From Ritual to Romance

Jessie L. Weston's book written in 1920 is a seminal work on ancient religion, roots of early Christianity, and examines the story of the Holy Grail by exploring the legend's Gnostic roots. This book had a crucial influence on four important works of the twentieth century: T. S. Elliott's poem the Waste Land, Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces, Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code, and Francis Ford Coppolla's movie Apocalypse Now, screenplay by John Milius. Weston wrote fourteen books on Arthurian legends throughout her life. This is her last book, which sums up her Grail theory, which fusses ideas from J. G. Frazier's book The Golden Bough and Gnostic texts that serve as a link to early Christianity's influence from ancient nature cults. Her chapter titles say much about where her work goes and why it is so influential on iconic twentieth century works. The Task of the Hero explains the original nature of the task imposed upon the hero, it undoubtedly influenced both Campbell's and Coppola's works. Medieval and Modern Forms of Nature Ritual looks to establish a chain of descent connecting early Aryan and Babylonian ritual with classic, Medieval and modern forms of nature worship. The Symbols searches Grail symbology throughout history. The Medicine Man explains the role of the Medicine Man or doctor in fertility ritual. The Fisher King analyzes how this title is prevalent in so many of humankind's legends, and was a definite influence on Coppola's Colonel Kurtz character. Mysteries of the Secret of the Holy Grail and its regard as an object of awe certainly influenced The Da Vinci Code. Weston's book is interesting and fun to read. I especially became interested in it from the movie Apocalypse Now. There is a scene in the movie that shows Colonel Kurtz's nightstand in his cave. Weston's book is one of three on the nightstand. The other two are Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, which the film is based on. The other book is J. G. Frazier's book The Golden Bough. Anyone wanting to understand the movie Apocalypse Now, especially the character of Colonel Kurtz, and what Milius and Copolla are trying to tell their audience need to read these three books! As a graduate student reading in philosophy and history I recommend this book for anyone interested in literature, myth, history, philosophy, religion and fans of Apocalypse Now.

This book, published in 1920, was a seminal influence on both T.S. Eliot in "The Wasteland" and Ernest Hemingway in "The Sun Also Rises". Eighty years later, it's still easy to see why. Although the book is short-just over 200 pages-it is almost unbelievably wide-ranging. As she deconstructs the elements of the various versions of the tales of the Holy Grail, Ms. Weston takes the reader globetrotting and time-traveling, from Vedic India to turn of the century Africa and Japan, with stops in between in Europe and the Middle East from antiquity to her own time. She relates the Grail stories to archaic sacred kingship, fertility rituals and dances, the rites and myths of Adonis, Attis and Mithra, as well as Gnostic Christianity. If you're interested in the Grail, the history of western culture, the history of religious ideas, or the transmission of myth and ritual into literary forms, "From Ritual To Romance" is truly a revelation.

Because Eliot's "Waste Land" is taught in virtually every British and American lit survey course, the name "Jessie Weston" and the title "From Ritual to Romance" have become familiar to perhaps millions of readers throughout the world. However, if readers hope to get beyond the "trivial pursuit" question of the source to which Eliot was indebted and to a genuine understanding of the "Fisher King" myth, they will need to read that source for themselves. Though not a quick and accessible read, the book repays the reader's patience. Not only does it help bring Eliot's poem to life but it illuminates the poetic tradition from Chaucer to Eliot and makes more meaningful the numerous adaptations of the myth in modern culture--from David Lodge's "Small World" to Robin Williams' "The Fisher King." Not for a sophomore survey course, but definitely for any upperlevel course on Eliot or Arthurian legend.

Entire forests have given their all so that acedemics can enlighten undergraduates with the ripe fruit of their intellect. Unfortunately, most of these tomes are read, plagiarized, and forgotten. "From Ritual to Romance" is an exception. Written more than 60 years ago this book was extremely influential. Superceded by current scholarship, its ideas are notable for the way they shaped some of great works of English literature; T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" is but one example. The origins of modern Arthurian fantasy can be traced back to these seminal works and thus to Weston. Her Fisher King is the definative one for the 20th century

to produce some of their finest and most distinctive works. Weston's scholarly work first appeared almost 90years ago and is still inspiring readers. T.S. Eliot wrote footnotes referring readers of "The Waste Land" to this rare gem which puts "The Holy Grail" init's place, that of an important ritual that far preceded Christianity in the British Isles. John Steinbeck used it overtly in his only piece of historical fiction, "Cup of Gold," and others lined up in good company behind them. The story and its variants are fascinating and will inspire readers to revisit Frasier's Golden Bough. Sir Galahad, Sir Lancelot, King Arthur, Guinevere, the Fisher King and many others made their appearances as layer upon layer were added and peeled away from this legend spawned by people long gone (or absorbed?) from the British Islands and regions of France where the grail is said to have been secreted. Though Weston's style is British, academic, and the length of her immaculately grammatical sentences would put Faulkner to shame, the information is riveting (and makes one wonder how modern filmmakers of the Arthurian genre managed to research their stories and miss so much good stuff...).