Perceval (, also written Percival, Parzival, Parsifal), alternatively called Peredur (), is a figure in the legend of
King Arthur
According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Great Britain, Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In Wales, Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a le ...
, often appearing as one of the
Knights of the Round Table
The Knights of the Round Table (, , ) are the legendary knights of the fellowship of King Arthur that first appeared in the Matter of Britain literature in the mid-12th century. The Knights are a chivalric order dedicated to ensuring the peace ...
. First mentioned by the French author
Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes (; ; 1160–1191) was a French poet and trouvère known for his writing on King Arthur, Arthurian subjects such as Gawain, Lancelot, Perceval and the Holy Grail. Chrétien's chivalric romances, including ''Erec and Enide'' ...
in the tale ''
Perceval, the Story of the Grail
''Perceval, the Story of the Grail'' () is an unfinished verse romance written by Chrétien de Troyes in Old French in the late 12th century. Later authors added 54,000 more lines to the original 9,000 in what is known collectively as the ''Four ...
'', he is best known for being the original hero in the quest for the
Grail
The Holy Grail (, , , ) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miraculous healing powers, sometimes providing eternal youth or sustenanc ...
before being replaced in later literature by
Galahad
Galahad (), sometimes referred to as Galeas () or Galath (), among other versions of his name (originally ''Galaad'', ''Galaaz'', or ''Galaaus''), is a knight of King Arthur's Round Table and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail in Ar ...
.
Etymology and origin

The earliest reference to Perceval is found in
Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes (; ; 1160–1191) was a French poet and trouvère known for his writing on King Arthur, Arthurian subjects such as Gawain, Lancelot, Perceval and the Holy Grail. Chrétien's chivalric romances, including ''Erec and Enide'' ...
's first Arthurian romance ''
Erec et Enide
''Erec and Enide'' () is the first of Chrétien de Troyes' five Romance (heroic literature), romance poems, completed around 1170. It is one of three completed works by the author. ''Erec and Enide'' tells the story of the marriage of the titula ...
'', where, as "Percevaus
li Galois" (Percevaus of Wales), he appears in a list of Arthur's knights. In another of Chrétien's romances, ''
Cligés'', Perceval is a "renowned vassal" who is defeated by the knight Cligés in a tournament. He then becomes the eponymous protagonist of Chrétien's final romance, ''
Perceval, the Story of the Grail
''Perceval, the Story of the Grail'' () is an unfinished verse romance written by Chrétien de Troyes in Old French in the late 12th century. Later authors added 54,000 more lines to the original 9,000 in what is known collectively as the ''Four ...
''.
In the Welsh romance ''
Peredur son of Efrawg'', the corresponding figure goes by the name
Peredur. The name "Peredur" may derive from Welsh ''par'' (spear) and ''dur'' (hard, steel). It is generally accepted that Peredur was a well-established figure before he became the hero of ''Peredur son of Efrawg''. However, the earliest Welsh Arthurian text, ''
Culhwch and Olwen
''Culhwch and Olwen'' () is a Welsh tale that survives in only two manuscripts about a hero connected with Arthur and his warriors: a complete version in the Red Book of Hergest, , and a fragmented version in the White Book of Rhydderch, . It ...
'', does not mention Peredur in any of its extended catalogues of famous and less famous warriors. Peredur does appear in the romance ''
Geraint and Enid
Geraint ( ) is a character from Welsh folklore and Arthurian legend, a valiant warrior possibly related to the historical Geraint, an early 8th-century king of Dumnonia. It is also the name of a 6th-century Dumnonian saint king from Briton h ...
'', which includes "Peredur son of Efrawg" in a list of warriors accompanying
Geraint. A comparable list in the last pages of ''
The Dream of Rhonabwy'' refers to a Peredur ''Paladr Hir'' ("of the Long Spear-Shaft"), whom Peter Bartrum identifies as the same figure.
[ Peredur may derive in part from the sixth-century Coeling chieftain Peredur son of Eliffer. The Peredur of Welsh romance differs from the Coeling chieftain if only in that his father is called Efrawg, rather than Eliffer, and there is no sign of a brother called Gwrgi. Efrawg, on the other hand, is not an ordinary personal name, but the historical Welsh name for the city of ]York
York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
(; British/Old Welsh: ''Cair Ebrauc''; Modern Welsh: ''Efrog''). This may represent an epithet that denoted a local association, possibly pointing to Eliffer's son as the prototype, but which came to be understood and used as a patronymic in the Welsh Arthurian tales.
