What does Chaucer mean by “The double sorrow of Troilus?”
The Nun's Priest's Tale is a notable literary work by Geoffrey Chaucer. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of The Nun's Priest's Tale.
Answer
What does Chaucer mean by “The double sorrow of Troilus?”
In Geoffrey Chaucer’s (1340-1400) poem “Troilus and Criseyde” (1385), the phrase “the double sorrow of Troilus” refers to the two main types of pain that the character Troilus experiences. Troilus is a young Trojan prince who falls deeply in love with a woman named Criseyde. His sorrow is “double” because he suffers in two significant ways.
Sorrow of Unrequited Love: First, Troilus feels the sorrow of unrequited love. At the story’s beginning, he is lovesick because Criseyde does not return his feelings. He longs for her and feels great emotional pain because he cannot be with her. This sorrow is common in love stories, where one person loves another who does not love them back. Chaucer says,
For love is yet the moste stormy lyf,
It causes the lover to feel sad and desperate.
Sorrow of Betrayal and Loss: Second, Troilus experiences the sorrow of betrayal and loss. After Criseyde finally returns his love and they have a happy time together, their love story takes a tragic turn. Criseyde is sent away to the Greek camp as part of a prisoner exchange. She promises to return to Troilus but falls in love with another man, Diomede. She does not return. Troilus is heartbroken and feels betrayed by the woman he loves so much. So Troilus laments at the end,
O lady myn Criseyde,
Wher is your feyth, and wher is your biheste?
Wher is your love, wher is your trouthe,
This deepens his sorrow because he not only loses her physically but also realizes that she has chosen someone else over him.
In conclusion, these two sorrows—first, the longing and desire for unreturned love, and second, the pain of losing his beloved to another man—create the “double sorrow” that Chaucer describes. It shows how deeply Troilus suffers in love. Chaucer’s portrayal of Troilus’s double sorrow emphasizes the complexity and pain of love. It makes a pathetic and relatable story for readers.