THE DOUBLE ROLE OF CRISEYDE IN
CHAUCER'S TROILUSAND CRISEYDE
Mary Joan Cook, RSM
C r i t i c s o f C h a u c e r ' s Troilus
the
character of Criseyde.
throughout h i s e d i t i o n
T h i s i s made a p p a r e n t by
f o r a key
spoke o f
the
preface
to her
this
on
"to pluck
That t h i s
out
character."
"Criseyde's
figure
figure.
continues
the
Criseyde
"What c a n
be
p r o v e d , however, w i t h
d e c l a r a t i o n s o f sympathy
By
developing
an
by
1970
Robert apRoberts, i n a
surprising
"Another essay
essay
on
on
Hamlet."'
3
(to paraphrase
t o the
reader
who
I t s o o n becomes c l e a r
d e l i b e r a t e l y making C r i s e y d e
Criseyde,"
that
an
comments on
c r i t i c a l attempts
the
baffling
to e x p l a i n i t :
some c o g e n c y i s t h a t C h a u c e r , d e s p i t e a l l
f o r Criseyde,
i n n e r and
two,
and
unsuccessful
t o make h e r b e t r a y a l much h a r d e r
a d i s p a r i t y between t h e
their
t h i s o b s e r v a t i o n . D i e t e r Mehl, i n d i s c u s s i n g
A u d i e n c e o f C h a u c e r ' s Troilus
and
in
mystery."
t h e n a r r a t o r was
line with
scholarship,
L. Gordon i n
to provoke attempts
so i s a c t u a l l y not
of
as
and
I n f i d e l i t y , " noted:
characterization carefully.
In
pondered
references
critics
More r e c e n t l y , I d a
2
r e d u n d a n t as a n o t h e r
behaviour
his
1
the h e a r t o f her
Chaucer o r , i f you w i l l ,
"The
the years
o f t h e m o s t complex o f h i s c r e a t i o n s .
the v e r y disagreements o f the
s h o u l d be
examines C r i s e y d e ' s
enigmatic
" i s one
m i g h t seem as
Mona L i s a - l i k e
Hamlet)
have o v e r
" t e a s i n g enigma o f h e r b e h a v i o r , "
to h i s essay
Chaucer's Criseyde
Yet
Criseyde
R o b i n s o n , whose comments and
i n d i c a t e h i s f a m i l i a r i t y with Chaucerian
wrote t h a t Chaucer's Criseyde
search
and
F.N.
altered
4
the
s t o r y i n such a
way
to explain."
outer
C r i s e y d e , by
r a i s i n g questions
187
occasionally indicating
about her behaviour
and
188
u s u a l l y a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h a t he,
he
convinces
the
illustrations
tell
in
Troy,
curiosity
tyme t h a t she
conceals
Again
this
was
s a y s , w o u l d make h e r
f r i e n d s i n the
house o f O e i p h e b u s a s
i n t o C r i s e y d e , we
hire
and,
few
the n a r r a t o r t e l l s
i s seated with
With a glimpse
A
the p r o u d e s t
/ To knowe t h y n g d e s i r e d she
f r o m P a n d a r u s , however, and,
i n Book I I , C r i s e y d e
answers,
I n Book I I , when P a n d a r u s r e f u s e s
i s aroused
born,
have t h e
i s somehow i n s c r u t a b l e .
t h i s view.
t h i n g w h i c h , he
Criseyde's
the
that Criseyde
support
her a c e r t a i n
sith
She
reader
will
t h e n a r r a t o r , does n o t
they
readers
i n fact,
changes the
relatives
told
/ That thoughte,
'Best k o u d I y e t ben
(II.
1581-82).
lines
d i s c u s s i o n c o n t i n u i n g , the
lets
us know:
A few
Herde a l t h i s
And
thyng C r i s e y d e wel
e v e r y w o r d gan
For which with
The
f o r to
sobre
"sobre
there
cheere,"
Criseyde
thus
than
reader,
lough.
established.
T h u s , i n Book I I he
is
questionable;
it
leads
the
arranging
about her motives,
suggests
actually
reader
she w h i s p e r i n g l y
the q u e s t i o n
lough,
and
seen.
Again,
reply,
a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h a t he
say,
the n a r r a t o r r a i s e s
i n Book I I I , why
It
she
o l d she
i s (V.
seems c l e a r ,
appearance and
faste excuse"
there.
her a c t i o n s .
love f o r
Troilus
His
asking
f e a r t h a t he
Later
i t , adding
would
be
i n n e r t h o u g h t s on
h i s source
too,
does not
at her
heart
this
say,
the n a r r a t o r
to kneel
gave Diomede h e r
to
( I I I . 561).