Scholars disagree as to the exact relationship between Peredur and Perceval. Arthur Groos and Norris J. Lacy argue that it is most likely that the use of the name Peredur in ''Peredur son of Efrawg'' "represent an attempt to adapt the name ercevalto Welsh onomastic traditions", as the Welsh romance appears to depend on Chrétien de Troyes, at least partially, as a source, and as the name Peredur is attested for unrelated characters in ''Historia Regum Britanniae
(''The History of the Kings of Britain''), originally called (''On the Deeds of the Britons''), is a fictitious account of British history, written around 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the List of legendary kings o ...
'' and ''Roman de Brut
The ''Brut'' or ''Roman de Brut'' (completed 1155) by the poet Wace is a loose and expanded translation in almost 15,000 lines of Norman-French verse of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Latin '' History of the Kings of Britain''. It was formerly known ...
''. Rachel Bromwich
Rachel Bromwich (30 July 1915 – 15 December 2010), born Rachel Sheldon Amos, was a British scholar. Her focus was on medieval Welsh literature, and she taught Celtic Languages and Literature in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic ...
, however, regards the name Perceval as a loose French approximation of the Welsh name Peredur. Roger Sherman Loomis
Roger Sherman Loomis (1887–1966) was an American scholar and one of the foremost authorities on medieval and Arthurian literature. Loomis is perhaps best known for showing the roots of Arthurian legend, in particular the Holy Grail, in native C ...
attempted to derive both Perceval and Peredur from the Welsh Pryderi, a mythological figure in the Four Branches of the Mabinogi
The ''Four Branches of the Mabinogi'' or are the earliest prose stories in the literature of Great Britain, Britain. Originally written in Wales in Middle Welsh, but widely available in translations, the is generally agreed to be a single work i ...
, a derivation that Groos and Lacy find "now seems even less likely".
In all of his appearances, Chrétien de Troyes identifies Perceval as "the Welshman" (''li Galois''), indicating that, even if he does not originate in Celtic tradition, he alludes to it. Groos and Lacy argue that, "even though there may have been a pre-existing 'Perceval prototype,' Chrétien was primarily responsible ..for the creation of ne of
NE, Ne or ne may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Neutral Evil, an alignment in the American role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''
* New Edition, an American vocal group
* Nicomachean Ethics, a collection of ten books by Greek philosopher A ...
the most fascinating, complex, and productive characters in Arthurian fiction".
In some French texts, the name "Perceval" is derived from either Old French
Old French (, , ; ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France approximately between the late 8th [2-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ...
''per ce val'' (through this valley) or ''perce val'' (pierce the valley). These etymologies are not found in Chrétien de Troyes, however. ''Perlesvaus'' etymologizes the name (there: ''Pellesvax'') as meaning "He Who Has Lost The Vales", referring to the loss of land by his father, while also saying Perceval called himself ''Par-lui-fet'' (made by himself). Wolfram von Eschenbach
Wolfram von Eschenbach (; – ) was a German knight, poet and composer, regarded as one of the greatest epic poets of medieval German literature. As a Minnesinger, he also wrote lyric poetry.
Life
Little is known of Wolfram's life. Ther ...
's German ''Parzival
''Parzival'' () is a medieval chivalric romance by the poet and knight Wolfram von Eschenbach in Middle High German. The poem, commonly dated to the first quarter of the 13th century, centers on the Arthurian hero Parzival (Percival in English) ...
'' provides the meaning "right through the middle" for the name (there: Parzival). Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
followed a discredited etymology proposed by journalist and historian Joseph Görres
Johann Joseph Görres, since 1839 von Görres (25 January 1776 – 29 January 1848), was a German writer, philosopher, theologian, historian and journalist.
Early life
Görres was born in Koblenz. His father was moderately well off, and sent his ...
that the name derived from Arabic ''fal parsi'' (pure fool) when choosing the spelling "Parsifal" for the figure in his opera.
