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Overview
Synopsis
In the later years of the Trojan War, Troilus, a prince of Troy, tries to woo Cressida, a fellow Trojan. They fall in love, but she is sent as a part of a prisoner exchange to become the mistress of the Greek prince, Diomedes. Meanwhile, the Greeks' hero, Achilles, has lost his interest in the war, and general Agamemnon must try to convince him to go face the challenge of Troilus' brother, Hector. When Achilles' friend and lover, Patroclus, is killed by Hector, Achilles goes to battle, and the reinvigorated Greek forces finally defeat the Trojans. Troilus, having lost both his brother and his lover in the battle, leads the remaining Trojans retreat into the city to mourn.
One of Shakespeare's "problem plays," Troilus and Cressida is equal parts history and romance, and was considered too morally ambiguous by 19th and early-20th century scholars. However, modern directors have warmed to this complex script, and it is frequently staged in the context of current world conflicts.
Show Information
- Book
- William Shakespeare
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 5
- First Produced
- 1602
- Genres
- Drama, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Period
- Time & Place
- Ancient Troy , Ancient Greece
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters
Context
Probably written and first performed around 1602, Troilus and Cressida is set in the final years of the Trojan War, a history that would have been well-known by the audiences in Shakespeare’s time. The war legendarily started when Paris, one of the princes of Troy, stole (or seduced) the wife of the Greek king Menelaus - the famously beautiful Helen of Troy. Menelaus called upon the allied princes of Greece to join him in a war against Troy to recover his wife, and the Greeks laid siege to
to read the context for Troilus and Cressida and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One, Prologue
A chorus enters and begins the play by telling the audience about the impetus for the Trojan War: Helen, wife of the Greek nobleman Menelaus, has been stolen by Paris, one of the princes of Troy. As a result, 69 Greek princes have sworn their swords to recover Helen and avenge Menelaus. Among the armies are famous warriors such as Achilles, Ajax and Hector, and many others. As the play begins, the Greek forces are in the seventh year of their siege of the city of Troy.
to read the plot for Troilus and Cressida and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
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Non-singer |
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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