From Ritual to Romance
Jessie Laidlay Weston
Read by LibriVox Volunteers
From Ritual to Romance is a 1920 book written by Jessie L. Weston.
Weston's book is an examination of the roots of the King Arthur legends and seeks to make connections between the early pagan elements and the later Christian influences. The book's main focus is on the Holy Grail tradition and its influence, particularly the Wasteland motif.
The origins of Weston's book are in James George Frazer's seminal work on folklore, magic and religion, The Golden Bough (1890), and in the works of Jane Ellen Harrison. The work is mentioned by T. S. Eliot in the notes to his poem, The Waste Land. - Summary by Wikipedia (6 hr 38 min)
Chapters
| Preface | 4:32 | Read by Devorah Allen |
| Introductory | 20:40 | Read by Matthew M. Benzing |
| The Task of the Hero | 22:29 | Read by Sonia |
| The Freeing of the Waters | 18:28 | Read by schrm |
| Tammuz and Adonis | 29:23 | Read by Jim Locke |
| Medieval and Modern Forms of Nature Ritual | 26:31 | Read by Jim Locke |
| The Symbols | 37:41 | Read by Steve C |
| The Sword Dance | 35:38 | Read by Jim Locke |
| The Medicine Man | 19:27 | Read by Jim Locke |
| The Fisher King | 43:09 | Read by Sonia |
| The Secret of the Grail 1: The Mysteries | 23:20 | Read by Jim Locke |
| The Secret of the Grail 2: The Naassene Document | 31:27 | Read by David Angelo |
| Mithra and Attis | 19:38 | Read by Jim Pierson-Perry |
| The Perilous Chapel | 28:01 | Read by Jim Pierson-Perry |
| The Author | 38:07 | Read by Dawn |