Arthurian legend
Peredur
In a large series of episodes, ''Peredur son of Efrawg'' tells the story of Peredur's education as a knight. It begins with his birth and secluded upbringing as a naive boy by his widowed mother. When he meets a group of knights, he joins them on their way to King Arthur
According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Great Britain, Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In Wales, Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a le ...
's court. Once there, he is ridiculed by Cei and sets out on further adventures, promising to avenge Cei's insults to himself and those who defended him. While travelling he meets two of his uncles. The first, who is analogous to the Gornemant of ''Perceval'', trains him in arms and warns him not to ask the significance of what he sees. The second uncle is analogous to Chrétien's Fisher King
The Fisher King (; ; ; ) is a figure in Arthurian legend, the last in a long line of British kings tasked with guarding the Holy Grail. The Fisher King is both the protector and physical embodiment of his lands, but a wound renders him impoten ...
, but what Peredur sees being carried before him in his uncle's castle is not the Holy Grail
The Holy Grail (, , , ) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miraculous healing powers, sometimes providing eternal youth or sustenanc ...
(Old French ''graal''), but a salver
A salver is a flat heavy tray of silver, other metal or glass used for carrying or serving glasses, cups, and dishes at a table, or for the presenting of a letter or card by a servant. In a royal or noble household the fear of poisoning led to ...
containing a man's severed head. The text agrees with the French poem in listing a bleeding lance among the items which are carried in procession. The young knight does not ask about significance of these items and proceeds to further adventure, including a stay with the Nine Witches and the encounter with the woman who was to be his true love, Angharad. Peredur returns to Arthur's court, but soon embarks on another series of adventures that do not correspond to material in ''Perceval''. Eventually, the hero learns the severed head at his uncle's court belonged to his cousin, who had been killed by the Witches. Peredur avenges his family and is celebrated as a hero.
Several elements in the story, such as the severed head on a salver, a hunt for a unicorn, the witches, and a magical board of ''gwyddbwyll'', have all been described as Celtic ingredients that are not otherwise present in Chrétien's story. Goetinck sees in ''Peredur'' a variant on the Celtic theme of the sovereignty goddess
Sovereignty goddess is a scholarly term, almost exclusively used in Celtic studies (although parallels for the idea have been claimed in other traditions, usually under the label ''hieros gamos''). The term denotes a goddess who, personifying a te ...
, who personifies the country and has to be won sexually by the rightful king or heir to secure peace and prosperity for the kingdom. N. Petrovskaia has recently suggested an alternative interpretation, linking the figure of the Empress with Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda (10 September 1167), also known as Empress Maud, was one of the claimants to the English throne during the civil war known as the Anarchy. The daughter and heir of Henry I, king of England and ruler of Normandy, she went to ...
.
Perceval
Chrétien de Troyes wrote the first story of Perceval as the main character, the unfinished ''Perceval, the Story of the Grail'', in the late 12th century. Other famous accounts of his adventures include Wolfram's ''Parzival'' and the now-lost ''Perceval'' attributed to Robert de Boron
Robert de Boron (also spelled in the manuscripts "Roberz", "Borron", "Bouron", "Beron") was a French poet active around the late 12th and early 13th centuries, notable as the reputed author of the poems and ''Merlin''. Although little is known of ...
.
There are many versions of Perceval's birth. In Robert de Boron's account, he is of noble birth, and his father is variably stated to be either Alain le Gros, King Pellinore, or another worthy knight. His mother is usually unnamed, but plays a significant role in the stories. His sister is sometimes the bearer of the Holy Grail
The Holy Grail (, , , ) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miraculous healing powers, sometimes providing eternal youth or sustenanc ...
, but not originally; she is sometimes named Dindrane. In the tales in which he is Pellinore's son, his brothers include Aglovale
The Knights of the Round Table (, , ) are the legendary knights of the fellowship of King Arthur that first appeared in the Matter of Britain literature in the mid-12th century. The Knights are a chivalric order dedicated to ensuring the peace ...