Pandarus denies
Typically,
Troilus
the'
I n Book I I I , when P a n d a r u s ,
n e e d have no
allowed
to
cannot
bedside
(1050)
nor
826).
then,
behaviour
also.
does n o t know, and
Criseyde
character,
him.
the
Criseyde
her knowledge, and
the q u e s t i o n o f h e r
i n Book V, w h e t h e r she
outer
the e n i g m a t i c
only
i s more
T r o i l u s i n h i s home, a s k s h e r
hire
b e l i e v e d Pandarus o r not.
(967-70) n o r ,
e v e n how
and
gan
a s k s i f T r o i l u s w i l l be
t h a t e v e n i f T r o i l u s were t h e r e
w h e t h e r she
i n n e r and
this question originates with
to r a i s e
"she
laughing,
H e l e n see
t h a t the suddenness o f h e r
the meeting o f Criseyde
come t o d i n n e r ,
fact of this
Further, i n developing
narrator r a i s e s questions
inwardly
Though D e i p h e b u s a n d
The
narrator
( I I . 1590-92)
i n t h i s i n s t a n c e , knows t h a t t h e r e
meets the e y e .
list
leche'"
notifie;
cheere h i r e h e r t e
i s a disparity.
the
illness.
inough,
p i c t u r e here i s of a s t r a i g h t - f a c e d Criseyde
Certainly,
is
l a t e r , the
subject.
al
nought t o teche,
5
and
his
" t h e r s a t oon,
his
"nevere,
faste."
Troilus'
d i s c u s s T r o i l u s and
are
us,
so
to
woman
t h a t Chaucer's C r i s e y d e
can
i s enigmatic;
conceal, i n fact b e l i e ,
her thoughts;
her
she
is
189
p u z z l i n g e v e n t o the n a r r a t o r h i m s e l f .
this deliberate
more c l e a r l y why
by
inscrutability,
B u t why,
one
t h a t she
irrational,
presence
no
and
i s t o be
i n a t t r i b u t e s and
6
the u n f a v o r a b l e . "
so p e r v a d e s
leaves Troy
her
d e s c r i b e d as
up
suggests
"fickle,
unstable,
a p p e a r a n c e composed o f e x t r e m e s o f
the
T h a t d e s c r i b e s t h e g o d d e s s F o r t u n a , whose
t h e poem t h a t , as B a r b a r a
the T r o i l u s w i t h o u t
becomes a l l - i n - a l l
to take
characterization o f Criseyde
i d e n t i f i e d w i t h a g o d d e s s o r power f r e q u e n t l y
traditionally
s c h o l a r has w r i t t e n on
C r i s e y d e , who
sees
h e r q u a l i t y o f s e e m i n g o t h e r t h a n she i s ?
m e n t i o n e d i n t h e poem and
and
characterization,
wonders, d i d C h a u c e r seek t o e m p h a s i z e
A searching consideration of this
favorable
this
g e n e r a t i o n s o f r e a d e r s have b e e n a p p r o p r i a t e l y m y s t i f i e d
her b e h a v i o u r .
ultimately
Studying
d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e i n s c r u t a b l e a s p e c t o f C r i s e y d e , one
Bartholomew n o t e s ,
"Almost
considering Fortuna."
t o T r o i l u s and
then
7
f o r s a k e s him,
r e s i d e n c e i n t h e Greek camp, who
And
who
h i d e s h e r change o f
h e a r t i n d e c e i t f u l m e s s a g e s , i s e a s i l y i d e n t i f i e d w i t h t h i s same b e g u i l i n g ,
changeable,
In
faithless
fact,
Fortuna.
although
critics
g
c o n t i n u e t o s e e k w i t h v a r y i n g t h e o r i e s the
key
to C r i s e y d e ' s c h a r a c t e r ,
has
o c c u r r e d to s e v e r a l i n recent years.
"the p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n
with Antenor,
Stevens
who
her i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o r a s s o c i a t i o n with
o f changing
F o r t u n a wanes, u n t i l
finally
and
difficult
s y m b o l i c a l l y e q u a l i n exchange
9
1 0
Most r e c e n t l y , J o s e p h
C h a u c e r ' s C r i s e y d e " has
to maintain
concluded
that Criseyde i s —
determining
than once i n t h i s
noting
Although
Fortuna
with
article,
the Fortuna
however, S a l e m i
t h e Troilus,
Philosophy
to prove
and b y
which are
be
—
a
1 1
an
More
associates Criseyde with
Fortuna,
12
Fortuna."
that Criseyde i s a figure
these
of
Y e t by p o i n t i n g t o c e r t a i n p a s s a g e s i n t h e
comparing s e v e r a l passages i n B o c c a c c i o ' s
citing
r e l e v a n t t o t h i s F o r t u n a - t h e s i s , one
i n C h a u c e r ' s poem.
