59 pages • 1 hour read
Wolfram Von EschenbachParzival
Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Adult | Published in 1215A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Books 7-9Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Book 7 Summary
The “noble, renowned” (7.338.2) Gawan leaves King Arthur’s court. He rides through a forest on his horse, Gringuljete, until he reaches a valley where a large army is encamped.
Gawan rides up to meet the army. Speaking to a squire, he learns that the “great army” (7.344.6-7) is under the command of King Poydiconjunz and Duke Astor. Meljacanz, the son of King Poydiconjunz, reveals that he wishes to joust against a fellow knight, but Gawan declines his offer as he has sworn not to fight anyone until his duel against Kingrimursel. Gawan also learns that another army is approaching, one under the command of Meljanz of Liz. Since his childhood and since the death of his father, Meljanz has been raised by Prince Lyppaut. Now, Meljanz wishes to marry Obie, the daughter of Prince Lyppaut, but she has declined his proposal. She is arrogant and foolish, though Meljanz blames Prince Lyppaut for intervening in the romance. Gawan travels to the Lyppaut castle.
In the castle, Obie has a rude demeanor when talking to Gawan. She dismisses him as a “merchant” (7.358.7), riling his anger. A burgrave (military governor) named Scherules treats Gawan better. He welcomes Gawan to the city, defending him to Lyppaut when Obie is loudly critical and when Gawan is accused of being a “counterfeiter” (7.362.12). According to the local rumors, though seemingly not apparent in the way they act, Obie and Meljanz are deeply in love. Lyppaut asks for Gawan’s help, though Gawan is reluctant to get involved.
After being encouraged by Prince Lyppaut, Gawan agrees to meet with Obilot, Obie’s younger sister. He finds Obilot playing with Clauditte, another child. Obilot is more polite toward Gawan than her sister. When she pledges her love for Gawan as though she were a lady of the court, he tells her that she is too young for him to accept this offer. He assures her that his love is already pledged to another person. Nevertheless, Gawan is charmed by Obilot. He agrees to wear her charms during battle as a way to show her honor. In return, Obilot promises to be his “protection and [his] shield, and [his] heart and [his] solace” (7.371.1-2).
Obilot asks her father for a dress. After speaking to his wife, Prince Lyppaut arranges for a dress to be brought and, when Obilot removes one of the sleeves, Gawan pins the sleeve to his shield as a “token” (7.373.11). He agrees to take part in duels and jousts. He fights against Lisavander, who becomes one of many knights that Gawan defeats in combat. Though he does engage in battle, he refuses to fight any of the knights from Arthur’s court.
Rumors arrive that an unnamed Red Knight—presumed to be Parzival—has joined in the fighting on the side of Meljanz. This Red Knight, the rumors say, is an excellent fighter and has spoken about his desire for “the Grail” (7.388.16). Meljacanz is eventually defeated, while Gawan wounds Meljanz in a duel. Meljanz is captured. Returning to the castle, Gawan gives the sleeve back to Obilot. He speaks to Meljanz, defending Prince Lyppaut and his intervention in the proposed marriage.
At this time, Gawan realizes that Parzival has been fighting in the battle and that both he and Parzival are fighting under assumed identities. Speaking again to Meljanz, Gawan speaks highly of Obilot. He asks Meljanz to be sure that she is protected. Meljanz settles his differences with the Lyppaut family. Gawan hugs Obilot, who then predicts an imminent relationship between her sister and Meljanz. She is proved correct, as the two lovers eventually become husband and wife. Gawan is forced to decline Obilot’s request to join him on his adventures.
Book 8 Summary
As “his duel’s time” (8.398.6) draws closer, Gawan rides through Ascalun while searching for a town named Schampfanzun. He encounters a large castle, ruled by King Vergulaht. The King is the son of Gahmuret’s sister, making him Parzival’s first cousin.
Vergulaht sends Gawan to meet his sister, Antikonie. Gawan is immediately attracted to Antikonie, though their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of “a white knight” (8.407.7). The white knight challenges Gawan to a duel and forces Gawan to defend himself, even though he does not have his weapons or armor. Antikonie helps Gawan to flee to a tower. Antikonie helps Gawan to defend himself, throwing whatever she has to hand “against the enemy” (8.409.1).
King Vergulaht arrives and joins the fight because he becomes convinced that Gawan killed his relative. When Kingrimursel arrives, however, he puts a stop to the battle. He is distressed that Gawan’s life may be in danger before the arranged date for their fight. Kingrimursel joins Gawan in the fight and defends him to Vergulaht, criticizing the king for failing to protect Gawan.
After a “truce” (8.413.6) is agreed, Kingrimursel rearranges his fight with Gawan. They agree to meet in front of Meljanz in “a year’s time” (8.418.5), whereupon they will joust. Vergulaht agrees to forgive Gawan, but only on the condition that he “vow to procure the Grail for him” (8.424.13). Gawan agrees. He returns to his adventures, with his aim now being “to pursue the Grail” (4.432.15).
