The story in one page
The Trojan War has ground into a tedious seven-year slog. While the Greeks argue over why Achilles won’t leave his tent, Troilus enlists Pandarus to help him woo Cressida. Their short-lived union is shattered by a political prisoner swap that sends Cressida to the Greek camp, where she quickly accepts the protection of Diomedes. On the battlefield, the supposed codes of chivalry dissolve; Achilles abandons honor to ambush an unarmed Hector. The play rejects heroic myth, ending not with a glorious conquest, but with Troilus consumed by spite and Pandarus bequeathing his venereal diseases to the audience.
Who's who
- Troilus
A Trojan prince who prioritizes his romantic obsession over the war effort.
- Cressida
A pragmatic woman whose loyalty shifts once she is traded to the Greeks.
- Pandarus
Cressida’s uncle who facilitates the lovers' tryst and ends the play disgraced.
- Ulysses
A Greek commander who uses psychological manipulation to motivate his stagnant army.
- Achilles
A prideful Greek warrior who refuses to fight until his companion is killed.
What it's really about
- Leveled Honor
- Chivalry is treated as a facade for brutal, messy violence.
- Commodity
- People and affection are traded like military supplies or livestock.
Why it's memorable
- The Greek generals lining up to take turns kissing a newly arrived Cressida.
- Pandarus standing alone on stage at the end cursing his aching, diseased bones.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
Troilus discovers Cressida’s infidelity and turns his grief into murderous rage against Achilles, while a disgraced Pandarus closes the play by promising to leave his physical ailments to the viewers.
For your book club
- The contrast between Troilus’s idealization of love and the reality of Cressida's survival instincts.
- Ulysses's argument that social order depends entirely on strict hierarchy and degree.