The Holy Grail is an object talked about quite frequently when the subject of Biblical history comes up. Multiple questions spring up about the Holy Grail’s meaning, so this article will elaborate on this concept to clarify various concepts and answer the questions you may have.
Table of Contents
What is it?
The Holy Grail is visually represented in multiple ways by many people. To sum it up, it is a cup dish or maybe a stone while some consider it a woman’s womb but the former is more popular. All of these descriptions have one common idea: the powers it holds. The Holy Grail is said to hold miraculous powers. These powers include healing all wounds, allowing one to obtain eternal youth and everlasting happiness.
In essence, the Holy Grail represents divinity, youth, and happiness for eternity.
History:
The occurrence of the Holy Grail dates back centuries- to the life of Jesus Christ. The most famous legend states that it was the cup at the last supper, the last meal, before his crucifixion, that Jesus had with his apostles in Jerusalem.
The story says that after the crucifixion, the blood of Jesus was collected in this vessel. Later on, Joseph of Arimathea brought it to Britain. After this, it became sought after by many knights, the most prominent was King Arthur and his knights of the round table.
Knights of the Grail:
A lot of literature regarding the Holy Grail has come into existence. The most popular revolves around King Arthur and his Knights of the Grail. In this literature piece, the king and his knights search for the Holy Grail in a quest. Lancelot and Elaine’s son, Galahad, went on this quest alone and was later joined by other knights, including Percival and Bors, from the Round Table Knights.
In the end, Galahad and the others complete this quest and find the Holy Grail. His companions then witness his ascension to heaven. Since then, there has been no knight capable of obtaining the Grail, so many assume that it no longer exists on Earth.
Art:
Multiple artists have pained beautiful portraits of their interpretation of the Holy Grail. One of the most popular is Dante Gabriel Rossetti‘s painting. He painted a beautiful picture of a woman who Alexa Wilding modeled. In the image, the woman is holding the Grail with one hand and displaying a blessing with her other hand.
Another notable series of paintings are created by the famous artist Edwin Austin Abbey in the 20th century for the Boston Public Library. He made a mural series that displayed the quest of the Holy Grail.
The list doesn’t end there. Many artists have come forward to display their versions of the Grail. Notable artists include George Frederic Watts and William Dyce.
Literature and Media:
Multiple theories about the Holy Grail have sprung up, but few have evidence to suggest that they are accurate. Regardless of the legitimacy, some people still believe in some of the theories. But in the end, everyone believes that the Grail represents some form of divinity. Media and literature are full of these theories; some date back to centuries while others are relatively recent.
One can make long lists of literature and media about the many interpretations of the Holy Grail, but here are some of the major ones:
- Parsifal is a music drama created by Richard Wagner and premiered in 1882. It involves a combination of hushed reverence and chromatic harmonies. In his story, the Grail produced blood. This concept was linked to female fertility.
- In 1922, T. S. Eliot published a poem titled The Waste Land. It combines the Holy Grail’s original story with the Fisher King and in an image of contemporary British society. He attributes the title to Jessie Weston’s book on the Holy Grail‘s legend titled “From Ritual to Romance.”
- Dan Brown, an author, published a book titled The Da Vinci Code more recently in 2003. It is said to be influenced by The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. In his novel, Brown refers to Mary Magdalene as the Grail, which is considered the receptacle of Jesus’ bloodline. The book states that the Grail has been buried beneath Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland for a long time. It later says that the Holy Grail‘s guardians moved it to a secret chamber located on the floor beneath the Inverted Pyramid in the Louver museum entrance in recent decades.
- In 1904, Parsifal, a silent film, was debuted. It was an adaptation of Edwin S. Porter‘s Wagner opera. Other than this, The Silver Chalice by Costian became a film by Victor Saville.
- Another film Lancelot du Lac, which premiered in 1974, contains a relatively realistic version of Grail’s quest even though it is considered a fantasy film.
- Comedies on the topic exist too. For example, in 1975, Monty Python and the Holy Grail was premiered. It focused on the Arthurian Grail quest. In 2004, the stage in the stage production Spamalot adapted it.
Conclusion:
The Holy Grail meaning goes as far as the era of Jesus Christ and has had multiple interpretations ever since. In a nutshell, it is a symbol of divinity that grants eternal life and happiness. Knights, specifically those at King Arthur’s time, have gone on quests to find this Grail, but only one has ever been victorious, Sir Galahad.
Since the beginning, multiple forms of art and literature have come forward, both fiction and non-fiction. Some do so to display their interpretation of the Holy Grail. Others do so as a means of entertainment to raise a thought process amongst people.
Regardless of what people consider it, the Holy Grail is a divine symbol and will live amongst hearts for centuries.
