The Song of Troy vs Troilus and Cressida: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Trojan War. fast, Trojan War, History, Fiction
The Song of Troy
More
Retelling of the tragic and terrible saga of the Trojan war, a 3000-year-old tale of enduring love, abiding hate, vengeance, betrayal, honour and sacrifice.
Troilus and Cressida
“Eternal reader, you have here a new play, never staled with the stage, never clapperclawed with the palms of the vulgar, and yet passing full of the palm comical; for it is a birth of your brain that never undertook anything comical vainly.”
More
With new editors who have incorporated the most up-to-date scholarship, this revised Pelican Shakespeare series will be the premiere choice for students, professors, and general readers well into the twenty-first…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate The Song of Troy highest: The Song of Troy 4.0 · Troilus and Cressida 3.4.
- Troilus and Cressida has the widest readership — 13063 ratings behind its score.
- Troilus and Cressida runs the darker storyline; The Song of Troy stays the lighter read.
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission on purchases.
How to choose
Scores by source
| The Song of Troy | Troilus and Cressida | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.0 (3567) | 3.4 (13063) |
| Hardcover | 3.8 (13) | 3.2 (26) |
| Check price → | Check price → |
Reception
| The Song of Troy | Troilus and Cressida | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 3567 | 13063 |
| Editions | 11 | 992 |
| Citations | — | 9 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | — | 10895 |
| Reading it now | — | 361 |
| Written reviews | — | 1127 |
| Wikipedia attention | — | 11977 |
| Pages | 523 | 544 |
| Check price → | Check price → |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: The Song of Troy or Troilus and Cressida?
The Song of Troy has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Song of Troy 4.0/5, Troilus and Cressida 3.4/5).
Which is shorter to read: The Song of Troy or Troilus and Cressida?
The Song of Troy is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Song of Troy (523 pages, ≈ 9 h 41 m); Troilus and Cressida (544 pages, ≈ 10 h 04 m).
Which is harder to read: The Song of Troy or Troilus and Cressida?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — The Song of Troy: Moderate; Troilus and Cressida: Demanding.