Troilus and Criseyde

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 - 1400) was an English author, poet, bureaucrat, philosopher and diplomat. Chaucer has been called the father of English literature. Chaucer is credited as being the first author to demonstrate the artistic legitimacy of the vernacular English language, rather than French or Latin. Troilus and Criseyde is set against the epic backdrop of the battle for Troy. It is a tale of love and loss. When Troilus, the son of Priam, falls in love with the beautiful Criseyde, he is able to win her heart with the help of his cunning uncle Pandarus. The lovers experience a brief period of bliss. The pair is soon forced apart by the inexorable tide of war, and despite their oath to remain faithful Troilus is ultimately betrayed.