From Ritual to RomanceWeston, Jessie L. (Jessie Laidlay)
Religion
From Ritual to Romance
Weston, Jessie L. (Jessie Laidlay)
Grail -- Legends -- History and criticism; Romances -- History and criticism
Summary of results of previous enquiry. _The Medieval Stage_. Grail
romances probably contain record of secret ritual of a Fertility cult.
The Symbols of the cult—Cup, Lance, Sword, Stone, or Dish. Plea for
treating Symbols as a related group not as isolated units. Failure to
do so probably cause of unsatisfactory result of long research.
Essential to recognize Grail story as an original whole and to treat it
in its _ensemble_ aspect. We must differentiate between origin and
accretion. Instances. _The Legend of Longinus_. Lance and Cup not
associated in Christian Art. Evidence. The _Spear_ of Eastern Liturgies
only a _Knife. The Bleeding Lance_. Treasures of the Tuatha de Danann.
Correspond as a group with Grail Symbols. Difficulty of equating
Cauldron-Grail. Probably belong to a different line of tradition.
Instances given. Real significance of Lance and Cup. Well known as Life
Symbols. The Samurai. Four Symbols also preserved as Suits of the
Tarot. Origin of Tarot discussed. Probably reached Europe from the
East. Use of the Symbols in Magic. Probable explanation of these
various appearances to be found in fact that associated group were at
one time symbols of a Fertility cult. Further evidence to be examined.
CHAPTER VII
The Sword Dance
Relation of Sword Dance, Morris Dance, and Mumming Play. Their
Ceremonial origin now admitted by scholars. Connected with seasonal
Festivals and Fertility Ritual. Earliest Sword Dancers, the Maruts. Von
Schroeder, _Mysterium und Mimus_. Discussion of their nature and
functions. The Kouretes. Character of their dance. Miss J. E. Harrison,
Themis. The Korybantes. Dance probably sacrificial in origin. The
Salii. Dramatic element in their dance. Mars, as Fertility god.
Mamurius Veturius. Anna Perenna. Character of dance seasonal. Modern
British survivals. The Sword Dance. Mostly preserved in North.
Variants. Mr E. K. Chambers, _The Medieval Stage_. The Mumming Plays.
Description. Characters. Recognized as representing Death and Revival
of Vegetation Deity. Dr Jevons, _Masks and the Origin of the Greek
Drama_. Morris Dances. No dramatic element. Costume of character
significant. Possible survival of theriomorphic origin. Elaborate
character of figures in each group. Symbols employed. The Pentangle.
The Chalice. Present form shows dislocation. Probability that three
groups were once a combined whole and Symbols united. Evidence
strengthens view advanced in last Chapter. Symbols originally a group
connected with lost form of Fertility Ritual. Possible origin of Grail
Knights to be found in Sword Dancers.
CHAPTER VIII
The Medicine Man
The _rôle_ of the Medicine Man, or Doctor in Fertility Ritual. Its
importance and antiquity. The _Rig-Veda_ poem. Classical evidence, Mr
F. Cornford. Traces of Medicine Man in the Grail romances. Gawain as
Healer. Persistent tradition. Possible survival from pre-literary form.
Evidence of the _Triads_. Peredur as Healer. Evolution of theme. _Le
Dist de l’Erberie_.
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