text
Filostrato
v a r i o u s p a s s a g e s i n B o e t h i u s ' Consolation
argument t h a t C r i s e y d e p o r t r a y s F o r t u n a
to
her
"Playful
i s t h e i n s t r u m e n t by w h i c h
comes t o r e s e m b l e t h e g o d d e s s
tried
i n C h a u c e r ' s work.
by
in
r o l e o f C r i s e y d e has b e e n a l l u d e d t o b y
none o f them has
o f t h e Troilus,
Salemi
t h a t "while i t would
f o r c e ( t h a t i s , l o v e ) overwhelms T r o i l u s . "
f o r i n s t a n c e t h a t "she
critics,
Martin
even o n l y f i g u r a t i v e l y
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e g o d d e s s F o r t u n a , she
external,
I n 1979,
[Troilus'] despair increases, his loyalty
she i s e n t i r e l y d i s p l a c e d i n h i s m i n d b y
human c o u n t e r p a r t , C r i s e y d e . "
Fortune
Fortune,
a l s o becomes known f o r b e t r a y a l . "
commented t h a t "as h i s
Fortuna
F o r C h a r l e s Berryman, C r i s e y d e i s
of
can b u i l d a s t r o n g
190
S u c h an a r g u m e n t does n o t l e a d t o t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t C r i s e y d e i s
solely
Fortuna.
Rather,
woman whom T r o i l u s
mystery i s , i n f a c t ,
pletely,
really
i n e a c h human b e i n g .
completely,
complex c h a r a c t e r .
To
another.
that typifies
Fortuna.
turn t o the evidence
mention.
No one o f u s u n d e r s t a n d s
t o Diomede, t h e
1 3
i n h i s Criseyde an
i n s e l e c t i n g passages from
t h a t C h a u c e r saw C r i s e y d e a s F o r t u n a ,
Probably
at least
" F o r w e l fynde
mutability
Troilus
s i x deserve
t h e most s i g n i f i c a n t o c c u r s i n Book I . When
approaches and q u e s t i o n s h i s f r i e n d , t h e l o v e - s m i t t e n T r o i l u s ,
I t h a t Fortune
a d e s c r i p t i o n o f Fortuna's
Pandarus
he i s t o l d
i s my f o " ( I . 8 3 7 ) . P a n d a r u s r e s p o n d s
changeable
should give Troilus
U l t i m a t e l y Pandarus wrests
com-
C r i s e y d e i s a humanly
a l r e a d y drawn i n B e n o i t and
t h a t Chaucer developed
First,
t h a t o f the
The q u a l i t y o f
infamous s h i f t o f l o v e from T r o i l u s
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with Fortuna.
which i n d i c a t e
role;
Fortuna.
I n t h a t sense,
Chaucer found h e r lineaments
Boccaccio, her r a d i c a l ,
kind o f shift
i t i s t h a t she p l a y s a double
loved and t h a t o f mysterious
nature,
with
arguing that h e r very
c a u s e t o hope f o r a n upward t u r n o f h e r w h e e l .
from T r o i l u s
t h e name o f h i s s e c r e t l o v e , when he
reveals:
"Alias!
o f a l l my wo t h e we l i e ,
Thanne i s my swete f o c a l l e d C r i s e y d e ! " ( I . 873-4)
H e r e , t h e n , we h a v e T r o i l u s s a y i n g " F o r t u n e
later:
i s my f o , " a n d o n l y 37 l i n e s
"Thanne i s my swete f o c a l l e d C r i s e y d e . "
these suggests
Fortune;
an A • C i d e n t i t y b e t w e e n F o r t u n e
h i s foe i s c a l l e d Criseyde.
was n o t m i n d f u l o f t h i s
The s i m i l a r i t y
and C r i s e y d e .
I ti s difficult
Another s t r i k i n g passage occurs a t t h e opening
But
And
That
And
o f Book I V , i m m e d i a t e l y
p o s s e s s i o n o f C r i s e y d e a n d h e r many e x -
T h e r e we r e a d :
a l to l i t e l ,
Lasteth swich
That
t o t h i n k t h a t Chaucer
identity.
following Troilus' b l i s s - f i l l e d
pressions o f love.
between
H i s foe i s
weylaway t h e w h y l e ,
j o i e , y t h o n k e d be F o r t u n e ,
semeth t r e w e s t whan s h e w o l b y g y l e ,
kan t o fooles so h i r e
s h e hem h e n t
whan a w i g h t
song entune,
and b l e n t , t r a i t o u r
i s from h i r e w h i e l
commune'.
ythrowe,
Than l a u g h e t h s h e , a n d maketh hym t h e mowe.
191
From T r o i l u s
she
Awey t o w r i t h e ,
c a s t e hym
And
on h i r e w h i e l she
l e e s t e , how
As w r i t e n
first
folk
ben
t h a t she was
matere o f my
toward an
Ann
Again,
take
just
Middle
indeed
"heart" or
two
Dictionary
G r e t was
But
as an
And
faithless
illustration
C h a u c e r has
of
I f we
the
469,
behaviour.
