Paganism and Pagan Love in 'Troilus and Criseyde'

Author / Editor
Frankis, John.

Title
Paganism and Pagan Love in 'Troilus and Criseyde'

Published
Mary Salu, ed. Essays on Troilus and Criseyde (Cambridge: Brewer, 1979), pp. 57-72.

Description
The pagan references in TC perform two obvious functions: they provide local color and they help to delineate character (as in Pandarus' scorn of Troilus--who has just uttered a prayer to several pagan deities--calling him a "mouses hert," III, 736).
But, more important, the failure of the love affair and the ultimate failure of the pagan gods to protect the lovers reveals the triviality and transcience of various aspects of human experience, while at the same time leaving the reader with an impression of the lasting value of these things.

Alternative Title
Essays on Troilus and Criseyde.

Chaucer Subjects
Troilus and Criseyde.