The Mystery of the Grail: Initiation and Magic in the Quest for the Spirit by Julius Evola

The Mystery of the Grail: Initiation and Magic in the Quest for the Spirit Reviews

• 
  Bradley

  I wouldn't say Julius Evola "solves" the Mystery of the Grail, rather he establishes the various common symbols and goes to different lengths to trace them back to older sources, proposing instances of perversion or confusion in their depiction (within the contemporary society, or in the text itself).
  
  As always he attempts to unlock the "primordial meaning," tracing the origins as far back as possible and constructing what he calls a suprahistorical Grail-pursuit. Ultimately the variations on the Grail are meaningless, being allusions to variations of the same "archetypes" or relics in different traditions, though they are essential as part of the book's journey towards what Evola thinks is the Grail's true essence; an object to be pursued by he who is worthy of restoring the Kingdom, re-enlivening it and finding true Heroic masculinity along the way, and later on he ascribed this worthy Knight with the attribute of erasing the distinction between the Knight and the Priest castes (to be found elsewhere in his work, but their connotations are obvious).
  
  It is impressive how many sources and contradictions Evola wades through and it can get confusing, but the succinct writing helps to keep everything cohesive and clear, trying to pinpoint abnormalities in one text as a perversion or confusion in comparison to others. The final section on the historical legacy of the Grail was extremely interesting, but sometimes felt steeped in ambiguity, though probably due to my inexperience of some factors—particularly Dante and the Ghibelline 'conspiracy' as a whole.
  
  Despite these factors, I tended to worry throughout that perhaps Evola was picking the specific core texts that agreed with his interpretation for the most part, while letting others occasionally come in for instances of cross-reference. I think a brief exploration of the long history of Arthurian reworkings, and comparing them to their time period and to past works would be beneficial; he does this only with Wagner and it is a rather snide jab on the second last page of the epilogue.
  An analysis of this adaption, perhaps of Purcell/Dryden's and Tennyson's too, I would find appropriate to back up his accusations of misinterpretation and plain implied "degeneracy." Monmouth's text was also absent from the analysis, surprisingly.
  It is also worth noting the quality of Evola's treatment of cross-referencing.
  
  
  I tried to read this book three years ago but was not learn'd enough in Arthurian myth to really focus or get any worth, but upon this return I have found it to be an insightful and engaging text.
  Though I must warn anyone new to Arthurian Myth, Mysticism, or even Myth-analysis, that this is definitely a secondary source—an introduction to Evola himself should also be found elsewhere (perhaps the big three or Metaphysics of War).
  I should also add that any explicit "fascism" is not present here so should not put a reader off. The only conservative values present were those of what could be called "traditional gender roles," but Evola's view of women is quite liberating, perhaps just not in the modern sense. Implications of superior 'political systems' are only in allusion to Monarchy.
  
  
  A great analysis with an uplifting end.
  8/10
  
  (Reccomended reading beforehand:
  -Any Arthurian text, preferably medieval but I personally reccomend Tennyson (+some online secondary reading, even Wikipedia)
  -Hesiod's Theogony
  (-Some surface reading of Irish myth could also be helpful but his references are rarely obscure.)
• 
  rodrigo

  I must say that I'm not a big fan of evola, he tries to push his political ideas upon collective archetypes that often possess no connection.
• 
  Ermina

  Knjiga me privukla prvo, zbog naslova, drugo zbog kontroverzne prirode autora, i treće, zbog mješavine ova prva dva razloga. Fašista koji piše o gralu - dovoljno primamljivo.
  No, ono što sam našla u knjizi nije me toliko očaralo. Okej, saznala sam nešto više o Arturu i gralu, masonima, templarima... Nekako mi se čini da je knjiga samo zbir već poznatih priča.
  Ah da, ima i mizoginije na pretek - žena u muškarcu ZAPRAVO budi seksualnu energiju. Još gore: muškarac zbog žene postaje žena...
  
  (ako se uzme kao veliki meme, onda knjiga može itekako proći!)
• 
  Hank

  En intressant bok där Evola tolkar Graalens myter och dess symbolism genom en traditionalistisk lens. Enligt Evola pekar myten mot ett sätt att åter realisera en regal och heroisk spiritualitet som förenar "krigaren" och "prästen" och en återfödelse av ett traditionalistiskt imperium.
• 
  Giovanni

  Interesting introduction to the esoteric, Evola makes connections to historical traditions and concepts which builds to an analysis of culture and spiritual thought.
• 
  Frederik Vandelannoote

  Very nice overview of the meaning of the myth of the Holy Grail, routs and connections with past organizations. It puts a new perspective on the Ghibelline ideals and exposes the usurpation and false use of the myth by contemporary advocates of the "enlightenment".
• 
  Radu

  Out of all of the books Julius Evola wrote this book has to be the easiest of his to read and assimilate... though this might in part be because of the subject matter addressed in the book.
  
  The story of King Arthur and the search for the Holy Grail is a story we've all heard at least in passing throughout out lives and Evola takes the time to explore the common trends found in these various surrounding it, as well as in part the secret societies that surrounded the search for the Holy Grail before tying it all together with how the mythos shaped the spirit of European culture and had caused the state of global politics at the time of his having written the book.
  
