Titus Andronicus
Shakespeare · Drama

Titus Andronicus

William Shakespearec. 1592
Influence12th pct
Popularity15th pct

Read this if you…

  • want an unhinged horrific plot

Skip this if you…

  • aren't willing to go slow, read notes, look up analyses of famous passages (only way to "get" shakespeare)
  • foolishly think shakespeare is overrated
  • don't like horrible gore and tragedy
  • haven't read all the classic tragedies (this one is near the bottom)

Why It Matters

Shakespeare's first tragedy is a blood-soaked revenge play that out-gored everything else on the Elizabethan stage. It's raw, over the top, and shamelessly sensational, and it was a huge hit. What matters is that you can see Shakespeare here learning to push extreme emotion through dramatic structure, the skill he'd nail down in the great tragedies.

The Groblé Take

Lots of murders makes it a quick fun read, but nothing is that clever. So much death though which is fun

Connections

Where to go next

Built Onwhat came beforeTitus AndronicusMetamorphosesThe Aeneid

  • Metamorphoses by Ovid. Titus Andronicus built on it. - *Titus Andronicus* is Ovid's Philomela story staged at full volume — the *Metamorphoses* is the book the play hands its audience - The rapists Chiron and Demetrius take Tereus as their conscious model, cutting out Lavinia's tongue *and* her hands so she can't weave the truth - Read the Philomela myth (Book VI) first and the play's whole machinery of mutilation and revenge clicks into place
  • The Aeneid by Virgil. Titus Andronicus built on it. - The Roman revenge play is built on Virgil — Titus shadows Aeneas, and Tamora shadows Dido, who is named twice - Alarbus's ritual sacrifice grimly recalls *Aeneid* XI, and Aeneas's account of Troy's fall is woven directly in - Read Virgil first and you see what Shakespeare is darkening: the epic's pious hero turned loose into cruelty
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Gallery

Depicted in Art

Aaron holds Tamora's newborn child against his chest, dagger drawn, facing down Chiron and Demetrius and the nurse who would have killed the infant.

Thomas Kirk, 1796

Lavinia kneels imploring at Tamora's feet as Chiron and Demetrius look on, ready to drag her into the woods.

Anker Smith (after Samuel Woodforde), 1793

Frontispiece illustration accompanying the play in Rowe's 1709 Works of Shakespeare — the play's first engraved scene in any edition.

Nicholas Rowe edition (anonymous), 1709

Engraving depicting Tamora's cruelty to Lavinia from the Boydell-tradition reproduction in the 'Album dramatique' of Shakespeare scenes.

Unknown

Tamora kneels pleading before Titus while her bound sons Chiron and Demetrius crouch behind her; Aaron stands armed at the right, pointing toward them.

Henry Peacham, 1595

Editions

Recommended Editions

#1Top Pick

Folger Shakespeare Library

2005

Folger's the readable one. Text on one page, notes on the facing page, written in plain English instead of textbook-speak. Catches every word and reference you'd otherwise google, without breaking the scene to do it.

Buy on Bookshop
#2

SparkNotes (No Fear Shakespeare)

2003

#3

Arden Shakespeare

2006

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Deep Dive

What It's About

Spoiler warning

This summary gives away plot details.

Notable Quotes

“I have done a thousand dreadful things as willingly as one would kill a fly.”

— Aaron, Titus Andronicus

“Tut, I have done a thousand dreadful things As willingly as one would kill a fly, And nothing grieves me heartily indeed But that I cannot do ten thousand more.”

— Aaron, Act V scene i

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