Prowess and Charity in the Perceval of Chrétien de Troyes

My purpose in the following pages is to examine the "Perceval" or "Conte del Graal" of the twelfth-century poet, Chrétien de Troyes, and to elucidate what I consider to be the meaning of the poem as Chrétien intended it. My conclusion, briefly stated, is that the poet has constructed his narrative so as to reveal the "internal quest" of the hero, Perceval, for the resolution of a conflict of ideals within himself. The ideals in conflict are prowess ("proesce") and charity, or the love of God ("charité"). Taken together, these concepts were the cornerstone of chivalry in the twelfth century. That these two ideals were inimical and that charity must ultimately prevail over prowess together constitute Chretien’s theme. It follows from this that the poem does not merely reflect the aristocratic ideals of the age, but rather that it challenges the very foundation of feudal society.