Cressida

The second week of my workshop series Women and Anger in Shakespeare will focus on Cressida from Troilus and Cressida.

Imagine. 

You see this guy. He’s ridiculously attractive. 

You don’t even know how to talk to him, what to say or how to say it. 

You tell your uncle. Uncle’s, like,  “hold that thought.” and rents a motel room for you and that attractive guy for the afternoon. 

You pledge love to each other, forever.

Then you find out that your estranged dad has ordered a political trade — and you are the pawn. 

You are surrounded by soldiers, 

woman-starved 

and 

salivating. 

Would you be angry?

Through a tea ritual, discussion and text-based analysis, we will uncover Cressida's rage, let her speak, and find what we can in her story that can help us today.

Condemned for surviving. Blamed for what men made of her.

This week, we turn to Cressida, a young woman weaponized in a war of male pride, punished for loving, then punished again for living.

We’ll dive into:

• How misogyny creates “faithless women” and then condemns them

• Her impossible position: desire vs. duty vs. survival

• The rage hidden under her wit, fear, and self-defense

• What her voice might say if she could name her own story

You’ll work through one of Cressida’s most revealing speeches, exposing the fury coded into her vulnerability. Then you’ll craft a creative response: a monologue that imagines her reclaiming the narrative Shakespeare denied her.

Tea ritual + grounding

Creative exploration + guided performance

Supportive community + courage to speak fire

All levels welcome. No Shakespeare or acting experience required. Come light a candle, breathe deep, and let her speak what she was never allowed to say.

Join Cressida and I on January 28th, 2026

Reserve your spot here

Space is limited.