Parzival, Volume I

Parzival is a medieval epic poem written by the knight-poet Wolfram von Eschenbach. It is divided into 16 books, each composed of several 30-line stanzas of rhyming couplets. Regarded as one of the literary masterpieces of the Middle Ages, the romantic poem commonly dated to the early part of the 13th century. The verse narrative focuses on the Arthurian hero Parzival and his long quest for the Holy Grail after his initial failure to achieve it.

The book opens with the death of King Gandin, Parzival's grandfather, and is followed by a narrative of the adventures of Parzival's father, his marriage, and the birth of Parzival. The story continues as Parzival decides to seek King Arthur and pursue a spiritual and physical search for the Grail. Love is a major theme in Parzival, and chivalry is an ideal. The work emphasizes compassion, humility, sympathy, and a quest for spirituality.

Public Domain (P)2019 Museum Audiobooks