From Ritual to Romance
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From Ritual to Romance is a 1921 book written by Jessie L. Weston. The work's fame rests on it being mentioned by T. S. Eliot in the notes to his poem, The Waste Land:
- "Not only the title, but the plan and a good deal of the incidental symbolism of the poem were suggested by Miss Jessie L. Weston's book."
Weston's book is an academic examination of the roots of the King Arthur-Holy Grail legends and seeks to make connections between the early pagan elements and the later Christian influences. The origins of Weston's book are in James George Frazer's seminal work on folklore, magic and religion, The Golden Bough, and in the works of Miss Jane Ellen Harrison.