(1.5) “Galahad and the Grail” – The Coming of the Grail
(1.5) “Galahad and the Grail” – The Coming of the Grail.
Book One: ‘The Coming of Galahad’ (by “book” is meant a large section in this installment of Guite’s Arthuriad).
Stave Five: “The Coming of the Grail” (a “stave” is an old-fashioned term for the stanza of a poem, a verse in a song, or a chapter in a long story).
Why is Malcolm Guite retelling the King Arthur saga, no less in the form of English ballads? He has gone on record as saying… The KA mythical tales echo something real about sin, redemption, and the hope that was broken in us and in the world that can be made whole again… Every generation that asks good questions of King Arthur legends gets good answers… The modern world could use a resurrection of the ideal of chivalry and honor… Ancient myths and stories aren’t just relics of a pre-modern imagination, they are carriers of truth we’ve forgotten how to see with modern eyes… Legends like these don’t distract us from the real world, they reveal it… These stories restore the spiritual elements that have been shorn away, and they renew their deepest meaning. The English ballads were composed in a poetic form that were made to be sung or chanted out loud. They are rhythmic and musical, and one gets the sense that with ballads, “the poem on the page is lying asleep. And the job of the reader is to wake it up and breathe into its being by reciting it out loud, because that physicality of sound and breath and speech is what it’s made for… Above all, enjoy it. Poetry is meant to give pleasure.” It’s clear that composing this first installment of the King Arthur saga was a labor of love for Malcolm Guite, and that, as he put it, “This is the tale that makes my heart rejoice.”
Characters and Elements in this Chapter of Malcom Guite’s Retelling of the King Arthur Saga:
(1.) The Jousting Tournament – “And Arthur held a tournament to prove this knight, whom Heaven sent, that all might see, was his intent, who wins and who must yield. And all the ladies gathered there in towers to see the fray. And all the knights made clash of arms in sport that day. ” The festive and rather innocent displays we now know as a jousting tournament had no such romantic beginnings. In the 11th century, a common battle exercise for soldiers in training was held in an open field in which soldiers were chaotically developing their war skills. This exercise was intended to be a no-holds-barred, brutal preparation for battle. They would wield real weapons like spears, battle-axes and daggers while wearing very little armor for protection, and these training exercises were very dangerous free-for-alls between soldiers who wanted to improve their battle skills. This rather lethal use of martial arts training evolved into a more regulated and better managed way to train soldiers in which, instead of a mob, two soldiers would engage in a duel, both on horseback and holding a long wooden spear, or lance. They would charge at each other to see who could knock his opponent off his horse or smash his spear against a shield. This military training became quite popular for the locals who loved to watch this exciting action, cheering them on and approving of whoever came out on top. This was still a brutal medieval version of extreme sport, especially since the knights involved as combatants were given permission to use lethal weaponry if their lance became unusable. So this fairly private form of military training began to transform into a more civilized form of public entertainment in the form of jousting tournaments suitable for the whole family, events where everyone could enjoy the pageantry during festivals, church year feasts, and important celebrations like weddings and coronations. During these tournaments, as chivalry became more ingrained in the culture, it became dishonorable to exploit an opponent’s disadvantage or weakness, and the jousters would prefer the honor of defeating an opponent who had the advantage. Winning against the odds was seen as more sporting, especially since the victor would inevitably spare the defeated foe from unnecessary injury. The jousting tournaments reflected the gallantry of a knight who was strong, skilled, courageous, and gracious. These tournaments became more of a prime-time option for exciting entertainment, and also gave the knights an opportunity to display the family’s coat-of-arms, and to impress the ladies who were watching with rapt interest.
