A Double Sorrow: Troilus and Criseyde

by Lavinia Greenlaw

Shortlisted for the 2014 Costa Poetry Award. When Chaucer composed Troilus and Criseyde he gave us, some say, his finest poem, and with it one of the most captivating love stories ever written. A Double Sorrow , Lavinia Greenlaw's new work, takes its title from the opening line of that poem in a fresh telling of this most tortured of love affairs. Set against the Siege of Troy, A Double Sorrow is the story of Trojan hero Troilus and his beloved Criseyde, whose traitorous father has defected to the Greeks and has persuaded them to ask for his daughter in an exchange of prisoners. In an attempt to save her, Troilus suggests that Criseyde flees the besieged city with him, but she knows that she will be universally condemned and looks instead to a temporary pretending to submit to the exchange, while promising Troilus that she will return to him within ten days. But once in the company of the Greeks she soon realises the impossibility of her promise to Troilus, and in despair succumbs to another. Lavinia Greenlaw's pinpoint retelling of this heart-wrenching tale is neither a translation nor strictly a 'version' of Chaucer's work, but instead creates something a sequence of glimpses from the medieval poem that refine the psychological drama of the classical story through a process of detonation or amplification of image and phrase into original poems. In a series of skillfully crafted seven-line vignettes, the author creates a zoetrope that serves to illuminate the intensity with which these characters argue each other and themselves into and out of love. The result is a breathtaking and shattering read -contemporary and timeless - that builds into an unforgettable telling of this most heartbreaking of love stories.

Genres: Poetry, Mythology

217 pages, Hardcover

First published February 11, 2014

Reviews

[Marquise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good retelling of the legend of Troilus and Cryseide from Chaucer, somewhat more obscure in its symbology but more understandable in its language, at least for me.

[Elle Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loosely based on Geoffrey Chaucer's poem about the tragic lovers from Troy, this retelling reads like a rolling set of waves, with drama and tension going up and down as the action moves through the tale and ends when the wave finally crashes onto the beach and our hero's suffering ends. The tale is told in 7 lined verses, and the language is from another time yet still a joy to read today.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book in all senses. The artwork on the cover, the heft of a hardback with beautiful paper and then the wonderful poetry and a story reworked for the twenty first century. It was a pleasure to pick up and read and one that I will return to often.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely language, especially in the second half of the book.

[Lucy Barnhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hauntingly, stunningly beautiful verse. Greenlaw's images are stark and sensual by turns, and the gorgeous book design helps lead the mind and eye through them.

[Caron Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how beautiful! Bought this on impulse and read it cover to cover in an evening, fabulous!

[Røbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous telling of the Chaucer's story of Troilus and Criseyde, pared down to the essentials and all the more beautiful for it. Gets to the heart of the eternal themes of obsession, pursuit, and separation that have made this story connect with us through the centuries.

[123bex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely. A recommended read for people who feel nervous about poetry or classics - and for those of us who don't!

[Juliano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoyed reading Lavinia Greenlaw's 'A Double Sorrow', her poetic adaptation(? retelling? tribute?) of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde. After the initial undergrad flashbacks (horrifying) I so enjoyed how Greenlaw condensed the story, maximising both the thrills and the emotional intensity of the source. While I was sad that some of my favourite aspects were omitted (namely the humour and ambivalence of Chaucer), it was clear that Greenlaw's investment in the text coloured her every choice, and the focus on both epic and everyday love stories means that her ending has a greater impact than Chaucer's.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really beautiful and moving telling of the story of Troilus and Criseyde. Constructed from fragments of Chaucer and Boccaccio translated, expanded and reworked into something different but still so beautiful. A story of youthful love, soon started and soon finished, set in a time of war which strengthens the intensity of their passion.

[Anya Quinn 🐞📖 · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The gods have looked upon this love
and decided the cost.”
lines 274-287

I loved this, it made me miss my classics a level. It also made me excited to study medieval literature for my third year of uni and I think this translation made the plot easy to understand before I read Chaucers version.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really great and interesting.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely retelling of a retelling of a retelling of a fan fiction of the Homeric Cycle in verse. Would recommend.

[anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

straight to the point- razor blade sharp.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Greenlaw's poem on the love affair between Troilus and Creysede is based on the medieval poetry by Chaucer. There's some lovely prose and imagery in this plus the cover design is fabulous.

[Karly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[sophie]

the real double sorrow is me having to read this story twice in the same week good lord free me from pandarus

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok i really enjoyed this! it seemed so simple when reading it, yet i was so affected by the story when i was done. a lovely retelling.

[Francisca · Rating 2 out of 5]

not really for me, unfortunately