Chapter 5 Summary

When Parzival comes to a lake in the evening and asks an Angler where he can seek shelter for the night, the Angler directs him to Munsalvaesche, a nearby castle, where Parzival is welcomed by the knights whose heartfelt grief he is unaware of. At Munsalvaesche, Parzival is treated with honor and esteem before being led to an extravagant room as the Angler's noble guest. A page walks through the room, carrying a lance which bleeds, then eight maidens with candles and table settings precede Repanse de Schoye, who carries "the consummation of heart's desire, its root and its blossoming- a thing called 'The Gral', paradisal, transcending all earthly perfection" (p. 125). Miraculously, the Gral provides food and drink for the hundreds gathered there. Gurnemanz's teachings prevent Parzival from asking questions, but he thinks he will learn how matters stand with this household unasked...