Making a Virtue of Giddiness: Rethinking Troilus’ (E)Motion

Abstract

‘I am giddy’ ( Troilus and Cressida 3.2.16). This is how Shakespeare’s Troilus describes his mood as he anticipates a long-awaited sexual encounter with Cressida. His emotional turbulence matches or perhaps produces particular bodily effects — Troilus is whirled around with expectation, suggesting the dizziness or vertigo that characterizes giddiness in medical terms today. On the other hand, giddiness seems to originate with imagination rather than physiology — it is Troilus’ capacity to imagine the pleasures to come that leads to the enchantment of his senses and to his giddy state. This is a condition distinct, however, from mere excitement because as Troilus anticipates the moment when ‘Love’s thrice-repurèd nectar’ (3.2.20) will be his to taste, he becomes aware of the likelihood that his ‘wat’ry palates’ (3.2.19) will prove inadequate to fully appreciate the finer joys, the subtle potency of the experience. His excitement is thus mixed with fear: Troilus . Death, I fear me, Swooning destruction, or some joy too fine, Too subtle-potent, tuned too sharp in sweetness, For the capacity of my ruder powers, I fear it much; and I do fear besides That I shall lose distinction in my joys, As doth a battle, when they charge on heaps The enemy flying. (3.2.20–27) These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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