Eschenbach’s “Partzal” in brief summary
Anjou King dies on the battlefield. According to ancient custom, the throne passes to the eldest son. But that graciously offers younger brother Gamuret to divide the inheritance equally. Gamouret refuses wealth and goes to foreign lands, to knightly deeds glorify the name of the king. Gamurret offers his help to the ruler of Baghdad Baruk and wins the victory. After many adventures, the sea waves nail the ship of Hamuret to the shores of the kingdom of the Moors called Zazamanka. Everywhere the young man sees traces of military defeat. The black Queen Zazamanka – beautiful Belakana – asks for his help. Knight valiantly fights with the enemies of the Moors, triumphs, achieves Belakany’s love and becomes King of Zazamanka. But soon he again wakes up thirst for military feats, and he secretly leaves his wife. In his absence, the son of Feyrefits is born to Belakany, whose body is half black, half-white. Gamurret arrives in Spain. Queen Herzeloyda, wanting to choose a
The queen has a son Parzifal. Together with him and several subjects, inconsolable Hertzeloid leaves the kingdom and secluded in the forest. Trying to protect Parzifal from his father’s fate, she forbids the servants from mentioning the father’s name and everything related to his origin, wars and knightly deeds. The boy grows in the bosom of nature, spending time in innocent amusements. Years pass unnoticed. Once during a hunt Parzifal meets three horsemen in the forest. Admired by the magnificent equipment of the knights, the young man takes them for the gods and falls to his knees. They raise him to laugh and hide. Soon another knight appears before Parzifal; he is so beautiful that a young man takes him for a deity. Count Ulterek tells Partzifal that he is pursuing three intruders. They kidnapped the girl and, disregarding knightly honor, disappeared. The young man points out
In the forest, the young man sees a tent, and in it – a beautiful sleeping girl. Without thinking twice, he takes off her ring and kisses her on the lips. She awakens in horror and drives off the impudent youth. Soon her husband returns – Orillus, sees the traces of a stranger and in anger accuses her of treason. In the meantime, Parzifal hurries on. He meets a girl sobbing over a dead bridegroom, and swears to kill the murderer, Duke of Orillus. From the story of Partziphalia girl guesses who he is, and reveals to him the secret of his origin. It turns out that she is his cousin, Siguna, the young man again sets out and meets Itera Krasny, a cousin of King Arthur’s cousin. He tells him that the king stripped his possessions; Iter took the gold cup of the king as a pledge and gave it only on one condition: he would fight with any knight from the king’s retinue, to regain the right to their lands. The young man promises the knight to convey to King Arthur his request.
Presenting to the king in his clownish attire, Parzifal demands that he be accepted into the royal suite, naively considering himself ready for knightly service. He talks about a meeting with Itera Krasny and tells the king that he is eager for honest combat. To get rid of the pesky eccentric, the king’s adviser suggests that he send it to the duel. Fearing for his life and at the same time not wanting to offend the ambitious Partziphal, the king reluctantly agrees. A young man enters into a duel and miraculously triumphs. Having put on the armor of the murdered knight, the young man moves on.
Parzifal comes to the city, where he is hospitably received by Prince Gurnemanz After learning his story, he decides to teach the unsophisticated young man the rules of chivalrous behavior. He explains to Partziphal that the knight should not allow himself silly antics and endlessly ask useless questions. After learning these useful tips, Parzifal goes further. He approaches the besieged city, ruled by Gurnemanz’s niece, Queen Kondwiramur. Parzival defeats its enemies and gives them life on the condition that they will henceforth serve King Arthur. Having achieved the love of the queen, Parzifal marries her. Becoming a king, he lives in happiness and prosperity, but longing for his mother forces him to set off again.
