From Ritual to Romance is a landmark study of anthropology and folklore that examines the roots of the King Arthur-Holy Grail legends. Jessie L. Westons revolutionary theory holds that most elements of the Grail story are actually the remnants of incredibly old fertility rites -- with the lance and the cup serving as sexual symbols.

Drawing on James George Frazers seminal works on folklore, magic, and religion, Weston seeks to make connections between the legends early pagan elements and its later Christian influences, uniting the quest for fertility with the striving for mystical oneness...