Galahad and the Grail: Malcolm Guite Is on a Quest

Galahad and the Grail: Malcolm Guite Is on a Quest

From Mythmakers by Oxford Centre for Fantasy

May 7, 2026 · 53 min · Season 8 · Episode 37

About this episode

Malcolm Guite discusses his quest to tell his Arthurian epic in ballad form and the influences behind his work.

Today’s guest on Mythmakers is the wonderful Malcolm Guite—poet, priest, literary critic, and so much more. He had been lured on a quest to tell his Arthurian epic in ballad form and has published the first volume , Galahad and the Grail, which takes us straight to the heart of the matter of Arthur. Listen as he joins Julia Golding to discuss how and why he set out on this journey, his plans moving forward, and the authors who have accompanied and inspired him along the way as he seeks to revive this timeless cycle of stories for our current age. Stay tuned to hear where you might best embark on your own Grail quest in other fantasy worlds—and where it might not go quite to plan. Follow along with more of Malcolm’s riveting adventures over at his YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/@malcolmguitespell?si=o-Tw3IOrr2CKWIWp and learn more about his works at https://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/   (00:00) Introduction to Malcolm Guite and Galahad and the Grail (01:23) How Arthur Called Malcolm to “Take Up the Tale” (04:36) The Ballad Tradition and the Influence of Chesterton (05:34) Why Malcolm Chose Poetry for an Arthurian Epic (10:48)…

People in this episode

Host: Julia Golding

Guest: Malcolm Guite

Topics covered

  • Arthurian legend
  • poetry
  • literary influence
  • spiritual imagination
  • ballad tradition
  • fantasy literature

Keywords

  • Galahad
  • Grail
  • Arthurian epic
  • poetry
  • literary criticism
  • fantasy worlds
  • spirituality

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Galahad and the Grail

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