Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde
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This document provides an overview of Geoffrey Chaucer's epic poem Troilus and Criseyde. It summarizes that the poem was written between 1380-1385, taking elements from Homer's Iliad and Boccaccio's Il Filostrato. The poem follows the love story of Troilus, a Trojan prince, and Criseyde, the daughter of a Trojan prophet, across 5 books structured around their relationship developing and ending in betrayal. It explores major themes like love, friendship, free will vs. fate, and Christian vs. pagan perspectives through its characters, including the complex roles of Criseyde and Pandarus.
Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde
- 3. ORIGIN • Troilus and Criseyde is believed to be written in between 1380- 1385/6. •The basic background is provided by Homer’s description of Trojan war in his Iliad. •The love story of Troilus ( a hero of Trojan war ) and Criseyde first occurs in Benoit de Sainte Maure’s Roman de Troie . • Chief source for Chaucer- Boccaccio's II Filostrato
- 4. FEATURES • The poem Troilus and Criseyde belongs to the genre of Courtly Romance. • Written in the Italian phase of Chaucer’s literary career. • 8239 lines, 5 books. The first 4 books begins with a Proemium ( a lofty invocation). • Written in Rhyme Royal – ab ab bcc. East Midland dialect. • Historical background of Trojan war. • Chivalric tradition and element of mysticism.
- 5. • Combination of Romance and tragedy which anticipates Marlowe and Shakespeare. • Chaucer dedicates the epic to his contemporaries John Gower and Strode. • Blend of Christian and pagan elements.
- 6. STRUCTURE Book 1 – Troilus’ love Book 2 Love encouraged Book 3 - The Consummation Book 4 - The Separation Book 5 - The Betrayal
- 7. CHARACTERS • Calkas – a Trojan prophet who joins the greek, aware of the fall of Troy. • Criseyde – Calkas’ daughter , a young widow. • Troilus – Youngest son of King Priam of Troy. • Pandarus – Criseyde’s uncle, close friend of Troilus. • Hector – Prince of Troy, fierce warrior, leader of the Trojan armies, Troilus brother. • Diomede – Greek warrior and king.
- 8. • Deiphebus – Prince of Troy, aids Troilus in wooing Criseyde. • Cassandra – Troilus’ sister, a prophetess at the temple of Apollo. • Antenor – a Trojan warrior held captive by the Greeks. • Achilles – a warrior who kills Troilus and Hector in the battle.
- 9. BOOK 1 • Calkas’ Premonition • Foresees Troy’s Fall and flees to the Greek camp • Leaves Criseyde to wrathful citizens • Feast of Palladium • Troilus is scornful of love and lovers • Cupid takes his revenge: Troilus is smitten with Criseyde • Troilus Despairs • Tries to conceal his changed feelings • Admits to himself he’s 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
- 10. BOOK 2 • Pandarus’ Secret • After some teasing, reveals Troilus’ love to Criseyde • Speaks well of Troilus • Criseyde’s Consideration • Criseyde sees Troilus in the street and is intrigued • Still indecisive • Criseyde’s 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
- 11. BOOK 3 • 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
- 12. BOOK 4 • Prisoner Exchange • Antenore, a Trojan, is captured in battle • Calkas 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
- 13. BOOK 5 • 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
- 14. MAJOR THEMES
- 15. LOVE • The ideal medieval Courtly love through the Trojan world. • The expedient love between the victor and the vanquished, in the Greek camp. • The diverse world of celestial love in the Eighth sphere of Heaven
- 16. FRIENDSHIP • The Middle English period gave much importance to the concept of friendship. • The theme of friendship motivates the actions of the central characters like Criseyde, Troilus and Pandarus. • Towards the end , the Aristotelian concept of ‘imperfect friendship’ comes to play which wanes as it becomes mutually useless.
- 17. FREE WILL V/s PREDESTINATION • ‘The Wheel of Fortune’ • All the characters turn out to be mere instruments in the hands of Fate.
- 18. CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVES • The Christian and pagan ideals are compared and contrasted having a Christian narrator relating a pagan story. • The narrator , initially in love with the concept of love, learns through the tragedy of Troilus, to focus on the enduring love of God. • The stability of Troilus’ love gains a religious quality throughout the text. • The poem also discusses the cardinal virtues of faith, hope and love.
- 19. SECURITY • This theme is mainly concerned with the character of Criseyde. • All her actions are determined by the factor of security. • Throughout her life she searches for the security – physical, mental, social, political – in almost all levels of life.
- 20. TROILUS • An embodiment of all chivalric qualities. • Perfectly moulded to live in ideal love. • Stability & development of transcended love. • A character based on the virtue of hope as a strong motivating force. • By the end shows great capacity for tragic suffering, deepening psyche, through superior mental life. • He leads a quasi – mystic style in love longing & reaches enlightenment at the end.
- 21. CRITICAL INTERPRETATIONS • Psychoanalysts states that Troilus’ love for Criseyde is an auto - erotic attachment to the feminine image of himself. (Based on Jung’s concept of ‘anima’). • The feminists reading accuses him for self- centeredness , emotional imperialism, dishonesty & treachery.
- 22. CRISEYDE • A courtly heroine. • ‘dominated by fear’- C. S Lewis. • Through Criseyde , Chaucer expressed the joy of human love & it’s transitoriness. • Feminine mutability. • She chooses solitude to meditate on matters like love, & , for her privacy is a territory of independent will.
- 23. CRITICAL INTERPRETATIONS • Psychoanalysts doubts an incestuous relationship between Pandarus & Criseyde. • Feminists reading supports her as a victim of circumstances. • She is seen as a woman of self – esteem, aware of individual freedom – “I am myn owene womman” (Book 2 , 750 ). • She is retaining the rational faculty and power to choose.
- 24. PANDARUS • The agent of the plot • Acts as a catalyst in the love affair of Troilus & Criseyde. • He is seen as a model of the medieval ideal friendship. • Psychoanalysts like Beryl Rowland & Wolfgang Rudat views him as a ‘hermaphrodite.’ • Feminists question his motives in aiding Troilus to get Criseyde’s love.