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Sir Percival

Arthurian Legend
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The pure-hearted Arthurian knight whose compassion and innocence enable him to heal the Fisher King and glimpse the Holy Grail.

Detailed Definition
Percival’s journey from naivety to wisdom defines the Grail quest. In poetry, he embodies spiritual awakening—his initial silence at the Grail castle a lesson in the power of empathy over words.
Example
Example in poetry:
Sir Percival, Grail knight, achieves vision through purity in Wolfram and Malory; Poets depict his journey from fool to sage; In mystical verse, Percival’s silence before Grail speaks volumes; Modern retellings explore his compassion as key to success; His sister’s sacrifice deepens his quest; Sir Percival symbolizes spiritual awakening through humility.
Additional Notes
Sir Percival is the Grail knight whose innocence and questions heal the Fisher King; his evolution from naive youth to spiritual seeker makes him central to Grail poetry—poets use him to explore awakening, silence, and redemptive curiosity.
Also Known As
Perceval Parsifal Percivale
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