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Troilus and Cressida Study Guide

by William Shakespeare

Troilus and Cressida study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

A prologue announces that the play is set during the Trojan War. Troilus, a Trojan prince, wishes to marry Cressida, a Trojan noble whose father, Calchas, has defected to the Greeks. Troilus woos Cressida with the help of a go-between, Cressida's uncle Pandarus. At the play's beginning, this suit does not seem to be going well; however, Cressida secretly loves Troilus in return.

Meanwhile, the Greek camp is in crisis. Achilles, their greatest warrior, has openly defied the leaders of the Greek cause (Agamemnon, Nestor, and Ulysses), and refuses to fight. Instead he sits in his tent with his lover, Patroclus, and puts on impromptu plays ridiculing the Greek leadership. A doltish new warrior, Ajax, has recently arrived, and Ulysses plots to…

Read the full Troilus and Cressida Summary

• Troilus and Cressida Summary
• About Troilus and Cressida
• Character List
• Glossary of Terms
• Major Themes
• Summary and Analysis of Act One
• Summary and Analysis of Act Two
• Summary and Analysis of Act Three
• Summary and Analysis of Act Four
• Summary and Analysis of Act Five
• Troilus and Cressida In (and Out Of) Performance
• Related Links on Troilus and Cressida
• Suggested Essay Questions
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 1
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 2
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 3
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 4
• Author of ClassicNote and Sources

• Troilus and Cressida: Major Themes
• Troilus and Cressida: Essays
• Troilus and Cressida: E-Text
• Troilus and Cressida: Questions
• Troilus and Cressida: Purchase the Novel and Related Material
• William Shakespeare: Biography