Parsival

Parsival, also known as Percival, is a prominent knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He is most famously associated with the quest for the Holy Grail. The character first appears in the unfinished romance Perceval, the Story of the Grail by Chrétien de Troyes, written around 1180. In this early work, Parsival is depicted as an innocent and unsophisticated young man raised in the wilderness by his mother, who knows nothing of chivalry. His encounter with knights at Brocéliande prompts him to seek King Arthur's court and join the Round Table.

Chrétien's narrative focuses on Parsival's journey to the Fisher King's castle, where he witnesses the Grail procession but fails to ask the crucial question that would heal the king and his land. This failure haunts him and drives his subsequent adventures. Later continuations and independent romances, such as the German Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach, elaborate on his story. Wolfram's version portrays Parsival as a more complex and noble hero, with a detailed account of his lineage, upbringing, and spiritual development. In these later versions, Parsival eventually succeeds in his quest, not only finding the Grail but also becoming its guardian. His story often intersects with other Arthurian characters like Gawain and Galahad, though Parsival remains a central figure in the Grail narrative, embodying themes of innocence, spiritual seeking, and redemption.