(2.) The Kiss of Peace. “There they went to Evensong, both those who won and lost. There they exchanged the kiss of peace before they shared the final feast, the last of Pentecost. After the tournament but before the feast, the knights would engage in a reconciliation ritual that traced its history back to the early church. This sacred Kiss, short and sincere, on the cheek between united believers who are in full fellowship, is a symbol of complete reconciliation, with nothing to forgive, a clean slate between them. This holy Kiss is a physical symbol of the spiritual truth of unity between believers. Some have even called it a sacrament. St. Paul included the Kiss of Peace, also called a “Holy Kiss,“ four different times in his benedictions: Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12, and 1 Thessalonians 5:26. For him to mention this part of worship in his letters, it must have been important, and it sounds like he expected it to be done in his churches. The Kiss is called holy, because it is set apart from romantic kisses and only allowed between believers who are at peace with each other. The Kiss of Peace is dependent upon a sincere confession, a gracious forgiveness, and a heartfelt reconciliation. The love that is required in all those difficult steps comes from one Source, the love of Christ. The love seen in a Kiss of Peace is grounded on the love of Christ poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. However, if a Christian walks into church and realizes he needs to settle accounts with someone else in the church, he should seek him out, whether he offended the other person or the other person offended him (Matthew 5:23). This is why the Kiss of love is always placed before the Eucharist in the worship service. There needs to be union between people before there is Communion with God. There needs to be a feast of peace before there is the Lord’s Supper. Believers need to achieve reconciliation before they can enjoy fellowship.
(3.) The Feast of Pentecost – King Arthur was intent on keeping a major biblical feast in the church year, the Feast of Pentecost in which the coming of the Holy Spirit is celebrated. This Christian celebration actually builds upon a major Jewish feast, the Feast of Harvest, celebrated 50 days after Passover. “On the day the festival of Pentecost was being celebrated, all the disciples were gathered in one place. Suddenly they heard the sound of a violent blast of wind rushing into the house, a wind that surely was coming from out of the heavenly realm. The roar of the wind was so overpowering it was all anyone could bear! Then they all saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and inspired to speak in different languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak, talking in languages they had never learned!“(Acts 2:1-4). This was the momentous time when the physical harvest of the Torah intersected with the spiritual harvest of the New Covenant. It’s interesting that it is Pentecost which is associated so often with Galahad, suggesting that he is the firstfruit, the chosen one filled by the Spirit, destined one day to bring healing to both the grievous wound of Pelles and the curse of the Wasteland.
(4.) A Heavenly Scent. “… a goodly fragrance filled the room and ravished every sense.” After a very Pentecostal experience in the king’s court, complete with lightning and thunder, a strange beam of light that seemed seven times stronger than a cloudless sky, and tongues of fire settling over the head of each knight, another completely unexpected aspect of God’s presence occurred… Fragrance! It should not surprise us that this powerful spiritual moment was actually a sensual experience. An aroma straight from heaven! God designed our bodies in such a way that the sense of smell is the strongest of our senses. Smells trigger memories more quickly and vividly than any other sense we have. Of all the things we remember in life situations, it is the smell that lodges in our brains the longest, and apparently the Lord didn’t want the knights to forget this experience. Think back to the wilderness Tabernacle, and how He gave special instructions to a gifted perfumer to craft a totally unique incense that He could enjoy and that the people would never forget. Yahweh gave a secret recipe for this incense that included five exotic, fragrant materials that were to be blended together and ground into a fine powder for holy worship. When that holy incense wafted into the air, we can’t even imagine how delicious it smelled right there in the Holy of Holies. Not only that, but later in Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, the priestly perfumers added seven more aromatic ingredients to the Temple incense to heighten the aroma even further. Why was God so intent on creating powerful fragrances that He could enjoy and that would become such an important part of worshipping Him? Maybe God wanted to return to the Garden of Eden and the delicious fragrances that must have filled the air there in Paradise before the Fall. Maybe He simply wants to broaden our awareness and understanding of His beauty through our sense of smell. Maybe He wants to prepare us for the unimaginable aromas we will enjoy forever in His heavenly presence. Whatever the reasons, the “goodly fragrance that filled the room and ravished every sense” was surely an unforgettable moment for the knights of the Round Table as they experienced heaven on earth first-hand in the presence of the Holy Grail.
(5.) A Peek at the Grail – The Holy Grail, the sacred relic which is the chalice from which Jesus drank at His Last Supper with His disciples, and it was used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch Christ’s blood after His side was lanced by the Roman soldier after Christ had died on the Cross. The Grail was seen as a miraculous source for healing and redemption offered in Christ, and also symbolized spiritual purity and mystical union with God. The Holy Grail has been accepted down through the centuries as a cup or a deep dish that retained the spiritual powers of Christ Himself. The Grail represented the presence of divine grace, and so the Quest for the Grail was the most important quest ever conceived by the Knights of the Round Table. This appearance of the Grail covered in a white veil was evidently intended to whet the appetite of the knights to find the Grail in order to see it in all its glory.
