History Myth / KingArthurAndTheHolyGrail

* PopCulturalOsmosis: This myth is the first mention of a Holy Grail even existing, and now it's a stable religious image. Similarly, the more popular versions of this story are all comedies either by Creator/MontyPython or members of Monty Python.

** ''Parsifal'' (1882), opera by Music/RichardWagner.

The background to the story uses the Biblical story of Jesus' ascension, saying that Jesus handed off the Holy Grail to his great-uncle Joseph of Arimathea at the Last Supper and this Joseph collected his blood and sweat whilst tending Jesus on the Cross. Joseph was locked in a stone tomb to die for his association with Jesus, but the grail gave him sustenance every day. Then it adds that he later travelled to Britain with several followers and lived at Glastonbury, giving the grail to his daughter Anna when she married Bran. Bran became the first of the Grail Kings of Corbenic. After several centuries, the location of the Grail Castle had become forgotten in the kingdoms, but prophecy revealed during Arthur's reign suggested that [[OnlyThePureOfHeart the most noble of men would be able to see it]]. The most noble of men [[OnlyTheWorthyMayPass who also completed a quest]].

* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'' (1989), American film with the protagonist going pn his own quest for the Holy Grail, though Arthur and his knights are not mentioned.

See also: ''Literature/{{Parzival}}'', ''VideoGame/CrystalCaliburn'', ''Film/LancelotDuLac'', ''Film/TheFisherKing'', ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' and ''Theatre/{{Spamalot}}''.

Additional background is that the story is based entirely around the Celtic trope of the DolorousStroke, which is a mystical wound often of divine vengeance stricken upon someone immoral so that they (and their land and issue, etc.) must be redeemed. In the story this is the FisherKing, so called because all he can do is fish, but commonly named some form of Pellam. This is not to be confused with Pelles, who is the son of Pellam, maternal grandfather of Galahad, and also maimed but for something else.

* FisherKing: The TropeNamer, Pellam, who received a wound that matched his sin (on the groin), as he is hurt so is his kingdom. He is injured enough to do nothing but fish, though it's not lack of attention to his kingdom that sends it to ruin, it's the symbiotic connection between king and ruler and the magic used to wound him.

* CanonSue: Galahad, by many reasonable measures.

The Holy Grail was first incorporated into the Myth/{{Arthurian legend}}s by Creator/ChretienDeTroyes, more famous for his romantic stories of the other knights, as one of those romances: ''Perceval, the Story of the Grail''. Chrétien used a lot of Christian imagery compared to the earlier Arthurian stories, probably because instead of being somewhat pagan like the Bretons he was Christian. It was also one of his {{Chivalric Romance}}s, and many versions feature a romance either waiting for Perceval or between his sister and a knight (often Galahad or Bors), or an implied one tying knights to the purity of Christianity.

The Holy Grail was first incorporated into the Arthurian legends by Creator/ChretienDeTroyes, more famous for his romantic stories of the other knights, as one of those romances: ''Perceval, the Story of the Grail''. Chrétien used a lot of Christian imagery compared to the earlier Arthurian stories, probably because instead of being somewhat pagan like the Bretons he was Christian. It was also one of his {{Chivalric Romance}}s, and many versions feature a romance either waiting for Perceval or between his sister and a knight (often Galahad or Bors), or an implied one tying knights to the purity of Christianity.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Not villainy, per se, but while Perceval was the original hero he is often made less noble to martyr Galahad.

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Perceval's sister

* MartyStu: Galahad is certainly this.

[[quoteright:350:[[Literature/KingArthurAndHisKnights https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3pube20s0jxjdauxrcw.jpg]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3pube20s0jxjdauxrcw.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[-''by Walter J. Enright''-]]]

This guy is apparently Galahad, who is the son of little shit Lancelot but is pure, but in Chrétien's original was Perceval, who is pretty perfect. A lot of versions now include them both -- the summary below lets you imagine it with either knight. Galahad is an illegitimate son of Elaine and Lancelot, and who is prophesised by Merlin to surpass his father in valour and so ultimately be able to see the Holy Grail.

Most versions of the story begin around the introduction of Galahad as a knight, and include that when the knights are gathered at the Round Table is when they first see visions of the Holy Grail. Many include Sir Perceval's sister, the most beautiful woman in all the land and pure of heart. She is often the first to see the grail and helps the knights on their quest, giving Galahad or Perceval a belt woven from her golden hair and stitched with red and silver depicting the grail (you can imagine this like [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda Princess Zelda giving Link various tokens]]). Only people who are completely good can see the grail, and most of the knights are chivalrous but have sinned and so see it through clouds.