, Lamorak
Lamorak (or ''Lamorake'', ''Lamorac ', ''Lamerak'', ''Lamero e'', '' maratto'', ''Amorotto'', and other spellings) de Galis (of Wales) is a Knight of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. Originally known as Lamorat le Gallois (''Lamourat' ...
and Dornar, as well as a half-brother named Tor
Tor, TOR or ToR may refer to:
Places
* Toronto, Canada
** Toronto Raptors
* Tor, Pallars, a village in Spain
* Tor, former name of Sloviansk, Ukraine, a city
* Mount Tor, Tasmania, Australia, an extinct volcano
* Tor Bay, Devon, England
* Tor ...
by his father's affair with a peasant woman. After the death of his father, Perceval's mother takes him to the forest, where she raises him ignorant of the ways of men until he is 15. Eventually, a group of knights passes through the forest and Perceval is struck by their hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...
ic bearing. Wanting to be a knight himself, he travels to King Arthur's court. In some versions, his mother faints in shock upon seeing her son leave. After proving his worthiness as a warrior, he is knighted and invited to join the Knights of the Round Table
The Round Table (; ; ; ) is King Arthur's famed table (furniture), table in the Arthurian legend, around which he and his knights congregate. As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status, unlike co ...
.
In Chrétien de Troyes's ''Perceval'', the character is already connected to the Grail. He meets the crippled Fisher King and sees a grail, not yet identified as "holy", but he fails to ask the question that would heal the injured king. Upon learning of his mistake, Perceval vows to find the Grail castle again and fulfill his quest. The story breaks off soon after, to be continued in a number of different ways by various authors, such as in ''Perlesvaus'' and '' Sir Perceval of Galles''. In the later accounts of Arthurian prose cycles, and consequently Thomas Malory
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author of ''Le Morte d'Arthur'', the classic English-language chronicle of the Arthurian legend, compiled and in most cases translated from French sources. The most popular version of ''Le Morte d'A ...
's ''Le Morte d'Arthur
' (originally written as '; Anglo-Norman French for "The Death of Arthur") is a 15th-century Middle English prose reworking by Sir Thomas Malory of tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the Knights of the ...
'', the true Grail hero is Galahad
Galahad (), sometimes referred to as Galeas () or Galath (), among other versions of his name (originally ''Galaad'', ''Galaaz'', or ''Galaaus''), is a knight of King Arthur's Round Table and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail in Ar ...
, the son of Lancelot
Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), alternatively written as Launcelot and other variants, is a popular character in the Matter of Britain, Arthurian legend's chivalric romance tradition. He is typically depicted as King Arthu ...
, but, though his role in the romances is diminished, Perceval remains a major character and is one of only two knights (the other is Bors
Bors (; ) is the name of two knights in Arthurian legend, an elder and a younger. The two first appear in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail romance prose cycle. Bors the Elder is the King of Gaunnes (Gannes/Gaunes/Ganis) during the early period ...
) who accompany Galahad to the Grail castle and complete the quest with him.
In early versions, Perceval's sweetheart is Blanchefleur and he becomes the King of Carbonek after healing the Fisher King. In later versions, he is a virgin who dies after achieving the Grail. In Wolfram's version, Perceval's son is Lohengrin
Lohengrin () is a character in German Arthurian literature. The son of Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. His story, which first appears in Wo ...
, the Knight of the Swan.
In modern culture
* Most famously, the character appears in Wagner's influential and controversial 1882 opera ''Parsifal
''Parsifal'' ( WWV 111) is a music drama in three acts by the German composer Richard Wagner and his last composition. Wagner's own libretto for the work is freely based on the 13th-century Middle High German chivalric romance ''Parzival'' of th ...
''.
* Daniel Mangrané's ''The Evil Forest
''The Evil Forest'' () is a 1951 Spanish drama film directed by Daniel Mangrané. It was entered into the 1952 Cannes Film Festival.
Plot
During World War III, two soldiers enter a ruined building.
They find an old book containing the s ...
'' () is a free retelling set in Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
during the barbarian invasions
The Migration Period ( 300 to 600 AD), also known as the Barbarian Invasions, was a period in European history marked by large-scale migrations that saw the fall of the Western Roman Empire and subsequent settlement of its former territories ...
, with Gustavo Rojo as the titular character. It features some music by Wagner.
*Richard Monaco's 1977 book ''Parsival: Or, a Knight's Tale'' is a re-telling of the Perceval legend.
*Éric Rohmer
Jean Marie Maurice Schérer or Maurice Henri Joseph Schérer, known as Éric Rohmer (; 21 March 192011 January 2010), was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher. Rohmer was the last of the Post-war, p ...
