Dealing with female characters created by Geoffrey Chaucer one will certainly come across Criseyde, his heroine in Troilus and Criseyde. She was a much misunderstood heroine in the Middle Ages, her name a byword for female treachery and falseness. Criseyde, being in the unfavourable position as a wealthy woman, abandoned by her treacherous father, still has a rather ‘assured manner’ at the temple when Troilus first sees her. This Trojan heroine is definitely a character who can be interpreted in many different ways and it also carries a complex body of criticism. This work is not going to concentrate on Criseyde’s character in detail but on her role as a romance heroine. Thus, in this seminar paper, I want to consider whether Criseyde fulfils the typical criteria of a romance heroine or not.
To be able to discuss this issue, I am firstly going to provide a short definition of the attributes usually associated with a romance heroine. Secondly, I am going to analyze the presentation of Criseyde in Troilus and Criseyde, both in the physical and the psychological way. The main focus will be on her beauty and her virtue, with an intention to examine to what extent she acts according to the heroine’s rules.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Criseyde - A Romance Heroine?
- Characteristics in General
- Analysis of Criseyde
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This seminar paper aims to determine whether Criseyde, the heroine of Geoffrey Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, fulfills the typical criteria of a romance heroine. To achieve this, the paper will first define the attributes usually associated with romance heroines. Subsequently, it will analyze the presentation of Criseyde in the text, considering both her physical and psychological characteristics.
- Definition of the romance heroine archetype
- Physical and psychological characteristics of Criseyde
- Criseyde's role as a protagonist in the narrative
- Criseyde's actions in relation to the expectations of a romance heroine
- The portrayal of beauty and virtue in relation to Criseyde's character
Chapter Summaries
The introduction of the paper establishes the context of Criseyde's character in the history of literary criticism and discusses the need to examine her role as a romance heroine. The first chapter defines the typical features of romance heroines, highlighting their physical attributes, societal roles, and psychological traits. The second chapter delves into an analysis of Criseyde's portrayal in Troilus and Criseyde, examining her physical descriptions, her interactions with other characters, and her internal thoughts and motivations.
Keywords
This seminar paper focuses on the analysis of Criseyde's character as a romance heroine, exploring key themes such as the archetype of the romance heroine, the portrayal of female characters in medieval literature, the interplay of beauty and virtue, and the complexities of character analysis in Chaucer's work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Criseyde a typical romance heroine?
This paper analyzes whether Criseyde fulfills the standard criteria of a romance heroine, focusing on her beauty, virtue, and societal role in Chaucer's work.
Why was Criseyde misunderstood in the Middle Ages?
In medieval literature, her name often became a byword for female treachery and falseness, though modern criticism sees her character as much more complex.
What attributes are usually associated with a romance heroine?
Typical attributes include exceptional beauty, high virtue, an assured manner in society, and specific psychological traits defined by the romance genre.
How does Chaucer present Criseyde physically and psychologically?
The analysis looks at her "assured manner" at the temple and her internal motivations, contrasting her public image with her private virtue.
Does the paper focus on her character development?
The main focus is on her role as a romance heroine rather than a detailed character study, examining if she acts according to the "heroine's rules."
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2008, About Geoffrey Chaucer's "Troilus und Criseyde", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/128325