Book 9 Summary
The narrator wonders what has happened to “noble Parzival” (9.433.8), as the story in the previous books focused on Gawan. During this time, Parzival has traveled to many places in search of the Grail. However, he cannot find Anfortas. He left his wife nearly four-and-a-half years ago; he is now missing her and reflecting on his decisions. The bejeweled sword given to him by Anfortas has proved useful in combat, though he has needed to repair it by dipping it into the spring of Karnant, just as Anfortas told him.
During his travels, Parzival again meets Sigune. Since the death of her husband, she has become “a hermitess” (9.435.8) and dedicated her life to God. Her husband is buried in a nearby cave, and she mourns his passing every day. She is brought food that comes “from the Grail” (9.438.15). Each week, Cundrie rides by with a selection of supplies from the Grail. The castle of Munsalvaesche is nearby, she explains, as she finally recognizes her cousin’s true identity and explains to him that he could try to follow Cundrie’s trail.
Parzival takes her advice. He pursues Cundrie but the trail goes cold, and he fails to locate Munsalvaesche once again. While searching, however, he encounters a knight who claims to be from Munsalvaesche. They battle and Parzival defeats the knight. Since Parzival has lost his horse, he takes the horse that belonged to the knight from Munsalvaesche.
Many weeks pass. Snow begins to fall on Good Friday. During this time, the fruitlessness of his search makes Parzival feel as though he has been abandoned by God. His spiritual crisis is averted through a meeting with Gabenis, an elderly knight who rides with his wife and daughters. The family is making a holy pilgrimage. Discussing the need for confession and atonement, Gabenis recommends that Parzival visit a hermit who lives nearby. Trevrizent is famed for his holiness, and he will help Parzival to confess his sins. Parzival seeks out Trevrizent.
The history of the Grail was told to the narrator by “the renowned scholar” (8.4537) Kyot. According to the legends, the story of the Grail was written by Flegetanis. Since Flegetanis was not a Christian, however, the narrator feels the need to tell the story properly. The legends say that the Grail was left on Earth by angels. Since the angels left, baptized Christians have been tasked with guarding the Grail. Before it was bequeathed to Anfortas, it was guarded by Frimutel and Titurel.
The hermit Trevrizent explains that he was once a knight but has now dedicated his life to God. Parzival recognizes Trevrizent. He remembers the time that he “swore an oath” (9.460.2) on a holy relic (a spear), declaring that he had not besmirched the honor of Lady Jeschute. Four-and-a-half years have passed and Parzival apologizes for taking the relic from the hermit’s cave. He explains his religious crisis to Trevrizent, who encourages him to stay strong in his belief in Christianity. Recalling passages of the Bible, Trevrizent suggests that Parzival should seek out atonement for whatever sins he has committed. Parzival talks about his desire to find his wife and to pursue the Grail.
According to Trevrizent, the Grail cannot be found by just anyone. Only those who are “summoned” (9.470.12) by the Grail can find it. When Parzival explains that he has already seen the Grail once, Trevrizent discusses the way in which the Grail is able to sustain the lives of the knights who protect it. Anyone who sees the stone will not die for a week, even if they are mortally wounded or sick. During this period, people will also not age, other than a greying of their hair. Each year on Good Friday, Trevrizent explains, a white dove brings a wafer to the Grail, which helps the Grail to continue to provide life and sustenance to those who guard it.
Occasionally, names will appear on the edge of the Grail. Each of these is the name of a knight who will one day become a guardian of the Grail. These knights are drawn to the Grail from many different places. Trevrizent warns Parzival that he should not be too proud if he ever wants to find the Grail again.
Trevrizent tells the story of how Anfortas became sick. Trevrizent is Anfortas’s brother. Their father, Frimutel, was the protector of the Grail, as was Titurel, his father before him. Anfortas was a knight who loved jousting. He was mortally wounded “by a poisoned spear” (9.479.7). Now, since the Grail prevents him from dying, he must live in constant agony. Trevrizent explains that one unnamed man once visited Anfortas and had the opportunity to free him from this spell. However, the man did not ask Anfortas about the nature of his sickness. Such a man, Trevrizent says, would need to atone for this grievous sin.
Trevrizent does not know Parzival’s true identity. He recognizes the emblem sewn into the saddle on the horse that Parzival took from the defeated knight. Rather than lie, Parzival confesses his true identity. However, he does not mention his failure to free Anfortas. Trevrizent criticizes Parzival for killing the Red Knight, as well as for causing his mother Herzeloyde to die of grief. Trevrizent tells Parzival how his mother died shortly after he left to become a knight, exactly the lifestyle from which she had tried to shield him. Trevrizent has two sisters, he explains, one of whom is dead (and who was married to the Kyot) and one who now tends to the Grail.
