The Strangeness of Troilus and Cressida

About the lecture

In this module, we consider the strangeness of Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida. The quarto version refers to it as a History, but in the First Folio it is listed as a Tragedy – so which genre is it? Was it ever performed? If so, where? Why doesn't Shakespeare tell us what happens to Troilus and Cressida?

About the lecturer

Cedric Watts is an Emeritus Professor of English at Sussex University. He served in the Royal Navy before gaining a first class BA in English at Cambridge University. He has written six books on Conrad and his works: A Preface to Conrad, The Deceptive Text, Joseph Conrad, 'Heart of Darkness': A Critical and Contextual Discussion, Joseph Conrad: A Literary Life, and Joseph Conrad: 'Nostromo'(a Penguin critical study).

Cedric Watts's novel, Final Exam (written under the pseudonym 'Peter Green'), earned this tribute from Ian McEwan: 'I was fascinated and pleased by Final Exam - a stimulating blend of high-energy intellectual and sexual tease.'