The background to the story uses the Biblical story, saying that Jesus handed off the Holy Grail to his great-uncle Joseph of Arimathea at the Last Supper and this Joseph collected his blood and sweat whilst tending Jesus on the Cross. Joseph was locked in a stone tomb to die for his association with Jesus, but the grail gave him sustenance every day. Then it adds that he later travelled to Britain with several followers and lived at Glastonbury, giving the grail to his daughter Anna when she married Bran. Bran became the first of the Grail Kings of Corbenic. After several centuries, the location of the Grail Castle had become forgotten in the kingdoms, but prophecy revealed during Arthur's reign suggested that [[OnlyThePureOfHeart the most noble of men would be able to see it]]. The most noble of men [[OnlyTheWorthyMayPass who also completed a quest]].

See also: ''Literature/{{Parzival}}'', ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' and ''Theatre/{{Spamalot}}''.

The Holy Grail was first incorporated into the Arthurian legends by Creator/ChretienDeTroyes, more famous for his romantic stories of the other knights, as one of those romances: ''Perceval, the Story of the Grail''. Chrétien used a lot of Christian imagery compared to the earlier Arthurian stories, probably because instead of being somewhat pagan like the Bretons he was Christian. It was also one of his ChivalricRomances, and many versions feature a romance either waiting for Perceval or between his sister and a knight (often Galahad or Bors), or an implied one tying knights to the purity of Christianity.

The Holy Grail was first incorporated into the Arthurian legends by Creator/ChretienDeTroyes, more famous for his romantic stories of the other knights, as one of those romances: ''Perceval, the Story of the Grail''. Chrétien used a lot of Christian imagery compared to the earlier Arthurian stories, probably because instead of being somewhat pagan like the Bretons he was Christian.

Two versions of the story are available at Project Gutenberg: [[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/21865/21865-h/21865-h.htm#search_for_grail here]] and [[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46176/46176-h/46176-h.html#the-siege-perilous here]].

Either upon it being revealed to them, or having been agreed upon by prophecy, the knights set out for a year and a day to find the grail. Either they start out together but progressively get separated, or start out separate but some are brought together, implied to be mystically. After the twelve months, only Gawain and Lancelot return, unsuccessful in their quest, and then some time later Sir Bors returns, also. Some versions tell the story as it happens, whereas some use Bors (or Perceval) retelling it after returning. What happened was:

Most versions of the story begin around the introduction of Galahad as a knight, and include that when the knights are gathered at the Round Table is when they first see visions of the Holy Grail. Many include Sir Perceval's sister, the most beautiful woman in all the land and pure of heart. She is often the first to see the grail and helps the knights on their quest, giving Galahad or Perceval a belt woven from her golden hair and stitched with red and silver depicting the grail (you can imagine this like [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda Princess Zelda giving Link various tokens]]. Only people who are completely good can see the grail, and most of the knights are chivalrous but have sinned and so see it through clouds.

[[caption-width-right:350:[-"And across it slowly moved the Holy Grail" by Walter J. Enright-]]]

''In some versions, Bors has joined Perceval immediately prior to the start of this part.'' Perceval stays at a castle where he is asked to marry their princess, and realizes he would be giving up on his vow to find the grail for luxury, so he leaves and comes across a hermit who tells him that because he was so sure he would see the grail, he is not pure enough to do so. He prays at a chapel to not be prideful and Galahad joins him (in the versions with Bors, he's either also there or standing guard outside but doesn't see Galahad), in some versions saying that he has been seeing the grail the whole time, whereas in other versions he says he has seen where they can find it, in yet others he gives a pep talk to Perceval (in these, they then meet up with the sister again, who has seen where they can find the grail; in the versions without Galahad, it's either Perceval's sister who arrives at the chapel or he just sees the grail himself). The knights travel together and it is pretty smooth sailing, unlike before when they either had lots of troubles or had nothing to do. If Bors hasn't already joined them, this is when they save his life and he does.

They then come by Corbenic, by chance, by Galahad or by Perceval's sister, which is the Grail Castle. This is where the largest deviations in story are, from Galahad immediately being sacrificed and purify his ancestral land (and Perceval) with that being the end/with Perceval and Bors continuing, or the knights having a catch-up with Galahad's family (who are the same even if Galahad isn't there) and being given the grail and told to return it to Sarras in the Middle East because it is too powerful for any man. If Galahad is around, he either ascends in Sarras or on the way home, because he's kind of like Jesus -- if not he obviously doesn't. Perceval either stays in Sarras as a hermit preacher or returns and tells the story himself.

