The phenomenal success of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code has given new life to the perennial debate about the nature and meaning of the mysterious Holy Grail. The story of the Grail, usually identified as some kind of mystical vessel, has gripped the imaginations of millions since it first appeared in several medieval romances. Of these, Wolfram von Eschenbach's Middle High German Parzival (c. 1200) is generally recognized as the most complex and beautiful. Strangely, in Parzival, the Grail is identified as a stone rather than a ...
Read More
The phenomenal success of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code has given new life to the perennial debate about the nature and meaning of the mysterious Holy Grail. The story of the Grail, usually identified as some kind of mystical vessel, has gripped the imaginations of millions since it first appeared in several medieval romances. Of these, Wolfram von Eschenbach's Middle High German Parzival (c. 1200) is generally recognized as the most complex and beautiful. Strangely, in Parzival, the Grail is identified as a stone rather than a cup or dish. This oddity is usually seen as just another mystery, further evidence of the difficulty of discerning the true sources of the Grail legend. In this groundbreaking study, Ronald Murphy seeks to dispel this mystery and to enable a far better appreciation of Wolfram's purposes. Wolfram, Murphy argues, wanted to chastise his contemporaries who looked for the Grail in the possession of Muslims in the Holy Land. The Grail (salvation, blessedness, the presence of God), Wolfram was saying, was where God said He would be: on the altar at the consecration of the Mass. Wolfram's "sacred stone" was none other than a consecrated altar, precious by virtue of the sacrament but also, Murphy argues, by virtue of the material from which it was made: green serpentine, one of the precious stones associated with the rivers of Paradise. Wolfram's stone may also have been a symbolic reference to the stone the Crusaders fought to obtain - the Holy Sepulchre. The entire story of Parzival, Murphy believes, was intended as an argument against continued efforts by Latin Christians to regain the Holy Land by force. Remarkably, Murphy believes he has discovered the very altar stone that inspired Wolfram's work, preserved to the present day in the Paradise Altar in the diocesan museum of the German city of Bamberg. Offering an entirely original reading of Wolfram's famous text, this engrossing and readable book will appeal not only to scholars and students of medieval literature but to many of the readers who are drawn to the lasting mystery of the Holy Grail.
Read Less
Add this copy of Gemstone of Paradise: the Holy Grail in Wolfram's to cart. $42.24, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Oxford University Press.
Add this copy of Gemstone of Paradise: the Holy Grail in Wolfram's to cart. $46.56, like new condition, Sold by Calliopebooks rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Rockville, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Oxford University Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Like New. 2006. Oxford Univ Press. Signed/inscribed by author. Book and DJ are both in like new condition-appears unread. Prompt shipping with tracking.
Add this copy of Gemstone of Paradise: The Holy Grail in Wolfram's to cart. $60.00, like new condition, Sold by Merchant Means rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Baltimore, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine in fine dust jacket. Signed by author. Fine book in fine dust jacket, inscribed by author. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 241 p. Contains: Illustrations, black & white. Audience: General/trade.
Add this copy of Gemstone of Paradise: The Holy Grail in Wolfram's to cart. $66.09, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPrices rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Columbia, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fine. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 256 p. Contains: Unspecified. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Gemstone of Paradise: The Holy Grail in Wolfram's to cart. $85.22, new condition, Sold by GreatBookPrices rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Columbia, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2006 by Oxford University Press, USA.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 256 p. Contains: Unspecified. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