Although
"corage"
accept
in
the
"corage,"
"slydyng"
i n c l u d e d here
V
return
(V.
meaning
volume.
"unstable
of
in his
Fortune.
s h a l l mention a g a i n i n r e l a t i o n
H e r e , a f t e r T r o i l u s has
learned with
to
certainty
the n a r r a t o r says:
sorwe and p l e y n t e o f
forth hire
Criseyde
t o f o o l him
i n f o r m a t i o n on
" u n s t a b l e " a s a synonym.
i n Book V.
the
behaving
t w i c e i n Book
"slydyng o f corage."
the major c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f
infidelity,
us
t h i r d stanza i n
famous p o r t r a i t o f C r i s e y d e
g i v e us
r e l e v a n t p a s s a g e , w h i c h we
occurs
of Criseyde's
intended
not y e t advanced t o the
the m e a n i n g o f t h i s p h r a s e ,
final
Boccaccio,
The
The
can
t h i s p a r t i c u l a r phrase
"temperament," i t h a s
p o r t r a i t of Criseyde
A
Fortune
more i n s t a n c e s .
English
leads
forsaking of Troilus,
i s personified i n Criseyde's
R o b i n s o n , however, g i v e s
h e a r t " as
faithless),
d e s c r i b e d t h e h o p e f u l T r o i l u s a w a i t i n g the
that, i n fact,
Fortune
This
the i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f Criseyde w i t h
c o n t a i n s t h e e q u a l l y famous p h r a s e
Arbor
citing
us
trewest
l o v i n g C r i s e y d e o f Book I I I
T h i s same k i n d o f j u x t a p o s i t i o n o c c u r s
when t h e n a r r a t o r , h a v i n g
tells
the
seroeth
15-18)
Criseyde.
j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f the
Criseyde's
behaves, strengthens
"seeming" F o r t u n e .
of Criseyde,
"That
h a v e a l r e a d y b e e n w a r n e d w i l l be
Then, t h e
( I V . 1-11,
Chaucer's v e i l e d
f o l l o w i n g so c l o s e l y
identification.
j u s t as F o r t u n e
Book V
unkynde,
book,
t h o r u g h w h i c h i t i s i n mynde.
which the s u b j e c t i s e x p l i c i t l y
To
. . . .
forsook,
b y g y l e " which l u r k s behind
o f c o u r s e , we
1134).
grace,
stanza d e l i n e a t e s t h a t p i c t u r e o f Fortune
wol
d e s c r i p t i o n of Fortune,
(who,
heede,
s e t t e up Diomede
Criseyde T r o i l u s
Or a t t h e
face
non
clene out o f h i s lady
Moot h e n n e s f o r t h
The
hire brighte
t o k o f hym
But
F o r how
whan she
gan
and
cours
Fortune
l o v e t h the s o n o f
ay gan
to
holde.
Tideus,
T r o i l u s moot wepe i n c a r e s
same k i n d o f j u x t a p o s i t i o n n o t e d
Troilus;
colde.
(V.
1744-47)
i n s e v e r a l previous instances i s again
192
evident.
easily
Fortune's
behaviour
Fortune
First
i s a c o m p a r i s o n between B o c c a c c i o ' s
of a l l .
Fortune
mentions Fortune
lives;
is explicitly
about
me
significance
already
nature
35
times.
f r o m thee
a greater casualness
and
the
An
f r o m me"
references
i s missing
parliament
( s t a n z a 88) .
to Fortune.
from the
are
T h i s passage i s not
decides
from Boccaccio,
to y i e l d
Calchas'
comply.
C h a u c e r i n c l u d e s the
This
Of
request
Trojans
folk
after traitour
(IV. 202-5)
devotes four stanzas
t o the
city,
departing
Criseyde
from Troy
thought i s Salemi's
t o be
to t h i s
Once one
can
was,
remember, t h e
we
Trojan
a d d s a commentary on
Boccaccio
to
the
f o r Antenor:
f o r the
represent
can be
fall
of t h e i r c i t y .
