Troilus and Criseyde

Troilus and Criseyde is Geoffrey Chaucer's great love tragedy, written in the 1380s and set during the Trojan War. It tells of a Trojan prince who scorns love until he is wounded by it, and of the woman he loves, whose choices have been debated for centuries. Chaucer's five-book poem moves from springtime hope to loss, exploring fortune, free will, reputation and the fragile nature of human happiness. Its narrator is a constant presence, by turns sympathetic and ironic, and its rhyme royal stanzas give the story a stately, emotional music.

This edition is for anyone who wants to read the complete poem in Middle English. It includes the full text in five books, a new introduction for first-time readers, a guide to the characters, a summary of the whole work, an exploration of its major themes, a glossary of old and unusual words, and twelve discussion questions for book clubs or students.