waite, "the Holy Grail"
Image: Mural depicting Galahad achieving the Grail, by Edward Austin Abbey, Boston Public Library, 1890s
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