The story establishes that the most beautiful woman in the land is Sir Perceval's sister, and that she is so good that she is only content when praying for the souls of other people. She speaks to an ailing beggar man who tells her a story he has heard of the Holy Grail and its life-giving abilities, and this invigorates her to pray more so that she can shake off association with sin to become pure enough to see the grail and use it to heal people. One night she is awoken by soft music, and the grail is shown to her, so she encourages the knights to search for it in hopes that they will see it and prove that the world is inherently good. She has made a belt woven from her golden hair and stitched with red and silver depicting the grail, and gifts this to Galahad/Perceval.

When Galahad/Perceval tell the knights at the Round Table what the sister has revealed, the chamber becomes filled by clouds with a bright beam shining from the heart, holding the Holy Grail, though the clouds obscure it. Perceval says "My sister saw the vision of the Holy Grail, but I, because I am more sinful, have seen it covered with a cloud. Yet because I wish to see it, I vow to spend twelve months and a day in search of it. I will pray, and live as holy a life as I can, and perhaps this vision will be mine." Many of the other knights vow this, also, before Arthur arrives and says that it is a fool's errand. Still, the knights go to search for the Holy Grail. In this time, many people of Camelot wish to seek their services, and by the twelfth month Arthur begins a search for the knights as none had yet returned. After the last day, Sir Gawain and Lancelot returned. Later, so did Sir Bors.

When Sir Bors, being the purest knight besides Perceval and Galahad, returned, Arthur had him tell the story of his journey. He told the story, first, of Perceval, who he had come upon several months ago. Perceval had said that there had been nothing for him to do to help people and so he could only pray until he stayed some nights at a castle where he was asked to marry the daughter and be the Lord. Realizing he would be dishonouring his vow, he left and rode forth, reinvigorated until he came across a hermit who told Perceval that because he was sure he was pure enough to see the grail, he was not. Only when he had the humility of his sister, who did not know if she could see it but vowed to try so that she could help others, would he have the chance. So Perceval went to stay at a small chapel, where he prayed only to be not prideful. As he prayed, Galahad joined him. Shortly thereafter, the knights embrace and Galahad cries out in joy for he sees the Grail. The pair then journey together, and in Galahad's presence Perceval is able to see the grail behind clouds, and they often find people to help and can do so easily, so empowered by the grail they are. At one point, they must help Sir Bors, who is starving, and he journeys with them.

They are eventually guided to the castle of Corbenic, the lost Grail Castle, as it is the land of the most evils in Britain. Pellem recognizes his grandson, Galahad, from across the marsh where he is fishing and knows Galahad to be pure. Hoping that his grandson will take over his kingdom, he calls out to him with his mother's name, and Galahad races over a hill to reach him, but disappears at the zenith when Pellem, Perceval, and Bors are all blinded by the sunlight reflecting off his armour. He may have been visited at this, the location of the grail, by his ancestor Joseph of Arimathia, and chosen to ascend. The kingdom begins to rejuvenate, and then Perceval drops to his knees and prays to be as good as Galahad so he can honour his fallen friend, and suddenly the image of the Holy Grail comes to him, out of the brightness of the reflection from Galahad's armour. They are told to return the grail to the Middle East because it is too powerful for any man, and so Bors and Perceval travel on. The grail is returned, and taken up to the heavens in a beam of light, but Perceval stays to become a humble man of God for he is so moved by the journey, and instructs Bors to return and impart their lesson to the knights to stay humble, for Galahad was willing to give his life to make the world pure.

* LongLostRelative: Pellem as Galahad's grandfather -- as such so that he can be healed/redeemed by a relative.

They are eventually guided to the castle of Corbenic, the lost Grail Castle, as it is the land of the most evils in Britain. Pellem recognizes his grandson, Galahad, from across the marsh where he is fishing and knows Galahad to be pure. Hoping that his grandson will take over his kingdom, he calls out to him with his mother's name, and Galahad races over a hill to reach him, but disappears at the zenith when Pellem, Perceval, and Bors are all blinded by the sunlight reflecting off his armour. The kingdom begins to rejuvenate, and then Perceval drops to his knees and prays to be as good as Galahad so he can honour his fallen friend, and suddenly the image of the Holy Grail comes to him, out of the brightness of the reflection from Galahad's armour. They are told to return the grail to the Middle East because it is too powerful for any man, and so Bors and Perceval travel on. The grail is returned, and taken up to the heavens in a beam of light, but Perceval stays to become a humble man of God for he is so moved by the journey, and instructs Bors to return and impart their lesson to the knights to stay humble, for Galahad was willing to give his life to make the world pure.

See also: ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' and ''Theatre/{{Spamalot}}''.

The Radford version of the story is available at Project Gutenberg [[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/21865/21865-h/21865-h.htm#search_for_grail here]].

* BeautyIsGoodness: Perceval's sister