Information AboutPerlesvaus |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT PERLESVAUS | |
| 1300s books | |
| arthurian literature | |
| medieval french literature | |
| holy grail | |
| medieval literature | |
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''Perlesvaus'' begins by explaining that its main character, Percival , did not fulfill his destiny of achieving the Holy Grail because he failed to ask the Fisher King the question that would heal him. These events are related in Chrétien's work. The author soon digresses into the adventures of knights like Lancelot and Gawain , many of which have no analogue in other Arthurian literature; often events and depictions of characters are thoroughly at odds with other versions of the story. For instance, while later literature depicts Loholt as a good knight and illegitimate son of King Arthur , in ''Perlesvaus'' he is apparently the legitimate son of Arthur and Guinevere , and he is slain treacherously by Arthur's seneschal Kay , who is elsewhere portrayed as a boor and a braggart but always as Arthur's loyal servant (and often, foster brother). Kay is jealous when Loholt kills a giant, so he murders him to take the credit. This backfires when Loholt's head is sent to Arthur's court in a box that can only be opened by his murderer. Kay is banished, and joins with Arthur's enemies, Brian of the Isles and Meliant. Guinevere expires upon seeing her son dead, which alters Arthur and Lancelot's actions substantially from what is found in later works. Though its plot is frequently at variance with the standard Arthurian outline, ''Perlesvaus'' did have an effect on subsequent literature. Arthur's traditional enemies Claudas , Brian and Meliant appear for the first time in its pages; as does the Questing Beast (though in a radically different guise). The story of Kay murdering Loholt is mentioned in the Lancelot-Grail cycle as the one evil deed Kay ever committed, but the details and retribution are left out. ''Perlesvaus'' was adapted into Middle Welsh as ''Y Seint Greal'', and one episode was rewritten in verse and included in '' Fouke Fitz Warin ''. Nothing is known of the author, but the strangeness of the text and some personal comments led ; these scenes usually predict violent damnation for the unsaved. NOTES REFERENCES
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