Synopses & Reviews
The Holy Grail and its quest is a legend that has had a powerful impact on our civilization and culture. The Grail itself is an ancient Celtic symbol of plenty as well as a Christian symbol of redemption and eternal life, the chalice that caught the blood of the crucified Christ. The story of the Grail sheds profound light on man's search for the supreme value of life, for that which makes life most meaningful.
Writing in a clear and readable style, two leading women of the Jungian school of psychology present this legend as a living myth that is profoundly relevant to modern life. We encounter such universal figures as the Fool (the naive young Perceval), the Wise Old Man (the Hermit Gornemanz), the Virgin Maiden (Blancheflor), the Loathly Damsel, and such important themes as the Waste Land, the Trinity, and the vessel of the Grail. Weaving together narrative and interpretation, the authors show us how the legend reflects not only fundamental human problems but also the dramatic psychic events that form the background of our Christian culture. Emma Jung--analyst, writer, and wife of the famous psychologist C. G. Jung--researched and worked on this book for thirty years, until her death in 1955. Marie-Louise von Franz, also eminent in the field of depth psychology, completed the project.
Synopsis
"The Grail Legend is a beautifully sustained application of Jungian theory to a whole story rather than merely to isolated motifs or archetypes. The work is far better researched than many other Jungian studies, and is written with a spritely, charming touch. A delightful volume."--Robert Segal, University of Lancaster, editor of Jung on Mythology and The Gnostic Jung
Synopsis
The Holy Grail and its quest is a legend that has had a powerful impact on our civilization and culture. The Grail itself is an ancient Celtic symbol of plenty as well as a Christian symbol of redemption and eternal life, the chalice that caught the blood of the crucified Christ. The story of the Grail sheds profound light on man's search for the supreme value of life, for that which makes life most meaningful.
Writing in a clear and readable style, two leading women of the Jungian school of psychology present this legend as a living myth that is profoundly relevant to modern life. We encounter such universal figures as the Fool (the naive young Perceval), the Wise Old Man (the Hermit Gornemanz), the Virgin Maiden (Blancheflor), the Loathly Damsel, and such important themes as the Waste Land, the Trinity, and the vessel of the Grail. Weaving together narrative and interpretation, the authors show us how the legend reflects not only fundamental human problems but also the dramatic psychic events that form the background of our Christian culture. Emma Jung--analyst, writer, and wife of the famous psychologist C. G. Jung--researched and worked on this book for thirty years, until her death in 1955. Marie-Louise von Franz, also eminent in the field of depth psychology, completed the project.
Synopsis
"The Grail Legend is a beautifully sustained application of Jungian theory to a whole story rather than merely to isolated motifs or archetypes. The work is far better researched than many other Jungian studies, and is written with a spritely, charming touch. A delightful volume."--Robert Segal, University of Lancaster, editor of Jung on Mythology and The Gnostic Jung
Table of Contents
| Foreword | 7 |
I | Introduction | 9 |
II | Perceval's Early History, according to Chretien de Troyes | 39 |
III | The Defeat of the Red Knight and the Meeting with Blancheflor | 52 |
IV | Perceval's First Visit to the Grail Castle | 66 |
V | The Sword and the Lance | 79 |
VI | Perceval's Task | 98 |
VII | The Central Symbol of the Legend: The Grail as Vessel | 113 |
VIII | The Grail as Stone | 142 |
IX | The Table, the Carving Platter and the Two Knives | 161 |
X | The Continuation of Perceval's Quest | 173 |
XI | The Suffering Grail King | 187 |
XII | The Figure of Gauvain; Perceval's Return to Christianity | 213 |
XIII | Gauvain's Adventures | 228 |
XIV | Perceval's Further Adventures | 253 |
XV | The Redemption of the Grail Kingdom; Perceval's End | 290 |
XVI | Robert de Boron's Roman de l'Estoire dou Graal | 302 |
XVII | The Problem of the Trinity | 317 |
XVIII | The Figure of Adam | 331 |
XIX | The Trinity: The Problem of the Fourth | 338 |
XX | The Figure of Merlin | 347 |
XXI | Merlin as Medicine Man and Prophet | 357 |
XXII | Merlin and the Alchemical Mercurius | 367 |
XXIII | Merlin's Solution of the Grail Problem | 379 |
XXIV | The Disappearance of Merlin | 390 |
| Bibliography | 401 |
| Index | 419 |