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59 pages 1 hour read

Parzival

Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Adult | Published in 1215

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Background

Authorial Context: Wolfram von Eschenbach

Wolfram von Eschenbach was a renowned German poet born in the late 12th century. He is most famous for his epic poem Parzival, which is considered one of the greatest works of medieval German literature. Wolfram’s life is shrouded in mystery and much of what is known about him comes from his own writings and the writings of his contemporaries.

Wolfram was born in Eschenbach, a small town in Bavaria, Germany, sometime around 1170. Little is known about his early life, but it is believed that he was of noble birth and may have been educated at the court of the German emperor. He was fluent in several languages, including Middle High German, Middle High French, and Middle High Provençal. He was well-versed in the literature and culture of his time. Wolfram’s literary career began in earnest in the early 13th century, when he began writing poetry. He quickly gained a reputation as a skilled and innovative poet and his works were widely admired and circulated among the courts of Europe. It was during this time that he began work on Parzival.

Parzival was written in Middle High German, the language of the German court and nobility at the time.

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