Parzival: A Knightly Epic (vol. 2 of 2)Wolfram, von Eschenbach
General
Parzival: A Knightly Epic (vol. 2 of 2)
Wolfram, von Eschenbach
Perceval (Legendary character) -- Romances
Page 170, line 168--'_The wood when they fought of old_.' Cf. Book VI.
p. 160 and _seq._ This reunion of Parzival and Kondwiramur on the very
spot where he had been overcome by the mystic love-trance is a most
poetical feature of Wolfram's version, and one found nowhere else.
Page 171, line 183--'_Greater marvel I ne'er may see_.' Cf. Book IX. p.
267. This passage, with its practical unsaying of much that Trevrezent
has said in Book IX., is extremely difficult of explanation. That
there is a distinct discrepancy, not to say contradiction, between the
statements of Book IX. and those of Book XVI. is undoubtedly the fact;
the most probable solution appears to be that suggested in Excursus
C at p. 194 of this volume; _i.e._ the original interpretation, that
of Kiot, was purely religious, and it was that which Wolfram in Book
IX. was mainly following; he himself, however, had grafted another
meaning on to that originally suggested, that of salvation by fidelity
to the knightly ideal, the power of the _unverzagter mannes muot_.
By the time Wolfram had reached the end of the poem, he found that
his interpretation had dominated that of Kiot, he had practically
made Parzival do that which Trevrezent says is impossible ('Wouldst
thou force thy God with thine anger?' Book IX. p. 267. 'Thou by thy
wrath hast won blessing'), and this passage seems to be an attempt to
harmonise these two conflicting ideas. It is certainly not easy of
interpretation, for on the face of it, while Trevrezent is asserting
the unchanging nature of God's decrees, as illustrated by the history
of the rebel angels, he is also implying that Parzival himself has been
the object of special and peculiar favour on the part of the Deity, and
that the foreordained course of events has in his case been at least
modified.
Page 172, line 213--'_Duke Kiot of Katelangen_.' Cf. Book IV. p. 107,
and Book IX. p. 274.
Page 174, line 277--'_When many a year had flown_.' This is the only
indication we have of the eventual recovery of Parzival's inheritance.
From the emphasis laid upon the episode in Book III. one would have
expected to find Parzival himself making some effort for the recovery
of his kingdoms, but he never seems to have done so (cf. Notes to Book
III. pp. 308, 309).
Page 174, line 302--'_Schoysiané, the dead maid's mother_.' In
Wolfram's poem, _Titurel_, we find exactly the reverse of this
statement; _i.e._ Siguné, whose mother died at her birth (as we are
repeatedly told), was given into the care of the mother of Kondwiramur,
and the two children were brought up together till Siguné was five
years old, when Herzeleide persuaded Duke Kiot to transfer his daughter
to her charge. How this discrepancy arose is not clear; Wolfram may
perhaps have forgotten what he had said in _Titurel_, or he may have
followed his French source.
Page 174. line 306--'_Nor my tale like the bow shall be bended_.' Cf.
Book V. p. 137.
Page 175, line 310--'_A Templar of Patrigalt_.' Cf. Book II. p. 39.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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