Lines 1 to 28: the proem

Book iv begins with a proem marking this moment as theturning point in Troilus’s fortunes. Chaucer follows the final stanza ofBook iii of Boccaccio’sFilostrato in blaming Fortune for theshort-lived nature of worldly happiness such as that experienced by the lovers.Fortune will now, like a haughty noble lady, turn herattractive face away from Troilus and pay him no attention, removing himcompletely from Criseyde’s good favour. In Troilus’s place on theascending part of her wheel, Fortune will place Diomede, the Greeknobleman who will in Book v replace Troilus inCriseyde’s affections. Thinking ahead to Troilus’s imminentsuffering, the narrating first-person tells us that his heart begins to bleedwith compassion. His pen shakes with fear at the thought of what he is about towrite. Yet although he acknowledges that his subject matter must now be themanner in which Criseyde deserts Troilus because that is what is written in hissources, he immediately interjects that at least it must be how Criseyde was‘unkynde’ (16) to Troilus, how she was indifferent to hissuffering or acted ungraciously towards him. His qualification concedes thatCriseyde’s behaviour is incontrovertibly heartless and discourteous butnevertheless insinuates that in some way it might be understood as less than anoutright betrayal. He goes on to lament the fact that those who have writtenprior versions of her story should find reasons to criticize his heroine. Ifthey lie about her in any way (presumably if they exaggerate her culpability),he says that they themselves should be blamed. This intervention begs thequestion of what it is that makes the narrating voice sympathize with Criseyde,regret the fact that she is criticized and see her as a potential victim ofunwarranted censure. Can we agree with him in being reluctant to condemnher?