A Review of Quest of the Grail Part VII

 

To see my previous posts on this book:

https://themedievalist.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-review-of-quest-of-holy-grail-part-i.html

https://themedievalist.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-review-of-quest-of-grail-part-ii.html

https://themedievalist.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-review-of-quest-of-holy-grail-part-iii.html

https://themedievalist.blogspot.com/2020/07/a-review-of-quest-for-grail-part-four.html

https://themedievalist.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-review-of-quest-of-holy-grail-part-v.html

https://themedievalist.blogspot.com/2022/11/a-review-of-quest-of-grail-part-6.html

In the previous six blog posts of this series on The Quest of the Holy Grail, I analyzed and discussed the main points of the first seven chapters of the book. Today, I will be briefer as I discuss the last eight in one post. I hope that the little I write on this subject will inspire the reader to delve into Arthurian literature for themselves. 

                                                          Chapters Eight-Twelve

In chapter eight, Lancelot and Hector receive another vision (in general, much of the book from this point on is about apparitions to the knights). Having continued his journey, Sir Gawain brought several companies with him. Receiving a vision of proud bulls, the knights do not realize that it foreshadows who they are becoming. Unfortunately, many of Arthur's knights lose sight of the grail and end up being divided from one another from the once unity that they shared in common for their quest. 

In chapter nine, things are no better. King Bors (a king of France in Arthurian literature) is in the midst of the knights quarreling with each other. Because of these inward strifes among their ranks, Lionel becomes wounded. Tragically, Bors and Lancelot become sworn enemies. Pride, in short, has brought several of the characters against one another, as they now search out their own glory rather than that of the Creator. Against Lancelot, Lionel goes for the kill until Lancelot's friend, Calogrenant steps in the way and is killed instead. 

Switching back to Percival and Galahad in chapter ten, the two knights are among the only ones to truly care about the quest still. Meanwhile, Gawain and Hector may battle against them. After this, a miraculous ship appears to Percival and Galahad. The two knights begin sailing out to sea, heading for the perceived end of their quest. In this same chapter, by the suggestion of an old hermit, a maiden helps direct their way. 

Chapter eleven is mostly a discourse on the vanity of sin. The chapter specifically elaborates on its view of women are one of mankind's greatest temptations to sin. The chapter discusses the tree of life, which in many ways, is personified by the Holy Grail throughout the story. 

In chapter twelve, both Galahad and Percival continue their journey by land. The maiden becomes ill with sickness but eventually recovers. 

                                                       Chapters Thirteen-Fifteen

In chapter thirteen, Percival and Galahad go separate ways for the grail. 

In chapter fourteen, Lancelot regrets his past sins which cause him to never see the Holy Grail. In fact, he is forced to abandon the quest. 

Finally, in chapter fifteen Galahad comes to find the Grail. To me, this was the best chapter of the book. He and Percival reunite as they discover the cup of Christ. However, they become captured by enemy forces and imprisoned. Though they eventually escaped, the knights' ending draws near. In a final vision, Joseph of Armithea appears to Galahad and compares himself to the knight. In general, as had the entire story before it, Galahad is praised for both his chastity and purity. Percival then dies as well; the story commences to a conclusion in honor of those knights that had long searched for the Holy Grail. 

The passage of Luke 13: 24 summarizes the quest of Galahad and Percival: ''Strive to enter in at the state gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able (KJV).'' Indeed, just as the narrow road to salvation is portrayed as exclusive in scripture, so is the road to eternal life through the Holy Grail in the Lancelot-Grail. 

                                                                   Conclusion: 

The Quest of the Holy Grail is about man's search for salvation. The cup of Christ is truly the personification of man's justification before God. While many seek the glory that comes with having found the Grail, few in the end persevere with enough faith and obedience to see its the divine presence. While Lancelot and others living with the shame of their past sins which forbid them from the grail, both Percival and Galahad ended in this life gloriously because of their piety towards it. At first, all seemed pious to the recovery of the cover of Christ. However, as the story continues, trials downplay the hope that some once had for it. It is through these trails that the men's faith are tested, and few of them are found to finish the race for its return. 

                                                                          My Take:

Well, at last, I can finally say that I've read the complete Lancelot-Grail. Having started the work back in 2019 as I analyzed parts of its chapters, I have finally finished the book. It is one of my favorite works of Medieval literature, along with The Canterbury Tales, The Divine Comedy, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In many ways, I believe that The Quest of the Holy Grail is an understated work. Being a prose work written in the Old French language, it has served as foundational to all the Arthurian stories (especially those of Thomas Mallory) that came after it. I have also considered it to be a personal inspiration for my own crusade novels. If I could only ever reread one work of Medieval literature, I would probably be this one. I consider it to be one of the greatest works ever written. 

A Review of The Quest of the Grail Part VI

                                                                  

                                                                     Chapter Seven:

After leaving an old hermit, Lancelot comes to a wood where he meets ways with a squire. The boy rebukes Lancelot and says that the grail deservedly went to the knight as Lancelot has been an unworthy Christian. At first, Lancelot was guilty of his sins as he met an old hermit in the woods. However, Lancelot becomes relieved that one of his friends was found to have not died in mortal (which would lead to hell). Likewise, Lancelot is reminded of how God is quick to return mercy to the repentant. The knight was additionally praised for having once been entirely pure (at least sexually speaking) in both mind and body. Finally, Lancelot is described in the dialogue as having once been a man of humility. 

Though Lancelot anticipates seeing the grail, the old man does not expect Lancelot to see it. The story implies that Lancelot was once a virgin, but has forsaken purity. In general, Lancelot is not portrayed as a lustful character that was never pure (as he is sometimes demonstrated to be in Hollywood films). Much of the seventh chapter of The Quest of the Holy Grail is concerned with the dialogue between the old man and Lancelot. In general, Lancelot learns of what he has lost: the opportunity to be a pure knight and help the grail be recovered. Displaying penitence, however, Lancelot prepared to return to the quest. The chapter continues as Lancelot turns to God for the forgiveness of his sins. The knight continues morning that he did not see the grail when he had been blinded by his sin. The chapter ends as Lancelot receives a vision from the Virgin Mary and then rides off into a local forest. The story then switches back to Gawain. 

                                              

                                                                  Thoughts:

How often do we see the Holy Grails in our life when our eyes are centered on our own desires? How often do we see the beauty of Celestial things when our hearts are hardened to sin. 

Lancelot is a symbol of all of us. He struggles with sins, and loses his way to find the grail because his eyes were not on God. Through spiritual discerment, we have the obligation of searching out what is God's will in our lives (Romans 12:2). Lancelot had to live with the guilt of his sin, and while eventually being penitent over it, he lost out on the beauty of Christ's gifts that he could have observed from an earlier stage of his journey. 

The Quest of the Holy Grail was written before Piers Plowman, Pearl, Pateience, Everyman, and The Pilgrim's Progress, yet in many ways, it foreshadows each of these works. Concerning it, it should be acknowledged that it is one of the foundation works of allegorical literature. Within The Quest of the Holy Grail are many of the same spiritual struggles that characters like Everyman and Christian are confronted by in other works of literature.