The Death of Merlin: Arthurian Myth and Alchemy

The story of King Arthur and the Grail still holds a remarkable fascination for many people. 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.

Walter Johannes Stein (1891-1957) was an Austrian philosopher and a pioneer of anthroposophy. He studied at Vienna University and was a student of Rudolf Steiner. After the First World War, Steiner invited Stein to teach history and German literature at the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart. There, Stein began his life-long research on the Grail legend. In 1928, he published a book on the subject, Weltgeschichte im Lichte des heiligen Gral (The Ninth Century and the Holy Grail). He moved to London in 1933 and was editor of the journal, The Present Age.