I f Antenor represents
i t s good f o r t u n e .
seen as F o r t u n e ' s
favor."
sees t h a t Criseyde's
element i n the
in
I n C a n t o IV,
that Criseyde's
a f o r e s h a d o w i n g o f more b i t t e r d i s a s t e r f o r T r o i l u s and
another
found
town
irony.
observation
the w i t h d r a w a l o f F o r t u n e ' s
the
are
t h a t i n exchanging Antenor f o r
T r o j a n s were o p e n i n g t h e way
f o r the
Criseyde
of
mentioned
t o meschaunce.
t o make e x p l i c i t
f a c t , he
have
deliveraunce
Of
the
T h e r e i s , however,
the T r o j a n s ' r e a d i n e s s
i n exchanging Criseyde
Criseyde
now
to ponder t h i s d i f f e r e n c e .
f o r Antenor.
same s t o r y b u t
F o r he was
Chaucer chooses, thus,
Criseyde's
Criseyde
A n t e n o r , t h a t b r o u g h t hem
Troye.
affecting
s i g n i f i c a n t i n the c o n s i d e r a t i o n
f o r h i s d a u g h t e r and
d e s i r e n now
If
Boccaccio
passage,
i n Book I V o f T r o i l u s , when the
up
narrates
work.
fortune
We
and
as
Troilus.
T r o i l u s i n which
foe o f T r o i l u s .
occurs
One
Fllostrato.
i n which Fortune
as F o r t u n e ,
the
i s seen t h e r e as
"since cruel
i n t e r p r e t e r o f C h a u c e r ' s work h a s
b l i n d n e s s o f the
and
i s d i s c u s s e d and
A second divergence
Criseyde
this
too,
i n Canto I V
t h e Book I e n c o u n t e r between P a n d a r u s a n d
i d e n t i f i e d as
fortune
Fllostrato
r e f e r r e d to i n Boccaccio's
Fortune,
thee
about the
in Troilus,
o f Fortune
Boccaccio.
—
two
g i v i n g t h e o r i g i n o f h i s poem,
f o r instance, C r e s s e i d says
s t e a l e t h both
to
the
a n a l y s i s o f Chaucer's development o f C r i s e y d e
14
include his introductory letter
of
and
identified.
A second s t e p i n the
we
i s Criseyde's behaviour,
s t o r y , the
In
i l l -
And
departing.
Close
"removal i s
simply
Troy
as a whole
1 5
departure
Palladium,
f e a s t o f the P a l l a d i u m ,
spells
takes
the
disaster for
on
new
Troy,
significance.
s a c r e d image o f P a l l a s
It
193
A t h e n e , when T r o i l u s
as
this
comments t h a t t h i s
this
and
be
first
saw
Criseyde.
Tradition
image r e m a i n e d w i t h i n T r o y , t h e c i t y was
image was,
" r e l i k " was
"hire
trist
according to t r a d i t i o n ,
Ulysses suggests
disaster.
Antenor's
w e l l as
for Troilus
two
months, f a r f r o m
For both
occurrence
To
will
that intention.
The
term
o f A n t e n o r and
return
select
the i r o n i c
(V.
r e f e r e n c e t o the f u t u r e
c h o i c e o f the T r o j a n s .
In so d o i n g ,
i t can be
C h a u c e r , however,
argued
G r e t was
he
Fortune.
f i n a l p a s s a g e f o r c o m p a r i s o n w i t h B o c c a c c i o , we
the sorwe and p l e y n t e o f
forth hire
cours Fortune
C r i s e y d e l o v e t h the sone o f
And
Boccaccio's
and
can
Criseyde
are
Troilus;
a y gan
to
holde.
Tideus,
T r o i l u s moot wepe i n c a r e s c o l d e .
v e r s i o n , however, i s g i v e n i n M y r i c k
(V.
1744-47)
and
Griffin's
parallel-text
as:
G r e a t were the
her
course.
wept.
l o v e d Diomede w i t h
VTII,
stanza
still
a l l h e r h e a r t and
ran
Troilus
25)
l o v e d Diomede w i t h a l l h e r h e a r t ; i n C h a u c e r i t i s
C h a u c e r has
changed i t to C r i s e y d e .
as F o r t u n e
laments and b i t t e r n e s s b u t F o r t u n e
She
(Canto
In B o c c a c c i o , Fortune
Criseyde.
Criseyde
that
thus:
But
edition
768-69)
noted.)
makes no
t o t h a t s t a n z a i n C h a u c e r ' s Book V i n w h i c h F o r t u n e
juxtaposed
V.
n a r r a t o r comments:
s h o u l d be
Criseyde's identity with
one
as
r e t u r n t o Troy, i s ,
hire herte s l i d e .
" s l i d e " here
makes a p o i n t o f t h e s e e l e m e n t s .
To
the
f o r Troy
T r o i l u s and T r o i e town
o f the
f u r t h e r developed
can
l o s s o f w h i c h meant
f r o m a p a s s a g e i n Book
t h a t she
r e t u r n t o B o c c a c c i o ' s n a r r a t i v e , he
betrayal
That
Diomede
treason "consisted i n contriving
S h a l k n o t t e l e s thorughout
(The
c i t y by
That C r i s e y d e r e p r e s e n t s Fortune
concluded
long
too,
a t t h e hands o f Diomede
the
receives further support
Therein Criseyde, having
within
1 , 1 6
t h a t , as
a b o v e n e v e r i c h o n " ( I . 154).
that Criseyde's departure
Interestingly,
us
Chaucer,
s t o l e n o u t o f the
compared t o t h e r e m o v a l o f the P a l l a d i u m ,
removal o f the P a l l a d i u m .
tells
secure.
and
taken Boccaccio's
reference to Fortune
S u c h a change s u p p o r t s
developed
and
has
the v i e w t h a t C h a u c e r
her accordingly.
saw
194
As
a third
PhlJLosophtf
s t e p i n t h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n , B o e t h i u s ' Consolation
yields
supportive evidence.
i s o f c e n t r a l importance
Boethius.
