Examining the Character of Criseyde in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde

Geoffrey Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, written in the 14th century, is one of the most renowned works of Middle English literature. It is a narrative poem that tells the tragic love story of Troilus, a young Trojan prince, and Criseyde, a widow caught between her loyalty to her family and the demands of her love for Troilus. Criseyde’s character is central to the poem’s emotional weight and thematic complexity. She is depicted as a woman navigating the conflicting forces of love, loyalty, and self-preservation in a time of war and political upheaval.

Criseyde is often seen as a complex character whose actions provoke both sympathy and criticism. While some critics see her as a victim of circumstance, others argue that she exhibits traits of agency and self-interest. This analysis will explore Criseyde’s character through her development in the narrative, the societal pressures she faces, and the moral ambiguities that surround her actions.

1. Criseyde's Role as a Victim of Circumstance

One of the primary aspects of Criseyde’s character is that she is a victim of her circumstances. She is a widow whose father, Calchas, defects to the Greek side in the Trojan War, leaving her vulnerable and isolated in Troy. Criseyde’s initial position is one of powerlessness, as she is caught between the factions of the Trojans and Greeks, both of whom view her as a pawn to be used for their own purposes.

Chaucer’s portrayal of Criseyde reflects the limited agency of women in the medieval period. As a woman, Criseyde’s social and political power is heavily constrained, especially by the roles and expectations imposed upon her by men. Her emotional world, too, is shaped by her need to navigate these societal forces, and much of her internal conflict stems from the fact that she is unable to control her own destiny. For example, when Troilus first falls in love with her, she is reluctant to enter into a relationship, both because of the shame of being pursued by a young prince and because of her past as a widow. However, she is ultimately convinced by the force of Troilus’s love and the influence of her uncle Pandarus, who acts as a matchmaker. This development portrays Criseyde as someone who reacts to external pressures rather than taking active control over her choices.

2. Criseyde's Emotional Complexity: Love and Loyalty

Despite being depicted as a woman constrained by circumstance, Criseyde’s emotional landscape is richly developed, revealing the complexity of her character. She begins the narrative as a reluctant lover, initially wary of Troilus's passionate advances. However, over time, she reciprocates his love, and the two become lovers in a secret and intense relationship. Throughout the poem, Criseyde wrestles with the tension between her romantic feelings for Troilus and her pragmatic concerns for her survival.

In the course of their love, Criseyde is depicted as a woman who is not purely driven by emotion but also by the realities of her social position. This is evident when she is forced to negotiate her relationship with Troilus after her father’s betrayal. She is pressured to maintain loyalty to her family and the Greek side because of her father’s betrayal and the political implications of her situation. Thus, Criseyde’s affection for Troilus is deeply complicated by her sense of duty and the conflicting demands placed on her.

This conflict becomes even more pronounced when Criseyde is traded to the Greeks in exchange for the Trojan prisoner Antilochus. She is torn between her love for Troilus and her duty to her family and the Greek side. While Criseyde is not completely unwilling to sacrifice her love for Troilus, her decision to leave him can be seen as an act of self-preservation rather than betrayal. Her emotional turmoil illustrates that she is not a one-dimensional character but a woman trying to balance the ideals of love with the realities of war and family loyalty.

3. Criseyde’s Moral Ambiguities: Loyalty vs. Self-Interest

Criseyde’s decision to accept the Greek suitor Diomede while in camp with the Greeks has been a source of controversy among readers and critics for centuries. This act is seen by some as an ultimate betrayal of Troilus, while others interpret it as a reflection of her inability to navigate the pressures placed upon her. By choosing Diomede, Criseyde betrays Troilus, not just in a personal sense, but also on a societal level, as it marks her allegiance with the enemy. Critics argue that her actions may reflect her own pragmatic desire for security, as she seeks to align herself with the winning side during the war.

However, one must consider the moral ambiguity of Criseyde’s decision. While she may be seen as weak or unfaithful, her actions reflect a certain realism in a world defined by constant danger and betrayal. Self-interest, in this case, can be seen as a survival mechanism rather than a selfish inclination. Given the uncertainty of her position, Criseyde’s choice to accept Diomede might be interpreted as an act of agency in an otherwise helpless situation, even though it ultimately brings her great emotional pain and a sense of loss.

4. Criseyde’s Transformation: The Loss of Innocence

In many ways, Criseyde’s character arc follows a tragic journey from innocence to disillusionment. Initially, she is portrayed as a virtuous woman who is loyal to her family and reluctant to engage in a romantic relationship. However, as she is drawn deeper into her love for Troilus, she must confront the limitations of her social position and the external forces that shape her choices. Her betrayal of Troilus and her decision to accept Diomede reflect her loss of idealism and her painful maturation into the harsh realities of her world.

Criseyde’s final fate in the poem is tragic, as her decisions lead her to emotional alienation and regret. Her heartbreak at the loss of Troilus is compounded by the realization that her love was, in some ways, doomed from the start—bound by the constraints of her environment. Through her transformation, Chaucer presents Criseyde as a deeply human character who is forced to make choices that reflect both her desires and the limitations imposed on her.

5. Conclusion: Criseyde as a Complex and Tragic Figure

Criseyde in Troilus and Criseyde is one of Chaucer’s most nuanced characters, whose emotional complexity reflects both her internal conflicts and the external forces that govern her world. She is a character shaped by love, loyalty, and self-preservation, and her development reflects the difficult choices women face in a patriarchal society at war. Criseyde’s actions—her initial reluctance to love, her tragic betrayal, and her internal suffering—paint her as a character who struggles to reconcile her own desires with the harsh realities of her life. Chaucer presents Criseyde not as a simple figure of faithlessness, but as a woman trapped between love, duty, and survival, whose journey mirrors the complex emotional terrain of human nature and the consequences of the choices we make.