Perceval (, also written Percival, Parzival, Parsifal), alternatively called Peredur (), is a figure in the legend of King Arthur, often appearing as one of the Knights of the Round Table. First mentioned by the French author Chrétien de Troyes in the late 12th century tale Perceval, the Story of the Grail, he is best known for being the original hero in the quest for the Grail before being replaced in later literature by Galahad, first introduced in the early 13th century.

Etymology and origin

thumb|upright|left|Perceval in [[Newell Convers Wyeth's illustration for Sidney Lanier's The Boy's King Arthur (1922)]]

The earliest reference to Perceval is found in Chrétien de Troyes's first Arthurian romance Erec et Enide, where, as "Percevaus li Galois" (Percevaus of Wales), he appears in a list of Arthur's knights. In another of Chrétien's romances, Cligés, Perceval is a "renowned vassal" who is defeated by the knight Cligés in a tournament. He then becomes the eponymous protagonist of Chrétien's final romance, Perceval, the Story of the Grail.

In the Welsh romance Peredur son of Efrawg, the corresponding figure goes by the name Peredur. The name "Peredur" may derive from Welsh par (spear) and dur (hard, steel). It is generally accepted that Peredur was a well-established figure before he became the hero of Peredur son of Efrawg. However, the earliest Welsh Arthurian text, Culhwch and Olwen, does not mention Peredur in any of its extended catalogues of famous and less famous warriors. Peredur does appear in the romance Geraint and Enid, which includes "Peredur son of Efrawg" in a list of warriors accompanying Geraint. A comparable list in the last pages of The Dream of Rhonabwy refers to a Peredur Paladr Hir ("of the Long Spear-Shaft"), whom Peter Bartrum identifies as the same figure.

Perceval

thumb|250x250px|[[Arthur Hacker's 1894 illustration of a scene from Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, in which Perceval is tempted by a devil in the form of a beautiful woman]]

Chrétien de Troyes wrote the first story of Perceval as the main character, the unfinished Perceval, the Story of the Grail, in the late 12th century. Other famous accounts of his adventures include Wolfram's Parzival and the now-lost Perceval attributed to Robert de Boron.

There are many versions of Perceval's birth. In Robert de Boron's account, he is of noble birth, and his father is variably stated to be either Alain le Gros, King Pellinore, or another worthy knight. His mother is usually unnamed, but plays a significant role in the stories. His sister is sometimes the bearer of the Holy Grail, but not originally; she is sometimes named Dindrane. In the tales in which he is Pellinore's son, his brothers include Aglovale, Lamorak and Dornar, as well as a half-brother named Tor by his father's affair with a peasant woman. After the death of his father, Perceval's mother takes him to the forest, where she raises him ignorant of the ways of men until he is 15. Eventually, a group of knights passes through the forest and Perceval is struck by their heroic bearing. Wanting to be a knight himself, he travels to King Arthur's court. In some versions, his mother faints in shock upon seeing her son leave. After proving his worthiness as a warrior, he is knighted and invited to join the Knights of the Round Table.

In Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval, the character is already connected to the Grail. He meets the crippled Fisher King and sees a grail, not yet identified as "holy", but he fails to ask the question that would heal the injured king. Upon learning of his mistake, Perceval vows to find the Grail castle again and fulfill his quest. The story breaks off soon after, to be continued in a number of different ways by various authors, such as in Perlesvaus and Sir Perceval of Galles. In the later accounts of Arthurian prose cycles, and consequently Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, the true Grail hero is Galahad, but, though his role in the romances is diminished, Perceval remains a major character and is one of only two knights (the other is Bors) who accompany Galahad to the Grail castle and complete the quest with him.

In early versions, Perceval's sweetheart is Blanchefleur and he becomes the King of Carbonek after healing the Fisher King. In later versions, he is a virgin who dies after achieving the Grail. In Wolfram's version, Perceval's son is Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swan.

