Chaucer's supreme evocation of the joy and grief inherent in love

The tragedy of 'Troilus and Criseyde' is one of the greatest narrative poems in English literature. Set during the siege of Troy, it tells how the young knight Troilus, son of King Priam, falls in love with Criseyde, a beautiful widow. Brought together by Criseyde’s uncle, Pandarus, the lovers are then forced apart by the events of war, which test their oaths of fidelity and trust to the limits. Described by editor Barry Windeatt as Chaucer’s “most ambitious single achievement, his masterpiece,” 'Troilus and Criseyde' is the first work in English to depict human passion with such sympathy and understanding.