favorable view holds that as Pandarus is beholden to aide a friend, Chaucer uses the characters charm to influence readers to view the act as less of crime. Finally, one can take the opinion that Pandarus actions coincide perfectly with the ideas of Courtly love and therefore are less odious (Kirby 181). However grim these opinions maybe, Chaucer, and as a result, Pandarus, takes the bull by the figurative horns and addresses the issue. Criseyde questions Pandarus after his declaration of Troilus love by saying:"Alas, for wo! Why nere I deed?/For of the world the feyth is al agoon./Allas! what sholden straunge to me doon,/When he, that for my beste frend I wende,/Ret me to love, and sholde it me defende?" (Chaucer 61).Pandarus presents his position on the basis that he is aiding a friend. But with Troilus, Pandarus argues the exact opposite. He claims he is suffering from pangs of guilt. He states that he has behaved like a pimp through true friendship and Troilus exonerates him (Chaucer 125-6). "Thus it seems that Pandarus moral conflict is found not only among scholars, but in the characters themselves. Both Criseyde and Pandarus realize that he is not fulfilling his duty as an older relative" and that by pleading the case for Troilus, Pandarus is dishonoring Criseyde (Berkeley Research 5).After coaxing Criseyde to pass the night at his house and after hiding Troilus in a cramped closet, Pandarus actions reveal his true busy-body qualities. He is always present during the conversations of the lover and often stays past the time to leave by unobtrusively claiming to read books. It would appear that his curiosity goes beyond his desire to aide, marking him as a voyarist. However, after the momentous night when Criseyde takes Troilus to be her lover, Pandarus role diminished until the time of Criseydes betrayal is made known. In his indecision over what to do during the awkward revelation of Criseydes betrayal, Kirby argues ...