In modern culture

  • Most famously, the character appears in Wagner's influential and controversial 1882 opera Parsifal.
  • Daniel Mangrané's The Evil Forest () is a free retelling set in Spain during the barbarian invasions, with Gustavo Rojo as the titular character. It features some music by Wagner.
  • Richard Monaco's 1977 book Parsival: Or, a Knight's Tale is a re-telling of the Perceval legend.
  • Éric Rohmer's 1978 film Perceval le Gallois is an eccentrically staged interpretation of Chrétien's original poem.
  • John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur retells Le Morte d'Arthur and gives Perceval a leading role.
  • A version of Perceval appears in the 1982–1985 DC Comics limited series Camelot 3000.
  • The 1991 film The Fisher King written by Richard LaGravenese is a modern retelling in which the parallels shift between characters, who discuss the legend.
  • In the comic series based on the cartoon Gargoyles, Peredur fab Ragnal (Perceval's Welsh name) achieves the Holy Grail and becomes the Fisher King. To honor his mentor Arthur, he establishes a secret order which will guide the world to greater prosperity and progress, which eventually becomes the Illuminati. Part of achieving the Grail is the bestowal of longevity upon Peredur and his wife, Fleur, along with certain other members of the order being granted longer lifespans. He still appears young in 1996, when his organization comes into conflict with the reawakened Arthur.
  • He was the protagonist of the 2000 book Parzival: The Quest of the Grail Knight by Katherine Paterson, based on Wolfram's Parzival.
  • The 2003 novel Clothar the Frank by Jack Whyte portrays Perceval as an ally of Lancelot in his travels to Camelot.
  • He appears in the French comedy TV series Kaamelott as a main character, portrayed by Franck Pitiot. He is depicted as a well-meaning but childish and idiotic knight for whom King Arthur has a soft spot, and is often paired with the equally-incompetent Caradoc.
  • In the BBC television series Merlin, Percival is a large, strong commoner. After helping to free Camelot from the occupation of Morgana, Morgause, and their immortal army (which is supplied by a grail-like goblet called the Cup of Life), he is knighted along with Lancelot, Elyan and Gwaine, against the common practice that knights are only of noble birth. He is also one of the few Round Table knights to survive Arthur's death. He is portrayed by the actor Tom Hopper.
  • In Philip Reeve's Here Lies Arthur, he appears as Peredur, son of Peredur Long-knife, who is raised as a woman by his mother, who had already lost many sons and her husband to war. He befriends the main character, Gwyna/Gwyn. He is one of the few major characters to survive to the end and travels with Gwen (in a male disguise) as 'Peri', his childhood shortened name as a woman, playing a harp to Gwen's stories.
  • Erica Schroeder portrayed a female version of Perceval (named Sir Percival) in the video game Sonic and the Black Knight (2009). The character's appearance was based on Blaze the Cat, who first appeared in Sonic Rush.
  • Wade Watts, the main character of Ernest Cline's 2011 novel Ready Player One (and its film adaptation) names his virtual reality avatar "Parzival" as a reference to Percival and to his role in Arthurian legend, particularly Wade's role improving OASIS as the story's Fisher-King character.
  • Percival appears in Season 5 of the American TV series Once Upon A Time. He is one of King Arthur's knights, who dances with Regina at the ball when she visits Camelot. Percival, however, recognises her as the Evil Queen and tries to kill her, but he is killed by Prince Charming first.
  • Patricia A. McKillip's 2016 novel Kingfisher includes elements of the story of Percival and the Fisher King. Young Pierce (Percival meaning "pierce the valley"), after a chance meeting with knights, leaves his mother, who has sheltered him from the world and travels to become a knight.
  • In Guy Ritchie's 2017 film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Craig McGinlay plays Percy, another of Arthur's friends; who is later knighted as Sir Percival.
  • In the 2017 television series Knightfall, Parsifal appears as a young peasant farmer who joins the Knights Templar as a novice knight.
  • In the 2020 television series Cursed, Billy Jenkins plays a boy, nicknamed Squirrel, who is Percival.
  • He is the protagonist and one of the titular characters of Nakaba Suzuki's 2021 manga Four Knights of the Apocalypse.
  • The 2022 short novel Spear by Nicola Griffith is a retelling of the story of Percival. Its protagonist, Peretur, disguises herself as a man and hopes to become a knight.

Explanatory notes

References

Sources

  • Chrétien de Troyes, Nigel Bryant (translator) (1996) Perceval, the Story of the Grail, D. S. Brewer. .
  • Chrétien de Troyes, D. D. R. Owen (translator) (1988) Arthurian Romances, Tuttle Publishing, reprinted by Everyman. .
  • Lacy, Norris J. (Ed.) (1991). The New Arthurian Encyclopedia. New York: Garland. .
  • Perceval at The Camelot Project