  The idea of viewing the holy grail as a symbol of the desire for transcendence was a very interesting take and one that I imagine will help with understanding Evola's other more difficult works involving the esoteric.
• 
  Mr House

  This book is very interesting and illuminating regarding the perennial elements found within the Grail Cycle and how these myths show up across cultures and time.
  
  This is my first book from Evola based on a recommendation from a friend. The issue I had is that the text (and my friend) seem to assume that you are already familiar with a number of other works by Evola, various mythology and the Grail legend in general.
  
  Because of this, I have now bought Le Morte d'Arthur and The Divine Comedy to read - which are heavily referenced throughout. I will also likely read more Evola in the future.
  
  Books lead to more books!
• 
  Matt

  Outstanding analysis of Hermeticism and the idea of the Grail and it's pre-Christian gnostic origins.
• 
  Lunalia

  My husband bought this book for me but I honestly have found it so tedious. I've read it in stops & starts but I just cannot see myself finishing it.
• 
  Kjǫlsigʀ

  The Baron does it again, another keenly insightful illumination of the Mystery from the higher plane proper to it rather than yet another profane vanity.
• 
  Comptes Rendus de René Guénon

  [Juillet 1937]
  L’auteur signale avant tout l’insuffisance des différents points de vue, « littéraire », mystique, et aussi ethnologique et « folkloriste », sous lesquels on a prétendu le plus habituellement étudier la question du Graal et des traditions qui s’y rapportent ; faute de se placer sur le terrain d’une tradition métaphysique, au sens le plus étendu et le plus complet de ce mot, on ne peut en saisir la véritable signification ; et les rapprochements mêmes qu’on a pu établir avec des éléments qui se rencontrent ailleurs ne sauraient prendre une valeur réelle que si on les envisage selon l’« esprit » qui convient, c’est-à-dire l’esprit proprement traditionnel. Le Graal et sa « queste » peuvent, sous ce rapport, être rattachés à ce qu’Hésiode désigne comme le « cycle des héros », en considérant ceux-ci comme des être doués de la possibilité de réintégrer l’« état primordial » et de préparer ainsi la venue d’un nouvel « âge d’or » ; et l’on peut apercevoir immédiatement par là, une certaine relation avec la conception du « Saint-Empire », laquelle, à vrai dire, ne parvint jamais à se réaliser pleinement. Chose assez étrange, les principaux textes relatifs au Graal parurent tous au cours d’une période très brève, coïncidant avec la phase culminante de la tradition médiévale et notamment de la chevalerie, comme s’ils représentaient la manifestation soudaine, à un moment donné, d’une sorte de courant souterrain qui redevint bientôt invisible ; puis il y eut une reprise plus tard, après la destruction des Templiers, auxquels paraissent avoir succédé, sous une forme plus secrète, des organisations qui elles-mêmes ne furent pas sans rapport avec la tradition du Graal. – Ce qui fait surtout l’intérêt du livre, c’est l’examen des multiples points plus ou moins particuliers, dont l’auteur s’attache à élucider le sens symbolique, et dans le détail desquels il nous est naturellement impossible d’entrer ici ; il est quelques-uns de ces points que nous avons déjà traités nous-même dans le Roi du Monde et dans certains de nos articles, ainsi qu’il le rappelle à diverses reprises et il en est d’autres sur lesquels nous aurons peut-être encore l’occasion de revenir plus tard ; pour le moment, nous ne pouvons que recommander la lecture de cet ouvrage à tous ceux qui s’intéressent à cette question, et plus spécialement en tant qu’elle est liée aux traditions et aux symboles se référant au « Centre du Monde ». On ne peut dire, cela va de soi, que tout y soit entièrement éclairci, mais ce n’est point là un reproche, car c’est sans doute chose impossible, et le sujet est de ceux qui sont proprement inépuisables ; mais nous croyons du moins qu’on ne pourrait guère trouver ailleurs un équivalent de tous les éléments d���interprétation qui sont ici rassemblés.
• 
  Susi

  Para todos os tradicionalistas,encontram em Évola um defensor acérrimo da Tradição Integral.
  A tradição vista como um conjunto de princípios eternos e supra-humanos imanentes no fluir dos tempos.É a tradição trancendente que os tempos modernos querem corromper a todo o custo.Para além de uma obra esotérica,como toda a obra evoliana,a defesa da tradição vai projectar a individualidade numa hierarquia e vice-versa,portanto pode a obra ser considerada perante uma visão ético-política.
  
• 
  Mel Bontje

  An order following in the footsteps of Templarism would have a decisive role in a world such as the modern one, which displays forms of great dissolution and inner collapse. The Grail - as an antithesis between "priest" and "warrior" - will regalvanize and give strength to myths and ideas connected to the legacy of better times, and will make those who have received the "sword" wait for the right moment to wield it.
• 
  Massimiliano Scordamaglia

  Recensione completa qui:
  
  http://ultimavisione.wordpress.com/20...
• 
  Bobby Daugherty

  Really good examination of the Grail mythos and the connection to Albion's transition from "paganism" to Christianity. It cites many other books and studies.