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Document Type

Article

Abstract

One reading Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde and Boccaccio's Il Filostrato immediately notices similarities and differences in the two poets' depiction of the tragedy of Troilus. The most evident changes Chaucer made in retelling the Trojan story are in the personalities of the major characters and the increased role in the love affair Chaucer accords Pandarus. This role is so increased from Boccaccio's version of the tragic love story that Pandarus' dialogue surpasses even that of Troilus. It is twice that of his alter-ego Pandaro in the Filostrato (Meech 9). The reader is left to ponder the reasons for Chaucer's alterations. This essay will describe the changes in the major characters, in particular those of Troilus and Pandarus, and attempt to demonstrate why these changes are essential to Chaucer's achieving his desired ending: Troilus reaching the Eighth Sphere. In the process, I hope also to demonstrate that Pandarus in effect becomes the preserver of Troilus' innocence.

Publication Date

1995

Journal Title

Draftings In

Volume

8

Issue

1

First Page

15

Last Page

22

Comments

No cover/title page date shown on piece.

Copyright

©1995 by the Board of Student Publications, University of Northern Iowa

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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