Anton Ferreira chatted to Michiel Heyns recently for the Sunday Times about his new retelling of Troilus and Criseyde, I am Pandarus.

“Chaucer’s story is a love story,” says Heyns. “The love aspects became more important as I was writing, and it’s actually very sad in that it’s a reflection on the impermanence of love. Troilus at the end, in the Chaucerian version, he goes up to the seventh sphere of heaven or somewhere, and he looks down and he sort of laughs at the people grieving next to his dead body. Because he says, ‘Well there is a greater love up here; that is so trivial, earthly love,’ which is one perspective. In one way it’s a consolation and in another way it makes it sadder.”

For the full story, click on the link above. 

For more about the book, click here.

Categories Fiction South Africa

Tags I am Pandarus Jonathan Ball Publishers Michiel Heyns Sunday Times