(6.) To Quest – When understood as a very active verb in the context of knighthood, to quest is to engage in a long, difficult and adventurous journey that requires hard work in order to achieve a worthwhile goal or a valuable possession; to give oneself to a focused search, a single-minded pursuit, that frequently involves challenges, exploration, and personal growth; to invest personally in a prolonged endeavor in which the process is just as important as the product; to engage in a mission or expedition in an extensive search to discover something important. It won’t be long before the knights all embark on a special quest that will take them far away from Camelot.
(7.) Heavenly Music – “… and Heaven’s music flowed and thrilled and echoed through the hall.” What could better top off this other-worldly experience than beautiful music from heaven’s spheres floating through the king’s court? We already know that music is the language of heaven because nothing else could possibly be up to the task of praising God and bonding together as His believers. The knights here in Camelot fleshed out the negro spiritual that came much later… “Up above my head, I hear music in the air… I really do believe there is a heaven somewhere!” Yes, music is an integral part of every piece of creation, is God’s greatest gift to the world, apart from Jesus, and there’s nothing that touches our soul so deeply as music. So it’s not surprising that the presence of the Holy Grail had musical accompaniment. Perfect.
(8.) King Arthur’s Sacred Response – After a completely unique and undeserved experience like this that came straight from God’s presence, how else could Arthur respond except by praising Him? “Now thanks be unto Him Who by His Heart’s blood paid the cost and hung on rood to save the lost, for all His grace this Pentecost, all thanks be unto Him.” The Old English word “rood” refers to a sacred beam of wood, namely the Cross of Christ. So in his praise here is praising Christ who hung on the Cross to save the lost.
(9.) Sir Gawaine. The author then introduces a key character in the King Arthur saga. He is none other than King Arthur’s nephew and closest friend. Gawaine is the youngest knight of the Round Table, much loved by Arthur, and one of the most trusted knights of them all. He is famous for his physical skills, especially in combat as a brave warrior, and for his overall commitment to the chivalric virtues. In this scene, Gawaine is not satisfied with merely glimpsing a Grail that is covered in a veil, and he desperately wants to witness it in full detail. So he rather rashly commits to the Quest for the Grail and invites the other knights to join him. Many others volunteered to join Gawaine in his impetuous vow, all of which leaves Arthur with mixed feelings. Arthur knows that if they are to remain honorable in their knighthood, they must remain faithful to their vow. On the other hand, King Arthur not only will dearly miss his beloved Gawaine, but also “the fairest fellowship on earth, the comfort of my heart and hearth, the flower of chivalry.” Arthur knows now that this may be the last time all his knights are all together, and he weeps as he tells his nephew that he just might have vowed this Quest in vain. Arthur fully relizes that this Quest may signal the end of the era.
(10.) Cheer up, Arthur! At this point the noble knight Lancelot notices the mournfulness of Arthur and tries to encourage him, to comfort him, by saying that it’s better to take a quest than flee like a coward from adventure. He tells Arthur that it’s more honorable to gallantly die when keeping his word even if the Quest is not successful. His final word to Arthur in this chapter is that he will still go down in history as the king who had the honor of welcoming the Holy Grail into his castle.
(11.) Chivalry – And what was this code of chivalry taken by all those accepting the responsibility of knighthood? Surely the chivalric code went way beyond merely being courteous and polite! Historical records confirm that true knights in shining armor rejoiced in the privilege of keeping certain standards of moral integrity, such as developing a lifestyle of virtue and valor; giving refuge for the weak and the orphan; promoting the peace and order of the kingdom; honoring, protecting and cherishing the lives of women because they are the bearers of life; confronting evil with courage and never fleeing a righteous battle; rescuing the innocent when in distress; upholding the Christian faith in the land. Centuries ago, one version of chivalry was represented by a pentangle, a five-pointed star that symbolized the five points of the chivalric code: friendship, generosity, chastity, courtesy and piety.