Grail Tales Eternal Book Appeal
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Posted by Derek Armstrong Nov 11, 2006 |
Dan Brown's interpretation, clearly based on Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln's nonfiction book Holy Blood, Holy Grail, only appears scandalous if you accept he is presenting new facts rather than a fictional quest legend. In fact, the Quest for the Holy Grail is the central theme of virtually all quest literature, from The Lord of the Rings to Mallory's Morte D'Arthur (15th century). The Church didn't recognize the Grail as a relic. For the most part, the history of Grail legend began in medieval times as charming stories and legends, based on French retelling of even older stories. If we take Dan Brown's story as another legend, the scandal disappears.
The Lance of Longius, for example, was more likely a genuine relic, certainly a Church-recognized treasure, once stolen by Hitler, and the subject of James Patterson and Andrew Gross's historical thriller, The Jester. There are many recognized relics. Holy Blood, Holy Grail and DaVinci Code are not controversial because they challenged the notion of the Grail as a true relic. It was only controversial because of the concept-theory that grail was a mistranslation of the old French word for "royal blood" and that it referred to the offspring of Jesus Christ. Fascinating thriller material, and also good material for "speculative non fiction historical"—but there is no proof offered. The evidence does not go beyond hints, innuendo and suggestions based on interpretations of language, paintings and some historical legends. There's no more "truth" in these legends than there is in Mallory's original classic.
So, let's call this what it really is. Another Holy Grail quest. The Holy Grail quest is very much the standard throughline of most modern day adventure quest literature, from the middle ages to the present day. DaVinci Code is no more than a simple quest adventure tale.
Dan Brown no doubt enjoyed the artificial scandal. Even the authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail probably fostered their own controversy with the lost lawsuits. But, ultimately, all of it is just for show. Pure entertainment. A continuation of a literary tradition, and nothing more. It's enjoyable, but not to be taken seriously. After all, the Grail is not even recognized by the Church as a genuine relic. Relic, or person, we should consider enjoying these things as pure literary legend-building.
Morte D'Arthur, by Mallory, was probably equally as scandalous in its day. After all, Arthur was a pagan (if he existed at all), who fought AGAINST the Saxon's, who in turn ultimately conquered the Britons and created ENGLAND. The Saxon's were Arthur's sworn enemies. Yet Mallory transformed the legendary Arthur into the very thing he would have hated if he was real (Mallory made him English and Christian) and Merlin—who would have been burned in his day as a sorcerer by the Church—into a wizard champion on the side of the FAITH. Mallory adopted pagan concepts such as the Celtic Cauldron into a cup called the Grail. Could anything be more controversial than that?
In many ways, Mallory was more controversial than Dan Brown. Probably much more so.
Author of The Game and the forthcoming Grail Historical Thriller The Last Troubadour