Cressida Rhetorical Analysis

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When Troilus sees Cressida enamored with Diomedes, he is shocked and grief-stricken with denial. Troilus elaborates that the Cressida in the Greek camps is not the same woman that he fell in love with in Troy. In fact, he refers to her as “Diomed’s Cressida” (V.2.140). It is almost as if he is looking at a stranger in stark contrast to the sweet, loving, and coy Cressida from III.2. Troilus acts this way because he feels betrayed by Cressida’s infidelity and love’s spell, which clouded his thoughts and actions, has quickly and unexpectedly dissipated leaving him exposed to harsh reality. Troilus, Cressida, and Pandarus all made solemn vows to one another one or two days ago (III.2.177-202). Hours ago, Cressida seemed devastated to leave Troy under the prisoner exchange and practically begged…show more content…
However, he remains faithful that, although Cressida is with Diomedes in the flesh, their love remains true in a divine sense (V.2.158-163). Troilus is not angry with Cressida. Instead, he directs his hatred to Diomedes who he blames for eroding their true and heavenly love. Similar to Menelaus seeking revenge on Paris for Helen’s infidelity, Troilus is consumed with rage and seeks to release it on Diomedes, not Cressida. Then cuckolded men in this play view the women who betrayed them as prizes, inanimate objects. Although Helen and Cressida are capable of making their own rational decisions to be with other men, Menelaus and Troilus do not recognize that. Instead, they blame the men who they regard as competition and the sole reason for losing their prizes. To Menelaus and Troilus, if it were not for Paris and Diomedes, respectively, then they would both still have Helen and Cressida at their faithful sides. Hence, the women are not viewed as rational beings capable of decision-making, which they most certainly are. Instead, they are viewed as commodities which men should compete over and

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