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The Barbed Spear

Arthurian Legend
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A mysterious spear whose wound becomes a sign of spiritual and national suffering.

Detailed Definition
The Barbed Spear belongs to the atmosphere of the Grail romances, where a weapon can injure not only a body but an entire kingdom. Often linked with the bleeding lance and the wounded Fisher King, it appears as an instrument of judgment, mystery, and suspended healing. Poets may use it to represent inherited pain, a question that cannot be answered, or a wound that remains open until the proper seeker arrives and speaks with compassion.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poet may describe the Barbed Spear as a weapon whose wound reaches beyond the body into the health of a kingdom; In Grail romance, the Barbed Spear can appear beside the wounded Fisher King as a sign of hidden injustice; The Barbed Spear may symbolize a painful question that no ruler dares to answer; A poem can make the spear glow in a procession, using it as an image of violence, guilt, and the need for healing
Additional Notes
The Barbed Spear is associated with the wound of the Fisher King and with the mystery of the Grail. Its barbs emphasize pain that cannot easily be removed, making it a useful image for spiritual injury, political damage, or inherited suffering. In poems, the spear may function as a symbol rather than a realistic weapon, connected with the Grail Procession and the Wasteland of Logres.
Also Known As
Dolorous Spear Spear of the Dolorous Stroke
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