Episode 201

‘Troilus and Cressida’, is a challenging piece by pretty much everybody’s estimation. Although it is no surprise that Shakespeare looked to the Homeric tales for his next inspiration which part of that story he chose to dramatize perhaps is and what he chose to do with it has perplexed commentators ever since. Ambiguous is the word most often used, but ultimately opinions range through ‘failure’ to ‘misunderstood’ to ‘modernistic’, and just about everything else in-between.

The early print history and dating of the play

The confusion caused by the two quarto versions and the First Folio version

The source material for the play

A brief synopsis of the play

‘Troilus and Cressida’ as a ‘problem play’

The Prologue

The play as an ensemble piece

The ignoble nature of the characters in the play

Cassandra as the voice of truth

Troilus and his view of Cressida

Is there a parallel with Romeo and Juliet?

The portrayal of Achilles and Hector

Ulysses and the ‘great chain of being’ argument

Was the play written for the Inns of Court?

Pandarus and the bitter ending to the play explained

The critical reception of the play

The performance history of the play

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