John Lydgate’s
Troy Book[1412-1420] is an expansive look at the story of ancient Troy from its founding through its fall at the hand of the Greeks. In 30,117 lines of ten-syllable heroic couplets, Lydgate weaves together and translates disparate sources to tell one of the most comprehensive versions of the story. He expands on his various sources, adding rich detail and considering the moral situations that his characters find themselves in, situations that would have resonated with Lydgate’s fifteenth-century audience. The
Troy Booksurvives in 23 manuscripts, attesting to the work’s popularity during its own time and during the early modern period.
Historical Context
Historical ContextBorn in Lydgate (or Lidgate) in Suffolk, John Lydgate (c. 1370-c. 1451) spent much of life as monk
3070 words
Citation: Brenner, Caitlin. "Troy Book". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 May 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=8477, accessed 13 December 2024.]