Chaucer
has
and
prove
us t h a t he
o f t h e Troilus
therefore,
translated
story
t h a t i f Chaucer's
F o r t u n e , she w o u l d r e f l e c t
mind, i t may
d i s c u s s i o n s o f Fortune
listen
can h a r d l y be
t h a t Chaucer
has
With
as
this in
descriptions
deliberately
Remembering t h a t
a few p a s s a g e s
the s u b j e c t h e r e
from
the
the
i s F o r t u n a , l e t us
t o Lady P h i l o s o p h y c o u n s e l l i n g B o e t h i u s :
1.
Sche h a t h r a t h e r k e p t , as t o the-ward, h i r p r o p r e
2.
F o r s y n she may
n a t ben w i t h h o l d e n a t a mannys w i l l e ,
s c h e maketh hym
a w r e c c h e whan s c h e d e p a r t e t h f r o
( I I , P r . 1,
3.
Sche h a t h
man
mai
ben
siker
forthi
maneris
5.
t h a t s c h e ne
thiself
i t byhoveth
the whiche t h a t
schal forsaken
o f t h i lady
t o the governaunce o f
the t o ben
( I I , P r . 1,
Y i f Fortune bygan t o d u e l i e
to ben
t o my
Fortune
manneris"
( I I , P r . 1,
( I I , P r . 2,
Criseyde i s too s t r i k i n g
i s this
hym
nevere
hym
49).
Fortune
o b e i s a u n t t o the
108-11);
s t a b l e , she
cessede
thanne
114-15).
i n B o e t h i u s , F o r t u n a h e r s e l f i s p i c t u r e d as s a y i n g :
uncouth
52-54);
68-70);
Thou h a s t b y t a k e n
and
( I I , P r . 1,
78-81);
forsaken the, forsothe,
( I I , P r . 1,
4.
it
One
identified
o f her c h a r a c t e r which suggested
s t a b l e n e s s e i n t h e chaungynge o f h i r s e l f
And
influence
doubted.
t e x t f o r key
To s u b s t a n t i a t e t h i s v i e w ,
helpful.
lives
and
i n s e a r c h o f terms d u p l i c a t e d i n T r o i l u s .
developed i n Criseyde that dimension
w i l l be
t h i s work, t h e
C r i s e y d e i s t o be
t o s c a n t h e Boece
S u c h a s e a r c h s t r e n g t h e n s the t h e s i s
Boece
of
i n men's
the B o e t h i a n p o r t r a i t o f F o r t u n e .
profitable
behaviour of Fortuna.
r o l e o f Fortune
i n t h e d i s c u s s i o n b e t w e e n Lady P h i l o s o p h y
told
of which i n h i s molding
would expect,
The
The
t o t h i n k t h a t Chaucer
s e c t i o n o f B o e t h i u s which Chaucer
"Stidfastnesse i s
likeness of a l l this
was
blind
to i t .
has i n c o r p o r a t e d i n t o
P a n d a r u s - T r o i l u s d i s c u s s i o n o f Book I , a d i s c u s s i o n n o t
to
In
fact,
the
found i n B o c c a c c i o ' s
version.
In a d d i t i o n
recognizably
to these l i n e s
Criseydian
terms,
a r e a l s o a p p l i e d by
Chaucer
illustrations.
first
The
d e s c r i b i n g Fortune
to Criseyde.
one,
i n what seem v e r y
c e r t a i n words a p p l i e d
to Fortune
Four o f these
can be
included already i n a line
i n Boethius
used
describing
as
195
Fortuna, i s "forsake":
Sche h a t h
man
mai
f o r s a k e n t h e , f o r s o t h e , the whiche t h a t
ben
s i k e r t h a t sche ne
nevere
s c h a l f o r s a k e n hym.
(II, Pr.
1,
68-70)
At
the v e r y o u t s e t o f h i s s t o r y , Chaucer
"the double
t h a t she
sorwes
f o r s o o k hym
A second
text
uses
here
/ Of T r o i l u s
e r she d e y d e "
t e r m i s "chaunge."
the t e r m r e p e a t e d l y .
t e l l s the audience
that
they
i n l o v y n g e o f C r i s e y d e , / And
will
how
( I . 54-56) .