's 1978 film '' Perceval le Gallois'' is an eccentrically staged interpretation of Chrétien's original poem.[ Lacy, Norris J. (1991). "Eric Rohmer". In Norris J. Lacy (Ed.), ''The New Arthurian Encyclopedia'', p. 389. New York: Garland. .]
* John Boorman's 1981 film ''Excalibur
Excalibur is the mythical sword of King Arthur that may possess magical powers or be associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. Its first reliably datable appearance is found in Geoffrey of Monmouth's ''Historia Regum Britanniae''. E ...
'' retells ''Le Morte d'Arthur'' and gives Perceval a leading role.
*A version of Perceval appears in the 1982–1985 DC Comics
DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
limited series ''Camelot 3000
''Camelot 3000'' is an American twelve-issue comic book limited series written by Mike W. Barr and penciled by Brian Bolland. It was published by DC Comics from 1982 to 1985 as one of its first direct market projects, and as its first maxi-s ...
''.
*The 1991 film ''The Fisher King
''The Fisher King'' is a 1991 American fantasy comedy drama film written by Richard LaGravenese and directed by Terry Gilliam. Starring Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges, with Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer and Michael Jeter, the film tells th ...
'' written by Richard LaGravenese
Richard LaGravenese (; born October 30, 1959) is an American screenwriter and film director, known for ''The Fisher King'', ''The Bridges of Madison County (film), The Bridges of Madison County'', and ''Behind the Candelabra''.
Personal life
LaG ...
is a modern retelling in which the parallels shift between characters, who discuss the legend.
*In the comic series based on the cartoon '' Gargoyles'', Peredur fab Ragnal (Perceval's Welsh name) achieves the Holy Grail and becomes the Fisher King. To honor his mentor Arthur, he establishes a secret order which will guide the world to greater prosperity and progress, which eventually becomes the Illuminati. Part of achieving the Grail is the bestowal of longevity upon Peredur and his wife, Fleur, along with certain other members of the order being granted longer lifespans. He still appears young in 1996, when his organization comes into conflict with the reawakened Arthur.[''Gargoyles: Clan-Building'' – Vol 2, #7 – "The Rock" – ]
*He was the protagonist of the 2000 book ''Parzival: The Quest of the Grail Knight'' by Katherine Paterson
Katherine Paterson (née Womeldorf; born October 31, 1932) is an American writer best known for Children's literature, children's novels, including ''Bridge to Terabithia (novel), Bridge to Terabithia'' (1977), which won the Newbery Medal in 197 ...
, based on Wolfram's ''Parzival''.
*The 2003 novel '' Clothar the Frank'' by Jack Whyte
Jack Whyte (March 15, 1940February 22, 2021) was a Scottish-Canadian novelist of historical fiction. Born and raised in Scotland, he moved to Canada in 1967. He resided in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Early life
Whyte was born in Scotland on March ...
portrays Perceval as an ally of Lancelot
Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), alternatively written as Launcelot and other variants, is a popular character in the Matter of Britain, Arthurian legend's chivalric romance tradition. He is typically depicted as King Arthu ...
in his travels to Camelot
Camelot is a legendary castle and Royal court, court associated with King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and, since the Lancelot-Grail cycle, eventually came to be described ...
.
*He appears in the French comedy TV series '' Kaamelott'' as a main character, portrayed by Franck Pitiot. He is depicted as a well-meaning but childish and idiotic knight for whom King Arthur has a soft spot, and is often paired with the equally-incompetent Caradoc
Caradoc Vreichvras (; Modern , ) was a semi-legendary ancestor to the kings of Gwent. He may have lived during the 5th or 6th century. He is remembered in the Matter of Britain as a Knight of the Round Table, under the names King Carados and C ...
.
*In the BBC television series ''Merlin
The Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) is an interferometer array of radio telescopes spread across England. The array is run from Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire by the University of Manchester on behalf of UK Re ...
