Ambiguity in The Fisher King: From Tennyson's Holy Grail to Gilliam's Film Anonymous 12th Grade

After one has read The Holy Grail by Alfred Lord Tennyson and watched the movie The Fisher King directed by Terry Gilliam, the question about the identity of the Fisher King in the movie naturally arises. In The Holy Grail, the Fisher King is described as a wounded man who is the last keeper of the Holy Grail. The King’s knight or fool retrieves the Holy Grail for him. For viewers of the movie, it is not always clear who is the Fisher King is being portrayed by and who is playing the knight. So, the movie puts its own take on the story and lets the viewer decide which character is which.

Both Parry and Jack play the knight and the Fisher King interchangeably throughout the movie. Parry tells Jack the story of the Holy Grail and the Fisher King. Jack has never heard of this and becomes interested when Parry tells him about it. He says that “the keeper of the Holy Grail may heal the hearts of men” (Gilliam). Both men want the Holy Grail during different parts of the movie. Parry desires the Holy Grail because his heart is completely broken after witnessing his wife being shot in the head at dinner. Jack looks for the Holy Grail because he is full of himself and keeps pushing the ones he loves the most away from him. In the story...