In d e s c r i b i n g F o r t u n a , the Middle
English
Thus L a d y P h i l o s o p h y s a y s t o B o e t h i u s :
T h o u w e n e s t t h a t F o r t u n e be
chaunged a y e n s t h e ; b u t
w e n e s t wrong, y i f t h o u t h a t wene:
alway tho ben
thow
h i r maneres.
Sche h a t h r a t h e r k e p t , as t o t h e - w a r d , h i r p r o p r e
s t a b l e n e s s e i n t h e chaungynge o f h i r s e l f .
In
Book I V o f T r o i l u s and
Crisyede, after Troilus
must d e p a r t f r o m T r o y i n " t h ' e s c h a u n g e "
becomes a l m o s t mad,
"So
s o r e hym
( I I , P r . 1,
realizes
o f p r i s o n e r s , we
49-54)
that Criseyde
read that
he
s a t t h e chaungynge o f C r i s e y d e " ( I V . 231) .
A l t h o u g h h e r change o f abode t o the Greek camp c o u l d be
referred
t o here,
" t h e chaungynge o f C r i s e y d e " a l s o s u g g e s t s C r i s e y d e ' s change o f h e a r t .
p h r a s e b a l a n c e s t h e "chaungynge o f h i r s e l f "
Ann
(IV.
A r b o r H i d d l e E n g l i s h Dictionary
231)
a s an example o f
cites
"a change
i n B o e c e , and,
i n fact,
The
the
" t h e chaungynge o f C r i s e y d e "
(of heart, a t t i t u d e , e t c . ) ;
also,
inconstancy."
T h i r d , the term
Lady P h i l o s o p h y
For
"debonayre"
thanne sche
lieth,
(II,
11-15)
Interestingly,
d e s c r i p t i v e l y o f F o r t u n a when
I deme t h a t c o n t r a r i o u s F o r t u n e p r o f i t e t h more t o men
Fortune debonayre.
beholds
appears
explains:
P r . 8,
F o r a l w e y , whan F o r t u n e
feast:
"Simple
" d e b o n a i r e " when T r o i l u s
o f a t i r and
f u l a s s u r e d l o k y n g and manere" ( I . 1 8 1 - 8 2 ) .
Deiphebus,
debonaire o f chere, /
Again,
i n t h e house
when T r o i l u s i s a s k i n g t o be h e r s e r v a n t , we
With
Ful
t h a t s h e gan
esily
and
debonayre,
f a l s l y b y h e t y n g e t h e hope o f w e l e f u l n e s s e .
C r i s e y d e , t o o , i s d e s c r i b e d as
h e r a t the
semeth
than
h i r e eyen
on hym
f u l debonairly.
caste
( I I I . 155-56)
are
told:
of
first
With
196
A final
term,
selected
" s l y d y n g o f c o r a g e , " which
been m e n t i o n e d .
applied
The t e r m
to Fortune.
for consideration,
Chaucer
i s "slydyng."
uses i n d e s c r i b i n g C r i s e y d e , has a l r e a d y
" s l y d y n g " a l s o appears
Thus, e a r l y
The p h r a s e
i n Boece; t h e r e i t i s
i n Book I , B o e t h i u s , a d d r e s s i n g t h e g o v e r n o r
of the universe, asks:
Why s u f f r e s t o w t h a t s l y d y n g e F o r t u n e t u m e t h s o g r e t e
enterchaungynges
scholde
term,
so t h a t anoyous peyne,
duweliche punysche f e l o n s ,
innocentz?
The
o f thynges;
then, which
that
punysscheth
( I , M e t r . 5, 34-37)
i s a p p l i e d t o Fortune here i s a p p l i e d
characteristically
to C r i s e y d e .
Chaucer's
Middle English
sentences and s i n g l e
is
text o f Boethius provides both
terms w h i c h
seem t o l i n k
t o be s e e n n o t o n l y a s t h e woman whom T r o i l u s
l o v e d b u t a l s o as Fortuna.
I n t h i s way s h e i s d e l i b e r a t e l y p r e s e n t e d b y C h a u c e r
figure,
r e c o g n i z a b l e as F o r t u n a .
passages
as an e n i g m a t i c
from Boccaccio i n s p e c i f i c
and echoings o f the Boethian concept o f Fortuna support
r e a d i n g , one w h i c h
maintain
Divergence
descriptive
F o r t u n a w i t h C r i s e y d e , who
does n o t deny t h e h u m a n i t y
t h a t the t r a d i t i o n a l mystery
this
o f Criseyde b u t which
o f Chaucer's
does
Criseyde i s paradoxically
b e t t e r g r a s p e d when s h e i s s e e n a s c o v e t e d , s l i d i n g ,
inscrutable
Fortuna.
