Troilus and Cressida

‘Troilus and Cressida appeals to the iconoclastic and sceptical temperament of the contemporary era. Its anxieties about the problems of locating stable values and meanings, and its distrust of the claims of military and political authority, have obvious applications to the personal and public crises of today.’ Discuss this statement in relation to Shakespeare’s play. Troilus and Cressida was probably written around 1602, although scholars are not entirely sure of the exact date. Around the …

…in both eras also seem to be more susceptible to corruption and scandal. The role of Thersites as a satiric commentator could be translated into that of the modern day media. Indeed, the modern day media could be summed up (unintentionally) in a quote from him; “Lechery, lechery, still wars and lechery! Nothing else holds fashion” (V. ii. 193) In short, Troilus and Cressida has a much greater story to tell than a romance and comedy.