Troilus and Criseyde

Troilus, a prince of Troy, is a protagonist and tragic hero in Troilus and Criseyde. While he does not outperform his elder brother, Ector, Chaucer describes him as never being second to any other man. Troilus is described as handsome and as a skilled warrior. At the beginning of the narrative, he is well-known for scorning and disparaging love. He often criticizes other men who become infatuated with women, saying, “O veray fooles, nyce and blynde be ye! / There nys nat oon kan war by other be” (1.202-03). His dismissal of love is predicated on his esteem for free will and reason: He believes that men who fall in love lose their reason and act against their own best interests. This initial attitude establishes The Tension Between Free Will and Divine Providence, as the god of love takes revenge on Troilus by shooting him with an arrow of love, forcing him to fall in love with Criseyde and proving that he is not entirely in control of his own desires and actions. While Troilus does not outwardly change his behavior, he privately becomes emotional, distressed, and despondent.