The fall of Cresseid
Cresseid’s tale is an allegory for the fallen woman. At one point she was admired and even loved by others, but by the end, she has to prostitute herself for affection. Only death is her redemption.
Leprosy
Leprosy is the curse that befalls Cresseid after she blasphemes Cupud ad Venus. Leprosy itself is a symbol for the saying ‘no bad deed goes unpunished’; the bad deed in this case being the sheer lack of faith within Cresseid,
Troilus
Troilus is a symbol for the concept of inherent goodness within humans. Despite Cresseid jilting him for Diomedes, he still helps her by taking pity on her and giving up his gold. He is truly kind and honest, which are traits that should be admired.
Cupid and Venus
Historically, Cupid and Venus are symbols for love, beauty and desire. Ironically, when Cresseid rejects them, she ended loses all these traits and is instead subjected too the cruel and harsh realities of life.
