Jessie L. Weston 
From Ritual to Romance (Barnes & Noble Digital Library) 

This edition includes a modern introduction and a list of suggested further reading.


 


From Ritual to Romance explores the connection between ancient fertility rites and Arthurian legends of the quest for the Holy Grail. Rarely is literary criticism so riveting. Like a detective digging for clues, Jessie Weston builds the case that the Holy Grail was probably once part of Neolithic coming-of-age rites and religious ceremonies honoring fertility deities. She reminds her readers that the search for the Holy Grail is not about finding the actual cup that Jesus drank from at the Last Supper, but about attaining a higher level of spiritual enlightenment.




From Ritual to Romance has taken on significance once again given renewed interest in the legend of the Holy Grail as part of a larger search for enlightenment as seen in recent media, like
The Da Vinci Code and
Spamalot. Weston’s well-cadenced, lucid prose has a British charm and a strong academic assurance that create a book of graceful depth sure to be appreciated by both the casual reader and the serious scholar alike.

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Jessie Laidlay Weston was born December 29, 1850. Her study of the arts, particularly her interest in pagan rituals and Arthurian legend, was enabled by the inheritance she received upon her father’s death. Of the more than twenty books she wrote, her final book,
From Ritual to Romance, is her most celebrated work. In 1923, the University of Wales awarded her the Doctor of Literature degree for her contributions to the field.