The Grail, the Quest, and the World of King Arthur

Dan Brown's best-selling book (and subsequent film), The Da Vinci Code, has stimulated a storm of interest around the world. But what of the academics that surround this book; what of the history and legends that set Brown's imagination in motion? If anything, the historical background of this hugely popular book and film are centered on the world of Arthur and the legacy of this tradition.

Arthurian Legend is fundamentally a legend about quests for adventure, for chivalric status, for love, and ultimately for self, others, king, or God. Many of the quests had as their purpose the recovery of a person or of a particular object, most often the Grail itself, which was originally of indefinite origin, of debatable form, and sometimes even of indeterminate meaning. Moreover, the relationship of the Grail quest to Arthur's reign is frequently problematic. Modern interpretations frequently have Arthur himself leading the quest for the Holy Grail, but a good many earlier texts suggest that the quest is fatally incompatible with the Arthurian ethos.

In twelve compelling lectures presented over two days, The Center for American Heritage Studies presented its first annual conference, planned and coordinated with the expert assistance of Professors Norris Lacy and Vickie Ziegler. The Conference was a great success! Registration reached our venue's capacity! The Conference revealed the histories and stories that make "The Grail, the Quest, and the World of King Arthur" some of Western Civilization's best loved and most fascinating tales.