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The Vision of Sir Launfal
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The Vision of Sir Launfal

poem by Lowell
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Article History

The Vision of Sir Launfal, long verse parable by James Russell Lowell, published in 1848. Lowell, who was influenced by the works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and Thomas Malory, offers his version of the Grail story in this tale of a knight who decides not to take a journey in search of the Holy Grail after he learns, during the course of a long dream, that the real meaning of the Grail is charity. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter and is divided into two parts, each with a prelude. Although set in the medieval era, the poem contains moving descriptions of the American landscape.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.