Parzival (Penguin Classics)
Language: English
Pages: 448
ISBN: 0140443614
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Composed in the early thirteenth century, Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival is the re-creation and completion of the story left unfinished by its initiator Chrétien de Troyes. It follows Parzival from his boyhood and career as a knight in the court of King Arthur to his ultimate achievement as King of the Temple of the Grail, which Wolfram describes as a life-giving Stone. As a knight serving the German nobility in the imperial Hohenstauffen period, the author was uniquely placed to describe the zest and colour of his hero's world, with dazzling depictions of courtly luxury, jousting and adventure. Yet this is not simply a tale of chivalry, but an epic quest for spiritual education, as Parzival must conquer his ignorance and pride and learn humility before he can finally win the Holy Grail.
sure, and I intend that he shall have the benefit of it. – He has my favour beyond all other men! May God inspire you with help and counsel so that you leave us happy at last!’ ‘Tell me how, my lady,’ said Gawan. ‘He has you out there, you have him here: and yet you are apart. If there is any loyal service I could do for you from which your noble lives could profit, I would undertake it without fail.’ ‘You shall dispose of the noble King and me,’ she answered. ‘May your help and God’s blessing
and the Duke of Gowerzin be looked after by the knights.’ The dance came to a sudden end. Young ladies with radiant faces were sitting here and there with knights alternately, and if one of these sued for noble love and met with a sweet response, his happiness got even with his sorrows. Their host was heard calling for drink to be served to them, much to the regret of suitors. Yet the host was a suitor as much as his guests, he too was burdened by love, and to him they seemed to be sitting there
provocation of a very hard blow and against vastly superior armament – and a jolly good javelin-shot it was through the one chink in Ither’s armour I Young Parzival’s sins, then, including his Failure at Munsalvaesche, were not of a nature to overtax either his confessor’s or God’s powers of forgiveness. What did place Parzival’s soul in eternal jeopardy was his general state of mind. Trevrizent has some deep words on family feeling and on homicide, but it is to Parzival’s state of mind that he
learned damsel did not resemble those whom we call fine people. This hail-storm so destructive of happiness had donned a fine fabric of Ghent such as bridal gowns are made of, bluer even than azure and made up into a travelling cloak well cut in the French fashion. On the underside next her body there was good brocade. A hat of peacock-feathers from London, lined with cloth-of-gold – the hat was new, its ribbon not old – hung down over her back. Her news was a bridge, it carried grief across
the austere man kept the books he read. An altar-stone stood there bare of its cloth, in keeping with the Good Friday rite. On it a reliquary could be seen which was instantly recognized – Parzival had laid his hand on it to swear an unsullied oath on the occasion when Lady Jeschute’s suffering was changed to joy, and her happiness took an upward turn. ‘I know this casket, sir,’ said Parzival to his host, ‘for I once swore an oath on it when passing by. I found a painted lance beside it. Sir, I