DESTINY IN TROILUS AND CRISEYDE

1. Chaucer's idea of destiny from

Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy

a. God plans a universe

b. God delegates power to Destiny (blind force) which works through:

1) divine spirits

2) some soul (anima mundi)

3) all Nature

4) stars

5) angels or devils

c. Destiny so divided it depends upon Fortune

2. Troilus

a. Book I = T governed by the Boethian principle of love

b. Book II = but stars (Venus & Luna) exert influence

c. Book III = Power of love mixed with influence of gods

d. Book IV = Fortune destroys the lovers

(T's speech 960-1085)

free will >< predestination does not interest Chaucer

e. Book V = T fights on in spite of predestination