TY - BOOK AU - Stein, Walter Johannes TI - The death of Merlin: : Arthurian myth and alchemy SN - 9780863156410 PY - 0000/// CY - Edinburgh PB - Floris Books KW - Arthur, King KW - FAST KW - Arthurian romances KW - Grail KW - Tristan and Isolde KW - Parsifal KW - Merlin KW - Alchemy in literature KW - Animals--Symbolic aspects KW - Hares KW - Valentinus, Basilius KW - Thomas, Aquinas, Saint, 1225?-1274 N1 - 1st pub. as articles in volume form in German as Der Tod Merlins by Verlag am Goetheanum, Dornach, c1984.. This abridged and amended selection 1st pub. in English by Floris Books, c1989; 1 Memoirs. 2 Historical periods and the fate of nations. 3 England and the foundation of commercial towns. 4 Portugal as the preparer of the British Mission. 5 The immortality of nations revealed in myth and legend. 6 Is King Arthur a historical character?. 7 King Arthur and the problem of east and west. 8 The revival of the Arthurian legend in the fifteenth century. 9 Basilius Valentinus in the context of Arthurian legend. 10 The hare in myth and alchemy. 11 The death of Merlin. 12 Thomas Aquinas and the Grail. 13 The polarity between Parzival and Gawan. 14 Tristan and Isolde against the background of Greek mythology. 15 Tristan and Isolde and an understanding of minstrel poetry. 16 The seven liberal arts and the twelve philosophers N2 - 'The story of King Arthur and the Grail remains fascinating to this day. In this classic work, Walter Johannes Stein traces its origins in early Christianity and classical and Nordic mythology, and follows its development in medieval and modern times. In particular Stein explores the parallels between the quest for the Grail and the medieval alchemists' search for the Philosopher's Stone. This book is a collection of essays that were first published, or delivered as lectures, in the 1920s and 1930s. The first section of the book is Stein's own Memoirs, which ground his research in the cultural background of the era.' ER -