Gresham College Lectures
Gresham College has been providing free public lectures since 1597, making us London's oldest higher education institution. This podcast offers our recorded lectures that are free to access from the Gresham College website, or our YouTube channel.
Gresham College Lectures
The Phantom Cup that Comes and Goes: The Story of the Holy Grail
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Gresham College
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The Holy Grail conjures up images of a romantic and heroic past, of magical journeys and brave knights.
What do we really know of its origin and meaning? It has entered the language as a phrase that embodies an infinitely desirable but attainable goal.
Is there any truth behind this intriguing object, or is it just one of the many myths of the Middle Ages?
This talk will consider why the symbol of the Holy Grail has proved so durable. It will follow the transformations of the medieval Grail through history, art, literature and theology.
The journey will take us across Europe and the Near East, and even to America as we unravel the cultural impact of Tennyson's Phantom Cup..
What do we really know of its origin and meaning? It has entered the language as a phrase that embodies an infinitely desirable but attainable goal.
Is there any truth behind this intriguing object, or is it just one of the many myths of the Middle Ages?
This talk will consider why the symbol of the Holy Grail has proved so durable. It will follow the transformations of the medieval Grail through history, art, literature and theology.
The journey will take us across Europe and the Near East, and even to America as we unravel the cultural impact of Tennyson's Phantom Cup..