Parzival: A Knightly Epic (vol. 2 of 2)Wolfram, von Eschenbach
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Parzival: A Knightly Epic (vol. 2 of 2)
Wolfram, von Eschenbach
Perceval (Legendary character) -- Romances
Page 49, lines 5-18--'_Launcelot on the sword-bridge battled_.' This
passage to line 18 contains numerous allusions to the knightly tales of
the day, some of which have been previously referred to. Launcelot's
fight with Meljakanz and subsequent freeing of Queen Guinevere is
mentioned in Book VII. (pp. 205, 219 and Note).
The story of Garel and the lion is not known to us; he was the hero of
a later poem by Pleier, but this adventure does not appear in it. Garel
and Gaherjet we find again in Book XIII. p. 96, according to Chrêtien
they were Gawain's brothers, but Wolfram seems to regard them merely as
kinsmen. (The fact that Wolfram knows only _one_ brother, Beau-corps,
whereas Chrêtien mentions two, if not three, seems to indicate that he
was here following a different source.) '_The Perilous Ford_' we shall
meet with presently; and Erec and the venture of Schoie-de-la-kurt have
been alluded to in Book III. pp. 76 and 100, and Note; and Book VIII.
p. 245.
The allusion to Iwein is taken from Hartmann's poem of that name,
which relates that in the wood Briziljan (Broceliande) there was a
spring beside which hung a golden basin; if any one drew water from the
spring in this basin, and poured it upon a stone near by, a violent
storm immediately arose which devastated the wood, and slew the game
therein. As soon as the tempest was over the lord of the spring
appeared in full armour and demanded satisfaction for the mischief
done. Iwein withstands this venture, slays the knight, and eventually,
by Lunete's counsel, marries his widow. Cf. Book V. p. 143, and Book
IX. p. 252.
Page 50, lines 39-64--'_They yielded thee loyal service_,' _etc._
Mazadan, cf. Book I. p. 31 and Book VIII. 230 and Note. Ither of
Gaheviess needs no further notice. Ilinot has already been alluded to,
Book VII. p. 217 and Book XI. p. 43. This is the first full account
given of this prince, hitherto his fate has only been alluded to; we
know nothing of this character, but it is quite evident from such
passages as these, and Book VI. p. 171, that Wolfram was familiar
with Arthurian romances other than those which have come down to us.
Ilinot, being Arthur's son, was of course first cousin to Gawain; the
relationship with Parzival is much more distant, and, though Arthur
speaks of Parzival as his 'nephew,' the term must be taken in a much
wider sense than we should now understand it; from Wolfram's own
account Parzival cannot have been more than very distantly connected
with the House of Pendragon.
Galoes and Gamuret, cf. Book II. pp. 46, 52, and 59.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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