Trevrizent returns to the story of Anfortas’s suffering. After the death of Anfortas’s father, Frimutel, Anfortas was the designated protector and Lord of the Grail. Anfortas was a reluctant protector. By tradition, the knights who protect the Grail “must renounce the love of women” (9.495.5-6). They must dedicate their lives to the Grail. Anfortas sought love anyway and, during a joust, he was horribly wounded by a spear that caused an agonizing wound to his testicles. The iron head of the spear is still lodged in Anfortas’s flesh.
Seeing the grave nature of his brother’s wound, Trevrizent swore an oath to God. He asked God to save his brother’s life and, in exchange, Trevrizent would dedicate his life to God and give up earthly pleasures. The Grail was able to save Anfortas’s life. However, the wound never healed. God did not prevent Anfortas from suffering. Despite the best efforts of his family, Anfortas was plunged into a life of constant pain. His one hope was the prophecy that one of the knights named on the Grail would one day arrive at the castle and, through means of an unprompted question about Anfortas’s health, free him from his connection to the Grail. This knight would then become Lord of the Grail. Trevrizent explains that an unnamed knight visited the castle but failed to ask the question.
Parzival accepts the offer of eating with the hermit. Trevrizent has very little to offer. As they eat, however, Parzival feels compelled to confess. He tells Trevrizent that he was the unnamed knight who shamefully failed to ask the question to Anfortas. Trevrizent questions him about the Grail procession. He asks about the bleeding lance, which must be ritualistically driven into Anfortas’s wound on some occasions. Anfortas is confined to his chair, as he cannot ride a horse and can barely walk. Instead, he fishes all day while bathing in the nearby lake—because of this, many people assume that he is a fisherman.
Parzival describes his experiences of the Grail procession. While the men must stay in the castle and guard the Grail, Trevrizent explains, the women are not bound to service. They can come and go as they please. Trevrizent broke his oath as a guardian of the Grail. The knights at the castle must forsake women and romance; only the Lord of the Grail does not need to renounce women. Trevrizent, counter to his oath, fought for the honor of a woman. He was forced to leave the castle. During his time wandering the lands, he met Gahmuret (Parzival’s father).
Trevrizent tells Parzival to atone for his sins, including his failure to free Anfortas. After more than two weeks with Trevrizent, Parzival departs. Before leaving, he asks Trevrizent about his grandfather, Titurel, the first man who was given the responsibility of protecting the Grail. By means of advice, Trevrizent tells Parzival to follow God and to treat women and priests well. Parzival leaves.
Books 7-9 Analysis
The conversation between Parzival and Trevrizent is one of the longest and most consequential interactions in the story. The dialogue is framed in a similar way to a Christian confessional, in which Parzival seeks atonement and guidance for his sins.
At first, however, Parzival must be encouraged to admit the truth. At first, he withholds his true identity from Trevrizent. Then, he withholds his complicity in the continued imprisonment of Anfortas. Finally, he reveals the truth to Trevrizent and he is told of the true scope of his sin. Parzival’s quest is about cultural integration. Since he was shielded as a young boy, he is not fully attuned to the rules and rigors of the Christian society of medieval Europe and The Importance of Chivalry and Honor. As such, he must learn how to operate according to these rules. His confession to Trevrizent is an example of Parzival embracing courtly society and its Christian rituals. The more time he spends as a knight, the more he dedicates his life to God, the more he is able to adhere to chivalric and Christian social expectations.
The conversation between Parzival and Trevrizent is also marked by repetition. At times, Trevrizent repeats fragments of ideas and stories. He ventures off on tangents, only later returning to a half-expressed thought with the aim of clarifying earlier statements. His explanations and his repetitions symbolize the nature of the Grail. Trevrizent is compelled to repeat the same ideas and thoughts, just as Anfortas is bound to repeat the same hopeless routine until Parzival arrives. Only by interjecting and revealing his true self to Trevrizent is Parzival able to end the pattern of repeats. Only by returning to Anfortas and repeating his journey is he able to save the Lord of the Grail. Parzival creates a series of loops and repetitions that require the intervention of the protagonist to break the cycle.
The introduction of Gawan creates a narrative and thematic parallel to Parzival’s story. Whereas Parzival was raised without knowledge of the chivalric code, Gawan comes from a very privileged background. He is related to King Arthur and many other important figures in the story. Having grown up surrounded by the world’s most famous knights, he is completely attenuated to the cultural expectations of people of his status. Gawan does not make the etiquette errors that drive Parzival’s story forward. Instead, he follows a similar path with a different objective.
Whereas Parzival wants to signify his integration into the broader culture that was alien to him for so long, Gawan wants to distinguish himself from those around him and create an individual identity that proves his worth. He wants to become a famous knight, rather than just a relative of King Arthur. Gawan and Parzival operate in different ways. Parzival exists at the periphery of Gawan’s story, as legends and rumors about a Red Knight filter back to him. This compels and inspires Gawan, making him want to build the reputation that is slowly being built by Parzival. Their similarities and differences reflect on one another, creating juxtaposition, which shows the room for nuance that exists within the chivalric code. By comparing and contrasting the actions of Gawan and Parzival, the narrator shows that there is more than one way in which to be an honorable knight.
