Colloquium on English - Research Institute for Waldorf Education

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The analytical process becomes a clearer part of their learning.
The teaching of Parzival provides a focus for this new consciousness.
In addition to the meeting with the medieval world with its courtly
manners and customs, the book with its plot and sub-plots offers a picture
of the maturing process, with questions of readiness for one’s destiny, the
teachers one has in life, a balance of masculine and feminine, and an integration
of each character as part of the whole person. Here are some questions
that would be particularly interesting to discuss.
1. What would have happened if Parzival had asked the question
when he first came to the Grail Castle? Was he ready to
become the Grail King? What does it mean that he glimpsed
the grail and then tried to work his way back to it out of a
different consciousness?
2. What is the role of helpers along our journey? Sigune, Kundrie,
et al? How do we understand that a person who is telling us
the brutal truth may actually be helping us?
3. What is difference in Gurnemanz as teacher and Trevrizent as
teacher?
4. What qualities does Gawain bring to the story? What is
Gawain’s path of maturity?
5. What role does misuse of sexuality play in the story?
6. In what way do the elders – King Arthur, Queen Arnive, and
Gramoflanz’ uncle – play a significant role in the big joust?
7. What is the difference whether a person has to be called to
the Grail by having his name show up or if a person fights his
way to the Grail? Why did Trevrizent lie to Parzival?
How does this reflect in our own life journey (male or female)?
8. What qualities does Feirefiz bring to the story and to Parzival?
Another essential in the eleventh grade is Shakespeare, especially
Hamlet where the central character represents the consciousness soul. If the
New Testament has not been taught earlier, it should be introduced in the
eleventh grade.
There are many books appropriate for the eleventh grade, as well
as Romanticism in English literature.
Twelfth Grade
Twelfth graders are more socially mature, although there is still a
difference between the boys and girls. Their thinking is more capable of
abstraction and depth. Questions which are relevant to the twelfth grader
include: What does it mean to live in the modern world? What is my place
in the world? What will my work be? What is the role of good and evil?
What are the limits of human knowledge? What is the meaning of human
life? What is the foundation of moral action? What is my responsibility to
nature, Self, the other, and to Spirit? What do I really believe?