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Troilus and Cressida
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Troilus and Cressida begins seven years into
the long Trojan war. Troilus, the youngest son of King
Priam (King of Troy) tells Pandarus that he is in love
with Cressida, the daughter of Trojan priest Calchas.
He does not want his father, King Priam nor his brother
Hector to know this. He also believes fighting over
Helen is pointless. Privately, Pandarus lets Cressida
know about Troilus' affections, both laughing at his
looks. Pandarus even encourages Troilus to pursue Cressida,
knowing she is not interested... However, despite her
mocking words, Cressida does start to fall in love with
Troilus.
Meanwhile outside of Troy, all is not well with the
Greeks; they are losing their way, apathy and low morale
setting in amongst the Greeks who after seven years,
still have not beaten the Trojans. Achilles, in particular,
is full of apathy, caring little for the war, reducing
morale. Realising this, when Hector (Trojan) challenges
any Greek to a duel, Ulysses ensures that Ajax is chosen,
hoping that by ignoring Achilles for ,Achilles will
rediscover his will to fight.
The Trojans are given the opportunity to end the war
if they return Helen to the Greeks. The Trojans consider
this, wary of so many lives lost just for one woman
but decide it would be dishonorable to give up Helen
when the Trojans all cheered Paris for wooing her. Furthermore,
Helen loves Paris. Cassandra, King Priam's daughter
makes her famous prophecy that Troy will be destroyed
if they do not return Helen but is ignored, Troilus
and Paris urging Hector to keep fighting...
Paris, unsure Hector will not give away Helen, tells
her to flirt with both Troilus and Hector. Cressida
and Troilus finally admit they love each other.
Ulysses (Greek) tells Achilles that the people now
honor Ajax not him, warning Achilles not to desire Polyxenes
(King Priam's other daughter) lest his reputation fall
into further disrepute.
Meanwhile, Calchas (Trojan) defects to the Greeks,
Calchas offering to reveal military information on the
Trojans. There is a catch... He will only reveal what
he knows if the Greeks exchange one of their Trojan
prisoners for his daughter. The Greeks agree.
Troilus meets Diomedes, telling him to respect Calchas'
daughter (not sleep with her). Diomedes replies he will
make her his mistress! Troilus vows to kill Diomedes...
Now with the Greeks, Calchas' daughter quickly starts
flirting with the Greek generals but behind the smiles
is actually insulting them.
Hector fights Ajax, winning but refusing to kill Ajax
since he is the son of his father's sister and thus
family... Ajax, shown mercy, asks Hector whether he
would dine with Achilles, Hector agreeing.
The Greeks and Trojans dine together, a tense affair...
Ulysses reveals Diomedes dining with Calchas daughter
and starting to fall in love with her... Hearing this,
Troilus follows Diomedes, spying his lover giving Diomedes
the sleeve he gave her and learning that though she
still loves him, she is beginning to like Diomedes.
Devastated but enraged, Troilus resolves to kill Diomedes
on the battlefield and forget his lover...
Sure enough the Greeks and Trojans fight, Hector killing
Patroclus. Seeing this, Achilles finally rediscovers
his will to fight, finding Hector and then against all
laws of conduct having him surrounded and then impaled
whilst unarmed and resting. In losing
Hector, the Trojans have paid dearly on the battlefield,
Cassandra fearing that without Hector, Troy shall soon
fall...
Contents
Dramatis
Personæ
Act I
Scene I, Scene
II, Scene III
Act II
Scene I,
Scene II, Scene
III
Act III
Scene I, Scene
II, Scene III
Act IV
Scene I,
Scene II, Scene
III, Scene IV, Scene
V
Act V
Scene
I, Scene
II, Scene III, Scene
IV, Scene V, Scene
VI,
Scene VII, Scene
VIII, Scene IX, Scene
X
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