S a i n t Joseph C o l l e g e
NOTES
1
1957)
F.N. R o b i n s o n ,
e d . , The Works of Geoffrey
Chaucer
(2nd e d . ,
Boston
387.
2
I d a L . G o r d o n , The Double
in
"Troilus
3
Troilus,"
and Criseyde"
Robert apRoberts,
Speculum
Sorrow
of Troilus:
( O x f o r d , 1970)
"criseyde's I n f i d e l i t y
44 (1969)
383-402.
A Study
of
Ambiguities
113.
and the Moral o f t h e
197
4
D i e t e r Mehl,
Chaucer
and Middle
Rowland
^
English
(Kent, Ohio
Troilus
taken from
6
"The A u d i e n c e
Studies
1974)
in Honour
Troilus
of Rossell
I I . 143-44.
edition
7
in
Hope Robbins
ed. Beryl
A l l q u o t a t i o n s from Chaucer
w i l l be
(at n. 1 ) .
B a r b a r a Bartholomew, F o r t u n a and Natura:
Narratives
anJ Criseyde,"
181.
and Criseyde,
the Robinson
o f Chaucer's
A Reading
of Three
Chaucer
(The Hague 1966) 1 6 .
I b i d . 31.
8
Peggy A . Knapp, f o r i n s t a n c e , i n "The N a t u r e o f N a t u r e :
'Slydyng Corage',"
Criseyde's
Nature
c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n and r o l e
Herself
Criseyde's
ChauR 13 (1978) 133-40, c o n s i d e r s " t h e p o s s i b i l i t y
i n Chaucer's
fiction
looks and f u n c t i o n s i n h i s w o r l d view"
D a v i d , C r i s e y d e " i s a comic
c r e a t i o n o f such v i t a l i t y
define
(133).
that
t h e way
To A l f r e d
that i t challenges the
i d e a o f t r a g e d y a n d t h e a u t h o r i t y o f t h e a d v i c e t h a t b i d s us t o r e p a i r
fro w o r l d l y vanyte'
Essays
on "Troilus
( V . 1837)";
'hom
s e e " C h a u c e r i a n Comedy a n d C r i s e y d e " i n
and Criseyde,"
e d . Mary S a l u (Totowa,
N . J . 1979)
103.
g
C h a r l e s Berryman,
ChauR
1
0
1
1
2 (1967) 2.
M a r t i n Stevens,
"The I r o n i c D e s i g n o f F o r t u n e i n Troilus
and
Criseide,"
"The Winds o f F o r t u n e i n t h e T r o i l u s , " ChauR 13 (1979)
290.
Joseph
S. S a l e m i ,
" P l a y f u l Fortune a n d Chaucer's
C r i s e y d e , " ChauR 15
(1981) 2 1 3 .
on
1
2
Ibid.
1
3
No s p a c e w i l l be d e v o t e d i n t h i s p a p e r t o s h o w i n g
219-30.
n a r r a t i v e where t h e d u a l r o l e
mittedly
such
contradictions
seems c o n t r a d i c t o r y .
can o c c u r .
d i s c u s s i o n o f Thomas Usk's Testament
on
of Love
(1936;
r p t . New Y o r k
Lewis
i s relevant.
C.S. L e w i s ' s
Lewis,
" I t i s true that
1958) 223-24.
explains:
a symbol o f g r a c e .
t h e Romance of the Rose";
"Margaret
On t h e c o n t r a r y ,
conception i s not, perhaps,
commenting
Margaryte
t o be a woman a n d becomes a p e a r l ; b u t t h i s w i l l
r e a d e r who h a s u n d e r s t o o d
Margaryte,
As t o t h e l a t t e r , a d -
Concerning t h i s ,
t h e c h a r a c t e r o f Usk's M a r g a r y t e , w r i t e s :
sometimes ceases
The
how C r i s e y d e o p e r a t e s
t h e human l e v e l o r t o d e a l i n g i n a n y d e t a i l w i t h t h o s e p l a c e s i n t h e
c o n f u s e no
s e e The Allegory
of
Love
Continuing with the s i g n i f i c a t i o n o f
does n o t c e a s e t o be a woman b y b e c o m i n g
' M a r g a r i t e , a woman, b e t o k e n e t h
entirely
grace.'
e a s y t o t h e modern r e a d e r ; b u t I do
198
not
in
t h i n k any
contemporary
o f Usk's w o u l d have f o u n d a moment's
difficulty
i t " ( p . 225) .
14
The
Giovanni
B o c c a c c i o t e x t used f o r t h i s comparison
Boccaccio,
(Philadelphia
Salemi
1
5
1
6
Ed.
t r . with p a r a l l e l
1929) .
( a t n . 11)
Robinson
t e x t N.E.
was
t h e Filostrato
Griffin
218.
( a t n . 1) 828,
n o t e t o l i n e s 202-6.
and A.B.
of
Myrick