Perceval, the Story of the Grail

Since Chrétien de Troyes served in the royal courts of medieval France, where the ideals of chivalry were developing into one of the most significant cultural features of the day, his poetry reflects that interest. The poem is thus preoccupied with the true nature and meaning of chivalry and knighthood.

The idea of knighthood is what motivates Perceval to begin his journey in the poem’s opening scene, as he encounters a group of knights and is starstruck by the concept of knighthood. Perceval describes the knights to his mother in glowing terms:

Have I not seen, this very day

the fairest beings on their way

through the wild forest? Fairer far

than God and all His angels are (391-94).

Chrétien’s text often uses “chivalry” as a synonym for “knighthood”—“an order made by God’s decree / and it was knighthood, chivalry” (1635-36)—but chivalry also sometimes carries a specific reference to the code of honor by which knights live. Perceval’s mother provides the first exposition of this code, which includes rescuing ladies in distress and remaining faithful in the duties and disciplines of the Christian religion. Gornemant of Gohort later adds more elements to that chivalric code, such as the expectations that a knight will be merciful to defeated opponents and will not be overly loquacious.