Troilus and Criseyde

1
Troilus and Criseyde

• A Romantic Tragedy
• By Geoffrey Chaucer
• Presented by Adam Smith

2
Origins

• Geoffrey Chaucer
• Born around 1343
• English
• Experienced in the military, diplomacy, and
  courtly affairs
• Renowned in his own time
• By some considered the greatest English poet ever
  to live and write at any time

One eare it heard, at the other out it went.
Troilus and Criseyde, Act IV, ll. 435
3
Troilus Basics

• Most likely written during the 1380s, the same
  time when Chaucer wrote Knights Tale and
  translated Teseida from Italian.
• Intended to be a Psychological Romance a
  first for English literature.
• Composed in lyric verse.
• Based heavily upon Boccaccios Filostrato.

4
More Origins

• Chaucers Possible References
• Boccaccios Filostrato (The Love-Stricken One)
• Boethius Consolation of Philosophy
• Gualliume and Jeans The Romance of the Rose
• Dantes Comedy
• Virgils Aeneid
• Ovids Metamorphoses
• And more.
• Ironically not Homer

5
Rhythm, Rhyme, and Form

• Written in Rhythm Royal
• Seven lines per stanza
• Usually Iambic Pentameter
• Standard scheme
• A B A B B C - C
• Some variation was allowed, especially for a work
  of this length

In hevene and helle, in erthe and salte see Is
felt thi myght, if that I wel descerne As man,
bird, best, fissh, herbe, and grene tree Thee
fele in tymes with vapour eterne. God loveth, and
to love wol nought werne And in this world no
lyves creature Withouten love is worth, or may
endure.
ACT III, ll. 8-14
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The Players

• Troilus
• Son of King Priam of Troy
• Handsome and Valiant knight, second only to
  Hector
• Fatal Flaw Scorn for love
• Criseyde
• Daughter of Calchas, a foreteller
• Beautiful Beyond Description
• Rich and Widowed
• Fatal Flaw Faithlessness

7
The Lesser Players

• Pandarus
• Uncle of Criseyde
• Friend of Troilus
• Acts on behalf of Troilus to Criseyde
• Morally Dubious
• Calchas
• Criseydes Father
• Has a premonition about the Fall of Troy
• Leaves the city and later called a traitor

8
Act I or The Setup

• Calchas Premonition
• Foresees Troys Fall and flees to the Greek camp
• Leaves Criseyde to wrathful citizens
• Feast of Palladium
• Troilus is scornful of love and lovers
• Eros takes his revenge Troilus is smitten with
  Criseyde
• Troilus Despairs
• Tries to conceal his changed feelings
• Admits to himself hes in love, but has no idea
  what to do
• Pandarus to the Rescue
• During a visit Pandarus senses distress and
  learns the truth
• Promises to help Troilus win Criseyde
• Troilus is improved by love

9
Act II or Schemes and Suffering

• Pandarus Secret
• After some teasing, reveals Troilus love to
  Criseyde
• Speaks well of Troilus
• Criseydes Consideration
• Criseyde sees Troilus in the street and is
  intrigued
• Still indecisive
• Criseydes Consent
• Upon hearing a song of love sung by her niece
  Antigone, Criseyde is swayed to show interest in
  Troilus
• Meeting and Mail
• Troilus writes a love letter to Criseyde and
  receives a positive reply
• Pandarus sets up a meeting between the two

10
Act III or As Good as it Gets

• Tentative Contact
• Troilus and Criseyde meet
• She consents to be his lover provided her honor
  is unstained
• Pandarus Plots Again
• By guile Pandarus gets Criseyde and Troilus
  together
• They talk, he faints, and is tucked into bed with
  Criseyde
• Consummation
• Troilus wakes up and their love is consummated
• Elysium for a while
• They enjoy a happy affair
• Troilus is further improved by love
• They are truly happy

11
Act IV or Id like to buy a vowel

• Prisoner Exchange
• Antenore, a Trojan, is captured in battle
• Calchas convinces the Greeks to trade him for
  Criseyde
• Manacles of Honor
• The lovers hear of the trade and are at a loss
• Honor and position prevent the lovers from
  fleeing
• Separation Anxiety
• The lovers meet the night before, dreading the
  dawn
• Criseyde plans to return by wit and manipulation

12
Act V or The Wheel Hits Bottom

• Abandonment
• Criseyde is unable to return
• Troilus is miserable at her absence
• Betrayal
• Criseyde is wooed by Diomede
• After initial resistance Criseyde is won over
• Dead Man Walking
• Troilus despairs of life and joins in the battle
  seeking Diomede
• Troilus is killed by Achilles
• Troilus soul ascends to be purified and he looks
  down upon the earth, laughing

13
Trojan Courtly Love?

• Aristocratic - Yes
• Do not Marry - Yes
• Speak through go-between - Yes
• Lover Suffers - Yes
• Must be Secret - No
• Unconsummated - No
• Ennobling Force - Yes
• Lady is Dominant Yes
• Overall YES

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Final Notes

• Composed in Middle English
• Many words easily visible in their early forms
• Widely varied spellings make reading out-loud in
  your head the best way to read it like Mallory
• Available in Modern English at the library
• Loses some charm in the transition, but easier to
  read
• Library section PR 1895 (Modern Trans. is L8)
  3rd floor