Perceval, the Story of the Grail Literary Elements

Perceval, the Story of the Grail Literary Elements

Genre

Poem, Old English literature, Arthurian literature

Setting and Context

The poem is set in the Court of King Arthur, and also in Wales on the outskirts of civilization

Narrator and Point of View

The point of view is that of Perceval, a young and eager knight.

Tone and Mood

Positive, hopeful, eager, sincere, valiant, conspiratorial, melancholy, regretful.

Protagonist and Antagonist

Perceval is the protagonist. Sir Kay is the antagonist.

Major Conflict

There is conflict early in the text as Perceval kills a troublesome knight.

Climax

Perceval meets a strange woman who tells him about the magical powers held by the grail.

Foreshadowing

Sir Kay's disdainful attitude towards Perceval foreshadows Perceval's revenge upon him.

Understatement

N/A

Allusions

The poem alludes to the character of Sir Gawain who chronicled in many texts and poems of his own.

Imagery

The castle of the Fisher King describes strange, magical goings on that are far beyond the comprehension of either Perceval or the reader.

Paradox

Perceval's mother does not want him to become a knight because of the danger inherent in the role, but this danger is what attracts Perceval to the role.

Parallelism

There is a parallel between Perceval and Gawain's careers as knights and the way in which they are treated by Sir Kay.

Metonymy and Synecdoche

Court is the word used to encompass all of King Arthur's knights.

Personification

N/A

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