Translation, adaptation and Meaning in the Story of the Grail and Parcevals saga.

Abstract

This article deals with the Old norse translation of The Story of the Grail (Perceval). as many other French literary works The Story of the Grail, written around 1182–1191 by the French author Chrétien de Troyes, was translated into Old norse, probably in the second half of the 13th century. Chrétien was concerned about the structure of his romances in order to endow them with meaning and authenticity and he used several protocols for that purpose, not least in the Story of the Grail where Christian values are important. The Old norse translation of this story (Parcevals saga, Valvens þáttr) is much shorter than the French text but the translator has also added some lines to his work. The entertainment value of the romances is well known but in Parcevals saga the comical aspect of Chrétien’s story is weak. religion and mystery are not important elements of the work and Chrétien’s efforts in the field of authenticity are left out. On the contrary a special emphasis seems to be put on the moral education of Parceval. The translator seems to have worked with the French text in much the same way as Chrétien did with his sources, conscious of his possibilities of changing the work. Thus the changes made by the translator may reflect his efforts in adapting the Story of the Grail to the audience for whom the story was translated and the environment in which the work was done.