'', Percival is a large, strong commoner. After helping to free Camelot from the occupation of Morgana, Morgause, and their immortal army (which is supplied by a grail-like goblet called the Cup of Life), he is knighted along with Lancelot, Elyan and Gwaine, against the common practice that knights are only of noble birth. He is also one of the few Round Table knights to survive Arthur's death. He is portrayed by the actor Tom Hopper
Thomas Edward Hopper (born 28 January 1985) is an English actor. He has appeared as Percival in ''Merlin'' (2010–12), Billy Bones in '' Black Sails'' (2014–17), Dickon Tarly in ''Game of Thrones'' (2017), and Luther Hargreeves in ''The ...
.
*In Philip Reeve
Philip Reeve (born 28 February 1966) is an English author and illustrator of children's books, primarily known for the 2001 book '' Mortal Engines'' and its sequels (the 2001 to 2006 '' Mortal Engines Quartet''). His 2007 novel, '' Here Lies Ar ...
's '' Here Lies Arthur'', he appears as Peredur, son of Peredur Long-knife, who is raised as a woman by his mother, who had already lost many sons and her husband to war. He befriends the main character, Gwyna/Gwyn. He is one of the few major characters to survive to the end and travels with Gwen (in a male disguise) as 'Peri', his childhood shortened name as a woman, playing a harp to Gwen's stories.
* Erica Schroeder portrayed a female version of Perceval in the video game '' Sonic and the Black Knight'' (2009). The character's appearance was based on Blaze the Cat
The ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' video game franchise began in 1991 with the video game ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' for the Sega Genesis, which pitted a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog named Sonic against a rotund male human villain named Doctor Eggman ( ...
.
*Wade Watts, the main character of Ernest Cline
Ernest Christy Cline (born March 29, 1972) is an American science fiction novelist, slam poet and screenwriter. He wrote the novels '' Ready Player One'', '' Armada'' and '' Ready Player Two'', and co-wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation ...
's 2011 novel '' Ready Player One'' (and its film adaptation) names his virtual reality avatar
Avatar (, ; ) is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means . It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearance" is sometimes u ...
"Parzival" as a reference to Percival and to his role in Arthurian legend, particularly Wade's role improving OASIS as the story's Fisher-King character.
*Percival appears in Season 5 of the American TV series ''Once Upon A Time
"Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...
''. He is one of King Arthur's knights, who dances with Regina at the ball when she visits Camelot. Percival, however, recognises her as the Evil Queen and tries to kill her, but he is killed by Prince Charming
Prince Charming is a fairy tale stock character archetype who comes to the rescue of a damsel in distress and must engage in a quest to liberate her from an evil spell. This classification suits most heroes of a number of traditional folk tales ...
first.
* Patricia A. McKillip's 2016 novel ''Kingfisher'' includes elements of the story of Percival and the Fisher King. Young Pierce (Percival meaning "pierce the valley"), after a chance meeting with knights, leaves his mother, who has sheltered him from the world and travels to become a knight.
*In Guy Ritchie
Guy Stuart Ritchie (born 10 September 1968) is an English film director, producer and screenwriter known primarily for British comedy gangster films and large-scale action-adventure films.
Ritchie left school at the age of 15, and worked in e ...
's 2017 film '' King Arthur: Legend of the Sword'', Craig McGinlay plays Percy, another of Arthur's friends; who is later knighted as Sir Percival.
*In the 2017 television series '' Knightfall'', Parsifal appears as a young peasant farmer who joins the Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...
as a novice knight.
*In the 2020 television series '' Cursed'', Billy Jenkins plays a boy, nicknamed Squirrel, who is Percival.
*The 2022 short novel ''Spear
A spear is a polearm consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with Fire hardening, fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable materia ...
'' by Nicola Griffith is a retelling of the story of Percival. Its protagonist, Peretur, disguises herself as a man and hopes to become a knight.
Explanatory notes
References
Sources
*
**
*Chrétien de Troyes, Nigel Bryant (translator) (1996) ''Perceval, the Story of the Grail'', D. S. Brewer. .
*Chrétien de Troyes, D. D. R. Owen (translator) (1988) ''Arthurian Romances'', Tuttle Publishing, reprinted by Everyman. .
*
*
* Lacy, Norris J. (Ed.) (1991). ''The New Arthurian Encyclopedia''. New York: Garland. .
*
*
External links
Perceval
at The Camelot Project
{{Authority control
Holy Grail
Knights of the Round Table
Parzival