Fisher King
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The Fisher King is a figure in Arthurian folklore, sometimes held to be the keeper of the Holy Grail. Prior to his appearance in the Grail legend, the Fisher King is said to have been wounded with a spear — the same spear used to torment Jesus during his crucifixion (see Holy Lance). The king survived, but because of his connection with his land, this wound caused his once-fertile kingdom to be reduced to a barren wasteland.
In early versions he is the uncle of Perceval. In some versions the Fisher King is related to Joseph of Arimathea, or is appointed by him. He may be identical with, or related to, the Maimed King who appears in some versions of the story.
Ultimately the Fisher King would yield the Holy Grail to Sir Galahad of the Round Table, but not before Galahad found the wherewithal to heal the king's wounds. This required four holy items called the Hallows: a sword of heavenly power (the very Sword in the Stone), a cauldron providing sustenance to its owner, the spear with which the king was wounded (sometimes depicted as the Spear of Destiny), and the Fisher King's crown.
Some authors have drawn a parallel between the Fisher King and Christ, presumably on account of the spear that wounded each and the connection each had with their land or people. Others have seen the Fisher King as analogous to Satan. Wagner used the motif in his Parsifal. T.S. Eliot makes extensive use of the Fisher King legend in his poem The Waste Land, whose titular wasteland is likened to the Fisher King's domain through allusion.
See also
Further Reading
- The Grail: From Celtic Myth to Christian Symbol by Roger Sherman Loomis ISBN 0691020752