Frequently referred to as the first great English novel, this story of two lovers brims with romance, warfare, and betrayal. Set during the siege of Troy, the epic poem tells of Troilus, a Trojan prince who has fallen hopelessly in love with Cressida, the daughter of a Trojan priest who has defected to the Greeks.
Remarkable for his beauty and bravery, Troilus is an engaging youth—noble, sensitive, and pure-souled—who lives, and eventually dies, for Cressida, a virtuous, tenderhearted young woman driven to infidelity by circumstance.
Regarded by many as Chaucer's most noble work of art, Troilus and Cressida has long been praised by critics as the most perfect of his completed works. The volume is an outstanding choice for readers of mythology and medieval poetry.