Sir Percival

"Shall we begin like David Copperfield? "I am born...I grew up." (Anne Rice Interview with a Vampire (movie quote))

I know this is a strange quote to start a blog on a famous Knight of the Round Table, but hey, I like it, and Percival does not do anything particularly remarkable as a child....he didn't pull a sword out of a stone, for example.

Percival was the son of someone noble - two names are often put forward as Percival's father -  Alain le Gros and King Pellinore. But I can not tell you if either of these men have a claim on this remarkable boy. He may have been a son of a knight, Sir Percival senior perhaps? And he was probably Welsh.

Or, shock horror, he may be just another fictional character.

What? Surely not?! I hear you gasp.

I am afraid it is highly plausible...He seems to be the invention of the French poet, Chrétien de Troyes's and is first mentioned in de Troyes unfinished story Perceval, the Story of the Grail.

Back to the story...

Percival's father died, he was possibly killed by the Red Knight, and his mother, heartbroken and determined that her son will not share the fate of his father, runs to the safety of the forest, where she raises him alone and away from worldly temptations.

"In the woods should he be.

There should he nothing see

But the leaves on the tree

And the groves so gray,

And with the wild beasts play."

(Page-Esquire-Knight Marion Lansing)

Percival becomes an exceptional tracker and hunter.

But, Percival is destined for great things. When he was 15 years old, he caught sight of some of Arthur's noble knights riding through the wood. He had never seen a knight before, he had probably never seen a horse before either. He knew nothing of the outside word, for his mother had sheltered him from it.

But he was intrigued by these knights, they looked so chivalrous and he so wanted to be one of them. He leaves his mother...the poor woman had tried so hard to shield her son from the glamour of court, but like his father, Percival heard the call and had to answer it. It is said that she died of heartbreak.

Tom Hopper played Percival in the BBC adaptation Merlin

Percival's dream comes true and he is knighted, but he is not just any ordinary knight. In the story, Perceval, the Story of the Grail, Percival meets the crippled Fisher King and becomes a welcomed guest at his castle. Percival sees a vision of the Grail procession and he is curious as to what it means, but he has been told that it is rude to ask too many questions. Unfortunately, the only way the Fisher King can be cured is if Percival asks questions...oh the irony! Realising his mistake, he vows to find the Grail and fulfil his quest.....And that is where the story breaks off.  But it is all right, because Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, the German poet, takes it up again, as does a whole host of other poets and storytellers.

 In Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, Percival is one of the three Grail knights....the others being Galahad and Bors. In later text such as Tennyson's The Holy Grail, Percival gives way to Galahad as the top Grail Knight, but he still holds onto his place as one of the chosen few who get to see the Grail.

He has even made it into Richard Wagner's opera Parsifal.

He was portrayed as a strong, but loyal subject of King Arthur, in the BBC drama, Merlin. After a noble, selfless act, Arthur knights him - despite the long tradition of Knights having to be of noble birth.

All in all, he didn't do too badly, for a man bought up in a woods and away form civilisation.

Sir Gawain

Sir Gawain is one of my favourite knights -- I think I might have said that before. Why do I like him so much? Oh come on, he took up a challenge issued by the Green Knight. And when I say green, I mean the knight was green. We are talking green skin, green hair...green!

Apart from that very odd quest, what do we know about him?

It is said he was Arthur's nephew. He was the son of Arthur's sister Morgause and King Lot of Orkney. His brother was Mordred. He is a true friend to Lancelot and an all round good egg.

Eoin Macken - played Gawain in Merlin

Gawain is everything Lancelot is - without falling in love with the wrong person and therefore causing war and mayhem. He is courageous and strong. Fierce to his enemies, but kind to the weak. A friend to young knights and a defender of women. He is also next in line to Arthur's throne -- not that he would ever consider challenging Arthur for it.

Now, Lancelot may have had the Holy Grail Quest and the affair, but Gawain, as I have already alluded to, had the Green Knight. I don't think you can get better than the Green Knight. It is my favourite Arthurian tale and comes from a late 14th Century chivalric romance, called...wait for it...Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It is written in verse, by that famous poet anon (although the poet is commonly referred to as the Pearl Poet), and is one of four narrative religious poems all of which are written in the North West Midland dialect of Middle England...all very J.J.R Tolkein -- but I think Gawain had it a lot worse than Frodo Baggins -- as Gawain had to do this quest all on his own without the help of Elfs and such...

For those who are not familiar with the tale, I shall share with you a very abridge version of events


Camelot, New Years Day,

The New Year celebrations are interrupted by a Green Knight, on a green horse, who challenges the knights to a friendly contest. He asks if any knight of Arthurs' is brave enough to chop off his head. It is a slightly odd challenge, but Gawain takes him up on the offer and chops his head off. But the Green Knight does not die, instead he picks up his head and tells Gawain to meet him at the Green Chapel this time next year so he can return the favour.

Gawain, unsurprisingly, is ever so slightly concerned, but he is a knight and he never goes back on his word. As the year ends he set out to find the Green Chapel. He discovers a rather spectacular castle and he meets Bertilak de Hautdesert and his beautiful wife. Bertilak assures him that the Chapel is two miles away and welcomes him into his castle, for it is a honour to have a Knight of the Round Table as a guest.

The next day Bertilak goes hunting, but he tells Gawain to give him whatever he might gain during the day. Bertilak's wife then tries her best to seduce him, he allows her one kiss, which he then gives back to Bertilak. The next day he gives her two and he gives Bertilak what he gains. The third day she gives him a girdle of green and gold silk -she tells him if he wears it he will stay safe from harm. She then gives him three kisses. That evening he gives Bertilak three kisses but keeps the girdle for himself.

The follow day he sets out to meet the Green Knight. He finds him sharpening his blade. Gawain bears his neck, although he flinches on the first swing and is berated by the Green Knight. The second time he holds still, but the Green Knight only nicks his skin. The challenge is over and the Green Knight reveals himself as Bertilak and they part on good terms. He returns home to Camelot a hero.

"When bold Sir Gawain got back home

they bought out cake and ale

and huddled round a roaring fire

to hear him tell his tale."

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Tony Milton and Arthur Robins

Is there any truth in the tale? Oh, why not! If Arthur can defeat 960 men in one charge at Badon Hill, then I am sure we can allow Gawain's rather bazar beheading game with someone who is green.

Take Care

Mary xx