“Troilus and Criseyde” by Geoffrey Chaucer: Character and the Punishment Essay

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Introduction

The characters of the chosen poem by Chaucer Troilus and Cressida are Trojans; Troilus is the son of the Trojan king Priam, the younger brother of Hector. Cressida is a young widow whom Troilus saw at the festival of Athena, where she struck the prince with her beauty (Chaucer, 2018).

Discussion

However, this love seemed hopeless to Troilus for a long time and began to have a negative aspect as love became similar to the disease. Chaucer’s poem is characterized by a precise composition, which reflects the logic of the inner concept of the poem. In its first two parts, the heroes awaken to love, overcoming doubts and timidity; the central part of the poem depicts the happiness of finding and intoxication with love. The fourth and fifth parts again return the heroes, especially Troilus, to painful doubts and represent the collapse of love.

Cressida is a complex and controversial character, portrayed as a model of female fickleness and as a frivolous young woman. The theme of opposing earthly love and heavenly love arises, and in the finale, the author calls to renounce the short-lived, mortal world and ends the poem with a prayer addressed to the Trinity. Cressida in Chaucer is shown with sympathy, and due to her betrayal, the narrator warns of an unfortunate end to the story. For my chosen character, the punishment was the death of a loved one when Troilus died in battle. The mistakes she was punished for may include focusing too much on the serpent of love and ignoring heavenly love.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in the moral scheme, on the one hand, it is not appropriate since the characters have become hostages of fast and strong feelings. However, they also faced the doom of fate, which articulates the inevitability.

Reference

Chaucer, G. (2018). Troilus and Criseyde. BoD – Books on Demand.

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IvyPanda. 2024. "“Troilus and Criseyde” by Geoffrey Chaucer: Character and the Punishment." February 14, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/troilus-and-criseyde-by-geoffrey-chaucer-character-and-the-punishment/.

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IvyPanda. "“Troilus and Criseyde” by Geoffrey Chaucer: Character and the Punishment." February 14, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/troilus-and-criseyde-by-geoffrey-chaucer-character-and-the-punishment/.

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