Perceval

Perceval
/perr"seuh veuhl/, n.
1. Spencer, 1762-1812, British statesman: prime minister 1809-12.
2. Arthurian Romance. Percival.

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His childlike innocence protected him from worldly temptation. In Chrétien de Troyes's 12th-century Le Conte du Graal, Perceval visits the castle of the wounded Fisher King and sees the Grail, but he fails to ask about it and therefore fails to heal the Fisher King. He subsequently sets out in search of the Grail and grows spiritually. In later Grail legend he was displaced by Galahad as the hero of the Grail quest but continued to play an important role. His story was told in Wolfram von Eschenbach's 13th-century Parzifal, which provided the basis for Richard Wagner's opera Parsifal (1882).

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▪ legendary hero
      hero of Arthurian romance, distinguished by his quality of childlike (often uncouth) innocence, which protected him from worldly temptation and set him apart from other knights in Arthur's fellowship. This quality also links his story with the primitive folktale theme of a great fool or simple hero. In Chrétien de Troyes's poem Le Conte du Graal (12th century), Perceval's great adventure was a visit to the castle of the wounded Fisher King, where he saw a mysterious dish (or grail) but, having previously been scolded for asking too many questions, failed to ask the question that would have healed the Fisher King. Afterward, he set off in search of the Grail and gradually learned the true meaning of chivalry and its close connection with the teachings of the church. In later elaborations of the Grail theme, the pure knight Sir Galahad displaced him as Grail hero, though Perceval continued to play an important part in the quest.

      The story of Perceval's spiritual development from simpleton to Grail keeper received its finest treatment in Wolfram von Eschenbach's great 13th-century epic, Parzival. This poem was the basis of Richard Wagner's last opera, Parsifal (1882).

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  • Perceval — Perceval, el Cuento del Grial Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Escenas de la obra Perceval, el Cuento del Grial, de Chrétien de Troyes (comenzado a escribir hacia 1180), inicia la tradición de la materia caballeresca. Con esta narración, el autor… …   Wikipedia Español

  • PERCEVAL — Cité parmi les chevaliers d’Arthur dans Érec , Perceval donne son nom au dernier roman de Chrétien de Troyes, Le Conte du Graal (env. 1180). Perceval, dont le père et les frères sont morts au combat, est élevé par sa mère dans la forêt, dans… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Perceval (BD) — Perceval (bande dessinée) Perceval est une revue de bande dessinée de l éditeur de Petit format Aventures Voyages qui a eu 7 numéros d août 1959 à février 1960. Mensuel de 100 pages durant toute la durée de la revue. Il existe 2 reliures. La… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Perceval — ist der Nachname von: Jean Jacques Antoine Caussin de Perceval, französischer Orientalist (* 1759; † 1835) Spencer Perceval, britischer Politiker und Premierminister von Großbritannien (* 1762; † 1812) Für die mittelalterliche Sagengestalt, siehe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Perceval — Surtout porté en Bourgogne, Savoie et Dauphiné, c est un ancien nom de baptême popularisé par les romans médiévaux (Perceval était un chevalier de la Table ronde). L étymolgie est incertaine (sans doute le nom celte Peredur). Variantes :… …   Noms de famille

  • Perceval — (spr. Persewäll), Spencer, zweiter Sohn des Lord Holland, geb. 1. Novbr. 1762 in London, studirte in Cambridge u. ließ sich dann in London als Advocat nieder, wo er u.a. Thom. Payne in dem Libellproceß vertheidigte; er wurde Parlamentsglied u.… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Perceval [1] — Perceval (spr. pärß wál), die franz. Form des Namens Parzival (s. d.) …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Perceval [2] — Perceval (spr. pörßewel), Spencer, brit. Staatsmann, geb. 1. Nov. 1762, gest. 11. Mai 1812, Sohn des irischen Grafen John Egmont, studierte in Cambridge, ward Sachwalter in London und zog durch eine im Prozeß gegen Warren Hastings herausgegebene… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Perceval — (spr. perß wál), franz. Form von Parzival …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Perceval [2] — Perceval (spr. pörßĕwĕl), Spencer, brit. Staatsmann, geb. 1. Nov. 1762, zweiter Sohn des irischen Grafen von Egmont, Pitts Freund und Gesinnungsgenosse, 1807 Schatzkanzler, 1809 Premierminister, 11. Mai 1812 ermordet. – Biogr. von Walpole (1873) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Perceval [1] — Perceval, franz., s. Parzival …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

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