Depiction and Development of the Knight Hero in Wolfram von Eschenbach’

Introduction Wolfram von Eschenbach’s epic poem Parzival stands as one of the richest and most profound literary works to have survived from the middle ages. Lost in obscurity for centuries until rediscovered and republished by Karl Lachmann in 1833, the poem enjoyed at least as great a popularity when it was first composed as it does among today’s readers: Some eighty manuscripts have been preserved, in whole or in part, from Wolfram’s era (Poag 40). Among the more intriguing aspects of the work is Wolfram’s handling of the depiction and development of two of the story’s primary characters, the knights Gahmuret and Parzival, father and son. Central to the action of the text from its inception, yet never sharing a scene, these men function as the poem’s heroes—larger-than-life figures of extraordinary strength, skill and courage whose remarkable achievements and bravery carry the momentum of the story. These men represent the classic knightly warriors of old who (at least ideally) dedicated their energies and passions above all else to the noble pursuit of fame, honor and valor. Indeed, in the course of discussing heroic development in Parzival, one must also note the main characters’ chivalric development, as their natural proclivity and tendencies as knights are clearly reflected and reinforced in their heroic manner and mien. In the course of this investigation I wish to analyze the ways in which Wolfram depicts these knighly heroes and their development. In this way I shall attempt to achieve a better understanding of how Wolfram—and, by extension, the men of his time—themselves understood the themes and events he describes. I shall also include the critical perspectives of scholars whose have previously c... ...its, though not always attained thorough strict maintenance of precepts such as Campbell’s, is— and perhaps for that very reason—the stuff of great literature. Works Cited Campbell, Joseph. Myths to Live By. New York: Viking, 1972. Cousineau, Phil, Ed. The Hero’s Journey: The World of Joseph Campbell. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1990. Eschenbach, Wolfram von. Parzival. English Trans., Ed. Andrà © Lefevere. New York: Continuum, 1991. —-. Parzival. German Trans. Wolfgang Mohr. Gà ¶ppingen: Alfred Kà ¼mmerle, 1977. Hasty, Will. †Introduction.† A Companion to Wolfram’s Parzival. Columbia: Camden House, 1999. Poag, James F. Wolfram von Eschenbach. New York: Twayne, 1972. Sacker, Hugh. An Introduction to Wolfram’s ‘Parzival.’ Cambridge: Cambridge U P, 1963 Weigand, Hermann. Wolfram’s Parzival: Five Essays with an Introduction. Ithaca: Cornell U P, 1969.