Finding himself in the forest on the lake, Parzifal sees a fisherman in a gold-embroidered royal dress surrounded by fishermen, and he offers him a night in his castle. To the amazement of the Partziphal, the inhabitants greet him with joyful shouts. In the luxurious zade he sees the owner of the castle, Anfortas. According to his mind, Parzifal thinks that he is seriously ill. Suddenly, inexplicable things begin to happen. A squire with a bloody spear runs into the hall, and everyone begins to moan and cry. Then there are beautiful maidens with lamps, and behind them – the queen, who brings in the sacred stone of the Grail, from which emanates a wonderful radiance. When she puts it in front of Anfortas, exquisite dishes suddenly appear on the tables. Parsifal is shocked by everything that is happening, but he does not dare to ask questions, remembering the teachings of Gurnemanz. The next morning he discovers,
In the forest, he meets a girl and finds out in her his cousin Siguna. Hearing that he visited Munsalvesha – the so-called castle – and at the sight of all miracles he did not ask any questions to the king, she showered the Partziphal with curses. It turns out that with one question he could heal Anfortas and return the former prosperity to the kingdom. Parzifal in despair continues his path and meets that same beauty, with whose hands once defiantly took off the ring. A jealous husband cursed her, and she wanders around the world, a beggar and dressed in rags. Parzifal returns the ring and proves the innocence of the girl.
Meanwhile, King Arthur goes on a campaign and on the way asks everyone about the valiant knight of Partziphal to rank him among the heroes of the Round Table. When Partziphal brings the nephew of Arthur Havan to the king, the magician Kundry suddenly appears. She tells everyone that Parzifal did not take the opportunity to heal Anfortas. Now for Partziphal there is only one way to save Anfortas: to redeem his guilt with exploits. Kundry talks about Castle Chatel Marvey, where four hundred beautiful virgins languish, captured by the enemy of Anfortas, the villain Klingsor.
Shamed and saddened, Parzifal leaves King Arthur. On the way to Munsalves he meets pilgrims. On this holy day – Good Friday – they call the young knight to join them. But he refuses, having lost faith in God after so many misadventures and failures. But soon he repents and confesses his sins to the hermit Trevicent. It turns out that this hermit is the brother of Anfortas and Herzeloyda. He tells the story of Anthotas to Partziphal. Having inherited the wonderful stone of the Grail, he craved even greater glory, but in a duel he received a wound that has not healed since. Once upon a holy stone appeared an inscription: He could heal Anfortas with a knight who, filled with compassion, would ask him the question of the cause of his torment. Parzifal learns that after the healing of Anfortas, the Guardian of the Grail will be the one whose name appears on the stone.
In the meantime, Havana, after many adventures, arrives at Chatel Marvey Castle. About this castle, the knight told the magician Kundry. After passing all the tests that the owner of the castle Klingsor suits him, he releases captive beauties. Now Havana has to fight with his longtime enemy Gramoflanc. By mistake, he takes his friend Parzifal for him, and they fight. Parzifal begins to overcome the knight he does not know, but suddenly learns that this is his friend Havana, Tomorrow Havan must fight the Gramoflanc, but he is weakened by a duel with the Partziphal. Under the guise of Havana, Parzifal secretly beats against him with the Gramophlan and wins.
The parcifal is again set in motion. In foreign lands, he enters into combat with the ruler of the Moors Feirefits. Unaware that this is his half-brother, Hamuret’s son, Parzifal beats with him for life and death. But the forces of opponents are equal. Having learned that they are brothers, they rush into each other’s arms and together they go to King Arthur. There Parzifal again sees the magician Kundry, and she solemnly declares to all that the young knight has passed all the trials and redeemed his guilt. On the stone of the Grail appeared his name. Heaven has chosen Partziphal: henceforth he becomes the guardian of the Grail. The Partziphal with Feyrefits arrives in Munsalves, and Parzifal finally asks Anfortas the question that everyone has been waiting for. Anfortas is healed. At this time, the wife of Parzifal, Condoramur, comes to the castle with two sons. Feyrefits takes holy baptism and marries his sister Anfortas. Everyone in the castle celebrates the deliverance from the calamities that once beheld the kingdom.
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