Books XIII to conclusion

Thinksheet for Tues. Feb. 20: Family ties play a large role in the concluding books of Parzival. What do you see as the significance of family and how does it connect with or weigh against other significant themes/values in the text? Pick one relationship or moment from the concluding books to form the basis of your discussion.

Thinksheet for Thurs. Feb. 22: Like Gawan, Feirefiz is a type of foil to Parzival. What does Parzival learn from his brother? What do we as readers learn about Parzival and about the nature of true knighthood from him? Be sure to look at the opening stanzas of the romance as you formulate your ideas.

We'll decide next week if we want to have one more discussion on Parzival/Perceval or move on to Peredur for the week of Feb. 28th.

1. Gawain is often unknown.  How does this hidden identity add to Book 13 on the basic level of plot?  What further significance might it have?

2. Who is Clinschor?  How would you characterize him?  How does he compare to other characters we have encountered who are associated with magic? What do you see as the significance of his association with Sicily?

3. Many of the women in the Castle of Wonders are long lost family members.  How does this episode work into the larger themes of family and kinship in the text?

  4 .  What do you make of the fight between the two half-brothers, Feirefiz and Parzival?  What do we learn about Feirefiz?   How do the hidden identities in this episode relate to those in the Gawain sections?

5.  Do you accept Feirefiz’s conversion?  How is it described?  

6.  What is the Grail?  What do you see as its ultimate significance?  What is the meaning of Parzival’s quest?

7. How does Parzival end up fighting Gawain?  How does the fight end?

8. How are Gawan and Gramoflanz reconciled?