Perceval, the Story of the Grail

How are women and gender dynamics depicted in Perceval? What is the significance of the different relationships and interactions between the knights and the women?

Study the episode at the Fisher King’s castle. What are some of the clues Chrétien de Troyes uses to tip readers off to the mystical, enchanted nature of the place? What wider role does this setting play in the text?

Research some of the common explanations for the Fisher King’s wound and the “healing question,” as given in later Arthurian literature. What is the significance of the “healing question,” and how does it relate to the text’s wider themes or key ideas?

There are many duels in the narrative of Perceval, both for the titular hero and for Gawain, and neither knight ever loses. Why do you think Chrétien wrote the story so that they were always victorious? How would it have changed the narrative if they lost a fight?

How is Christianity depicted in the poem? What role does it play in the knights’ conception of themselves and of their role as knights?

Compare and contrast Perceval and Gawain. In what ways are the two knights different or similar? What purpose does their juxtaposition serve, and how does each knight’s character arc and quests illuminate those of the other?

What is the essence of chivalry in Perceval? How does chivalry function in terms of the social, political, and/or gendered realms in the text?

Both Perceval and Gawain end up discovering hidden or long-lost family connections during their adventures. Why does Chrétien use this plot device, and what purpose does it serve in the story?