Volu m e II - Purdue University Calumet

That he that now was moost in pride above, / Wax sodeynly moost subgit into love” (Chaucer I. 229-
231). This rapid (and undesired) alteration is problematic for Troilus throughout the span of the poem.
Because of Cupid’s intervention, Troilus is ultimately incapable of possessing any self-knowledge because
the “self” he deals with following the arrow strike is no longer a self that he can control, or examine, with
any precision. Thus, through the fortune that befell him through his own faults, Troilus’ only capability is
to fulfill the role of a flawed lover because he no longer possesses the ability to control his own emotions or
to look inward and reflect on his reality. Through the attainment of self-knowledge, therefore, Boethius is
able to overcome these initial feelings, whereas any chance of attaining self-knowledge is lost for Troilus
very early in the poem’s trajectory. Rather than actively pursuing Criseyde, Troilus passively and pitifully
worships her from afar because he has lost the ability to think for himself, at least in regards to love, and
Troilus’ inadequacy as a man is made evident by this passivity. In essence, Chaucer uses the Boethian moral
of self-knowledge to demonstrate what Troilus and the chivalric narrative lacks; in this case, it is the
assertiveness and integrity necessary for a true, pure love to “succeed.”
In both the Consolation and Troilus and Criseyde, it is also evident that the acquisition of worldly
commodities such as wealth, ambition, or, in Troilus’ case, Criseyde, can only bring misery to those who
seek them. Philosophy consistently discusses the worthlessness of possessions in order to reinforce the
importance of achieving virtue through oneself and through God. Philosophy names such possessions (e.g.
jewels, riches, and physical pleasure) so that Boethius will understand the temptations that he must deal
with in order to overcome his desire for transient things. Furthermore, Philosophy asserts that it is only
through friendship that one can achieve virtue. She states, “The most sacred category of good, that of
friendship, lies in the province of virtue” (Boethius 42). Boethius recognizes that in order to be truly
virtuous, he must shun worldly possessions and focus instead on achieving the true good through such
channels as honorable friendship.
On the contrary, Troilus and Criseyde is a narrative that is fueled by obsessive desire and open betrayal.
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