The terms quest and pilgrimage are distinct in literature, with a pilgrimage having a specific destination while a quest is a search for something unknown. Pilgrimages have a roadmap and prepare the spirit for interaction with the divine, while quests test one’s readiness to find what they seek. In literature, works can represent either a quest or a pilgrimage, and the focus on the goal is more important than the journey.
In literature such as the legends concerning the quest for the Holy Grail or The Canterbury Tales, significant differences are made between the terms quest and pilgrimage. While reading the material it is helpful to understand these distinctions, as they can make the discussion and analysis of a work more lucid and fascinating.
A pilgrimage is a journey with a specific destination. You know how to get to the destination, such as Mecca, the Church of Canterbury or Lourdes. It is not known what happens at the end of the pilgrimage. Will spiritual enlightenment be found? Will there be miracles? In most cases the goal of the pilgrimage can be defined as centered.
Conversely, a search is a search for something that has an unknown location. You’d expect to find something, like the Holy Grail, at the end of it. However, the missions are mostly about travel. Of great importance is the journey, which prepares to receive known benefits.
For example, finding the Holy Grail is God’s essential acknowledgment of one’s spiritual qualities. One expects this. There is no road map for this, though. Clearly, searching is also a way to test a person’s readiness to find what he or she is looking for.
This is quite obvious in the Grail legends. Most knights fail in their quest to find the grail because they don’t have the spiritual ability to stand in the presence of God. They don’t fail because they can’t figure out how to get to the grail. The only way to get there is to prove yourself on the journey.
Unlike a quest, a pilgrimage generally has a road map. Part of the pilgrimage journey prepares the spirit for interaction with the divine. This is especially true with the modern Hajj, the pilgrimage that many Muslims make during their lifetime in Mecca. These pilgrims are literally following in the footsteps of Muhammad. They experience some deprivation, discomfort, and hardship along the way. But with many other travelers by their side, it’s hard to get lost.
Like a quest, the deprivations of a pilgrimage can ultimately affect how one might react upon reaching a destination. However, those who are on a pilgrimage will reach their destination. A search may never end and one may never be prepared to find what one is looking for.
In the critical analysis of literature, many argue that some works represent a quest or a pilgrimage. For example, Dante’s Divine Comedy evokes this debate. Many critics argue that Dante is essentially in search of the divine, represented by Paradise and Beatrice. Dante as a character isn’t sure if he’ll ever achieve his goal, but every step of his journey makes it even more.
Conversely, some critics argue that Dante is on a pilgrimage. He is always guided in his journey, so his path is sure to reach an end result of finding heaven and finding his lost love Beatrice. Yet many critics argue that if Dante’s journey were indeed a pilgrimage, the actual journey would not be as detailed.
Many also use the terms quest and pilgrimage when discussing ideal ways to live a life. Work such as Pilgrim’s Progress represents man’s struggle through temptations to reach a known destination. The unified focus on the goal is more important than the aspects of the journey.
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