ABSTRACT
Parcevals saga differs from the other Arthurian riddarasogur in that the text is peppered with a series of what may be considered maxims or proverbs; these are frequently rhymed. The recurrence of the pithy Lebensweisheiten suggests that Parcevals saga may have been intended and understood as a didactic tale. Parcevals saga can thus be read as an exemplum depicting the maturation of an individual. Parceval’s formation is complete when he has become a good Christian and at the same time has gained the maturity to take a wife and exercise authority over her realm. The importance of the desire to learn and the need for practice are emphasized, and Parceval ventures to assert that nurture is more important than nature. The eponymous hero himself sharpens the focus of the saga when his mother attempts to dissuade her sheltered son from seeking knighthood at the court of King Arthur.
