The Sangreal Beliefs

Thomas Malory’s Noble Tale of the SanGreal draws heavily on religious practice and experience to tell the story of the search for the Holy Grail. Malory uses devices such as miracles, visions, and dreams to send the knights of the Round Table in the direction of the Grail, and the reader witnesses the religious and personal conversions of the knights on the quest. This paper will discuss the religious experiences of Galahad, Lancelot, and Percival, focusing on the miracles, visions and dreams that guide them on their adventures. The Noble Tale of the Sangreal begins on the day of Pentecost at Arthur’s court. This feast of Pentecost marks the four hundred and fifty-fourth year since the death and rebirth of Christ, as well as the day on which …show more content…
His first miracle occurs when he is called upon to drive a demon from a tomb in a churchyard. The demon acknowledges that Galahad is so loved by God that he cannot be harmed by the demon’s power. The second miracle occurs when Galahad’s former squire, Sir Melias, is attacked and almost slain by a knight for his covetousness and pride.Galahad is able to defeat the knight who injured Melias as well as another, displaying his triumph over the sins of greed and pride. Galahad’s third miracle is his defeat over the seven knights who held the Castle of Maidens, which symbolizes his defeat over all sin and his role as the figure of Christ and seeker of the Grail. He performs several other miracles throughout the tale, including the healing of a cripple and the Maimed King, miracles in which he mirrors the actions of Christ. He also cools a lake of fire, a symbol of lechery, with his hand, again showing his abhorrence to the sin of lechery. At the end of their journey, Galahad sees a vision of Christ and his angels and asks to be raised to Heaven.
Galahad’s role in the Noble Tale of the SanGreal is that of the pure, pious Christ figure. This is shown through his ability to defeat enemies without murdering, speak with God, and perform miracles. Galahad’s purity and freedom from sin are noticed by several characters throughout his journey and are the reason he is the only one truly worthy of the quest to find …show more content…
He witnesses a sick man be healed by the Sangreal, but cannot himself stand in front of the Grail as he is full of sin. When he fully awakens, he hears a voice tell him to leave the holy place. The voice tells him that he is harder than a stone, more bitter than wood and more naked than a fig tree. At this time, Lancelot thinks about all of the sins he has committed in his life and realizes that he is unworthy of the quest for the Grail. At this point in the tale, it is clear that Lancelot is the complete juxtaposition of his son. Where Galahad is the Christ figure, Lancelot is a bad Christian, prone to sin and not