Parzival's Swan Song and Parsifal's Opening
The invocation of such strong language and a variety of condescension in teaching and threatening interrogation, Wagner clearly wants to get across a strong point about the sacredness of the swan. Since Wagner has obviously worked closely with Parzival as a text, he’d be familiar with the line at the very end of the book that discusses Loherangin’s “friend the swan”. The swan brings the boat that Loherangin sails away on when Loherangin’s wife asks his name, breaking a vow they’d made. Assumedly, the swan goes with him. Knowing that Loherangin is Parzival’s son in book and musical adds a layer of metaphor and arc to the story. Parsifal shoots down the swan in the opera, causing a great sin in the eyes of the priest. As the priest is ‘connected’ the audience can assume he knows the connotations behind the swan’s appearance. While it is plausible that he simply sees this unnecessary act of violence and reduction of beauty as a sin itself, the text provided seems to be an overreaction. However, if the swan is connected to the Grail is connected to God, the priest’s reaction is entirely justified and the diction applicable. Compared to Loherangin, Parsifal’s/Parzival’s son, and his use of a swan as his “friend”, more importantly, the thing that facilitates his leaving, the swan becomes something Loherangin cherishes and, possibly, trusts. I found this familial, if not character, arc across mediums to be really engaging and interesting to the growth of Parsifal from the “holy fool”--someone who "didn't know" what the significance of the swan was--to someone with knowledge of God and holiness, with connections and answers, if only of the small variety and if only through his son.