"Troilus and Criseyde" by Geoffrey Chaucer: Yeah, I know, I know, Chaucer two weeks in a row is a might powerful, but what can I say? I really need to stop talking to college girls. But this experience with Chaucer was much more enjoyable than the first.
The Trojan War is one of the cornerstones of Greek Mythology, serving as inspiration for writers and poets throughout the ages. Said to have taken place around 1200 BCE, the epic confrontation between Greece and Troy, which lasted 10 years and claimed countless lives, could have been avoided with a simple wedding invitation. When Peleus, the King of Thessaly, married Thetis, the gods got together and had a big ol' party. Unfortunately, someone forgot to include Eris, the goddess of discord, on the guest list. Enraged at the slight, Eris slipped into the banquet and left behind a golden apple inscribed with the words: "To the prettiest one."
Naturally, Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all wanted the prize, since each considered herself the most beautiful goddess. And who doesn't like apples? Anyway, this caused quite the stir, and in an effort to avoid an ugly scene, Zeus looked down from the heavens and chose Paris, the son of Troy's King Priam, to decide the matter. All three goddesses attempted to bribe the young judge, with Hera offering wealth, Athena vowing heroic victories, and Aphrodite promising the hand of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, who also just happened to be married to King Menelaus of Sparta. Paris, no fool he, gave the apple to Aphrodite. This eventually led to Paris and Helen running off together, which in turn caused King Menelaus to launch the proverbial 1000 ships to retrieve her, thus sparking the Trojan War.
"Troilus and Criseyde" takes place over the final three years of the bloody conflict. Troilus, like Paris, is one of Priam's many sons, with the great warrior Hector being the brood's most legendary member. While not Hector's equal, Troilus is a magnificent knight in his own right, defending Troy from the invading Greeks with ferocious courage. And it might be fair to say Troilus was a fighter, not a lover. He had no use for love, mocking all those who fell victim to its foolish trap. And then he saw Criseyde.
The lovely daughter of Calchas, a Trojan priest who foresaw the destruction of Troy and switched his allegiance to Greece, Criseyde sought and received protection from Hector, allowing her to continue living in peace within the walls of her home city. Considering her situation, and the fact that she was already a widow, Criseyde chose a quiet, reserved lifestyle, hardly looking to woo the sons of kings. Yet Troilus couldn't help himself. For the first time, this man who once scorned love felt its awesome power, and he was humbled in its wake.
Not knowing what to do, the stricken Troilus keeps his love for Criseyde a secret, becoming consumed night and day with his grief. It's not until his broken heart has him on the verge of death that his friend Pandare manages to discern the cause of his misery. Pandare is an older fellow, wise, if unsuccessful, in the ways of love. He's also Criseyde's uncle, so he's all too eager to provide an introduction for his good friend. Troilus, while somewhat relieved to finally share his burden, still stalls at taking the next step to win his love.
Seeing that Troilus is completely hopeless when it comes to women, Pandare takes the initiative, visiting his niece and letting her know of her noble admirer. Surprisingly, Criseyde isn't exactly thrilled. Not only is she still mourning the loss of her husband and the traitorous actions of her father, Criseyde also has an almost debilitating fear of gossip. The idea that word of an affair would get around and besmirch her good name sends her into fits of hysterics. It's only after impassioned pleas from her uncle, and catching a glimpse of Troilus in all his military majesty, that Criseyde begins to embrace the possibility.
After initial letters are exchanged and a friendly relationship begins to bloom, Pandare schemes to bring the two lovers together in the flesh. He secretly installs Troilus in his house and then invites his niece to dinner. Citing the poor weather as an excuse, Pandare convinces Criseyde to spend the night, putting her up in a room all her own. He then preys on Criseyde's dread of innuendo, telling her stories are swirling that she has spurned Troilus in favor of a new love. Criseyde rages against the lie, telling her uncle it simply isn't true and that she will set things straight with Troilus the next morning. Why wait? Pandare springs his little trap, bringing Troilus to Criseyde's bedside. She begins to emotionally confess her true feelings for Troilus, swearing her devotion and loyalty. Seeing the pain Pandare's little trick caused, Troilus actually faints from guilt. This only increases Criseyde's pity. Pandare is quick to seize the opportunity, helping the weakened Troilus into bed with Criseyde. How about that Pandare, huh? What a guy. Thankfully, nature takes its course form there, and Troilus is able to figure the rest out on his own, or at least there's no mention of Pandare providing an instruction manual and diagrams of the female anatomy.
Their first night together truly brings Troilus and Criseyde together, and their discreet love affair, still hidden from everyone save Pandare, brings them joyous bliss. Everything is all puppet shows and candy canes until one day the Greeks capture a high-ranking Trojan spy. Calchas, convinced Troy will soon fall, gets the Greeks to negotiate an exchange, swapping the Trojan prisoner for Criseyde in order to save his daughter from certain death. Of course, this news doesn't go over too well with Troilus and Criseyde, but neither one speaks out publicly against the trade in order to keep their love secret. Troilus wants to run away with his lady fair, starting a new life together in a distant land. Fearing the shame such a move would bring to both their names and Troilus' family, Criseyde says she will go through with the planned exchange, assuring Troilus she will return to him within 10 days or as soon as her father realizes she would rather live in Troy. But soon after she leaves, Criseyde makes a decision so shocking that it easily elevates the story into the pantheon of great tragic romances. It really is quite tremendous.
"Troilus and Criseyde" is told in five parts and written in rhyme royal verse, meaning it consists of seven-line stanzas with a rhyming scheme of ababbcc. And although modern translations are plentiful, I read the Middle English version because, well, I like to suffer.
The big question, though, is how much of its greatness is actually owed to Chaucer? While mentioned by Homer, the detailed story of Troilus and Criseyde's love affair first appeared in Benoit de Sainte-Maure's "Roman de Troie," which dates back to the 12th Century. Italian poet Giovanni Boccaccio followed in the 14th Century with his own version of the tale, "Filostrato."
Not having read either of those earlier works, it's impossible to tell what, if anything, Chaucer brought to the table. One would imagine the basic storyline was kept the same, and it's the plot, most notably Criseyde's fateful decision, that I found so extraordinary. While the style and eloquence of the writing is far superior to the crass ribaldry of "The Canterbury Tales," Chaucer remains maddeningly long-winded. Ask this guy to count to three and he'd start from 100 and go backwards. It can be positively infuriating, especially when trying to muddle through the Middle English.
When you get right down to it, I loved the story, but didn't always care for how it was told. I hear tell Edward de Vere, who some of you might know as "Shakespeare," wrote his own version of the story, so maybe that might be a better option. But please don't let any issues with Chaucer deter you from experiencing "Troilus and Criseyde," especially if you're unfamiliar with the basic tale. It's a memorable romance, as devastatingly poignant today as it was when it first saw print. It's as true to life as any love story I've ever read, which, sadly, gives you some insight into my past. Has anyone seen my gin?
RATING: 