Consider Chaucer’s ‘Troilus and Criseyde’ as a Poem of County Love Tradition.

Answer

Consider Chaucer’s ‘Troilus and Criseyde’ as a poem of county love tradition.

Courtly love was a medieval European literary conception of love that emphasized nobility and chivalry. Medieval literature is filled with examples of knights setting out on adventures and performing various deeds or services for ladies because of their “Courtly Love.” “Troilus and Criseyde” (1385) is a luminous example of Courtly love by the father of English poetry, Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400). Before focusing on Troilus and Criseyde’s courtly love, we will focus on its origins and rules. It will help us discover the courtly love in “Troilus and Criseyde” and provide us with its whole conception.

The Definition of Courtly Love: Courtly love is a tradition in Western European literature between the 12th and the 14th centuries. It idealizes the love between a knight and a noblewoman, usually a married lady. 

Origination of Courtly Love: Courtly love is the theme of comprehensive literature that originated in the late 11th century. Andreas Capellanus is the inventor of Courtly Love. Later, the Troubadour poets in France started writing poems that applied the theme of courtly love. Soon, this theme of poetry became much more popular. So, it spread throughout Europe.

Rules of Courtly Love: 

• Marriage is no real excuse for not loving.

• Who is not jealous cannot love.

• One can be bound by a double love.

• Love may increase or decrease.

• Boys do not love until they arrive at the age of maturity.

Troilus and Criseyde as a Poem of Courtly Love: The poem ‘Troilus and Criseyde’ deals with the theme of Courtly love.  But it tends to the earlier French poetry of Boccaccio. “Troilus and Criseyde” was written in the 14th century. Chaucer writes the poem with certain modifications. He never strictly followed the rules of 11th-century Courtly love. He modified the poem towards sensibility.

Marriage is no Real Excuse for not Loving: Troilus is an unmarried young Trojan prince. On the other hand, Criseyde is a young widow. Troilus is struck with Cupid’s arrow. Chaucer states,

For sodeynly he hit him at the fulle;

So, Troilus becomes weak in Criseyde. Here, Chaucer properly fulfills the first rules of courtly love. The marriage of Criseyde did not hinder their love affair as she was a widow with unthinkable beauty.

Who is not Jealous Cannot Love: The second rule and conditions of Courtly are not properly fulfilled by Chaucer. Indeed, Troilus could not think anything without Criseyde. He could not bear anybody besides Criseyde. His heart is broken when he gets the brooch he gave Criseyde as a token of his love in Diomedess’ coat. Chaucer remarks,

And eek a broche (and that was litel nede)

That Troilus was, she yaf this Diomedes.

After that, he becomes jealous of Diomedess. But he never hates Criseyde as a Loyal lover. 

One can be Bound by a Double Love: The third condition is shown by Chaucer of Courtly Love in “Troilus and Criseyde.” Here, Criseyde leaves Troy and goes to the Greek camp. There, she falls in love with Diomedes. Though she started to love him for her security, she betrayed Troilus for that. So, the tragedy of Troilus leads him towards undesirable suffering. Criseyde is told that Troilus loves her more than his life, but she cannot depend on him. So, Chaucer says,  

For love is yet the moste stormy lyf,

Love may Increase or Decrease: Chaucer’s character of Criseyde reveals the fourth condition of Courtly love. While remaining in Troy, she loved Troilus so much from the core of her heart. But when she goes to the Greek camp, the situation becomes changed. She accepts his love offer of Diomedes. Though she replied to the letter of Troilus with extreme passion, over time, everything has changed.

Boys Do Not Love Until They Arrive at the Age of Maturity: The final condition and rules of “Courtly Love” are exposed through the character of Troilus. Troilus mocks the lovers. But when he starts to love Criseyde, he becomes a serious lover. He becomes more graceful,

 So goodly was, and gat him so in grace,

       That ech him lovede that loked on his face.

He reaches the mature level of mind. In the end, Troilus embraces suffering without complaining, and it is regarded as the deed of a fool, not a hero. 

In termination, though Chaucer does not follow all the conditions of Courtly love in his poem ‘Troilus and Criseyde,’ these variations make the poem more attractive and meaningful. To Chaucer, the lovers have genuine feelings for each other but cannot remain true to their oaths of love because of their circumstances.