Chaucer, Troilus & Criseyde, 01-25-26, 1st of 3 Sessions. Please read Books 1&2

Next our group will be comparing Geoffrey Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde (1386) with William Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida (1602) which offers a fascinating study in literary evolution and tonal shift. While both works use the same Trojan War backdrop, they feel worlds apart. Chaucer’s poem is a sweeping, sympathetic medieval romance that treats the lovers with "courtly love" tenderness. In contrast, Shakespeare’s play is a cynical, jagged "problem play" that satirizes the heroics of war and the fragility of romance.
The transformation of the heroine is a major talking point.

• Chaucer’s Criseyde: A complex widow driven by survival and fear.
• Shakespeare’s Cressida: Often seen as more worldly and "fickle," reflecting the harsher Elizabethan view of her "falseness."

Comparing a Middle English epic poem to an Early Modern drama sparks rich discussions on:

• Perspective: Chaucer’s intimate narrator vs. Shakespeare’s detached, biting wit.
• Themes: How "honor" and "constancy" degrade from the 14th to the 17th century.

It’s a rare opportunity to see how two of history’s greatest writers "remixed" the same tragic legend for their own eras.

Editions [available from your local library or online]:
Ch: Troilus and Criseyde. Norton Critical Edition, Edited by Stephen A. Barney. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. 2006. ISBN: 9780393927559 Used: $7+

Ch: The Riverside Chaucer. Third Edition. Edited by F.N. Robinson. New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 2008. ISBN: 9780199552092 Used $25+

Sh: Troilus and Cressida. Revised Edition. The Arden Shakespeare. Edited by David Bevington. Bloomsbury, 2015. ISBN: 9781472584748 Used: 9+

Online via Zoom
RSVP for the link.

Schedule of Readings:
Jan 25, 2026 - Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, Books 1 and 2
Feb 08, 2026 - Books 3 and 4
Feb 22, 2026 - Book 5 and Shakespeare's Troilus & Cressida

Summary of previous sessions:
Posted after first session

For 2026 [subject to change]:
Chaucer: Troilus and Cressida
Virgil: Georgics/Aeneid
Ovid: Metamorphosis /Erotic Poems
Homer: Iliad/Odyssey