Titus Andronicus

Theme: Revenge.
Internal Structure:
Introduction: upon the death of the late Emperor, his sons, Saturnine, the eldest one and
Bassianus are disputing over who should be the emperor’s successor. In that spirit, they both
reunite their parties to stand up for their claims to the throne. But Markus Andronicus, tribune of
the Senate of Rome, breaks the news for both of them that the people of Rome has elected his
brother, Titus Andronicus, long gone from Rome to fight in foreign campaigns, to become the new
ruler of the empire.
Conflict: Not long after, Titus arrives, forlorn and gloomy, for he has lost 25 sons in the conquest
of the Goths. He is followed by the queen of the Goths, Tamora, as well as her sons, Alarbus,
Chiron and Demetrius, and her paramour, Aaron, the Moor, taken as war prisoners. He addresses
to the Romans saying that the dead are to have a befitting burial to the service they have
performed. Not only that, but also, he asks for the death of the noblest of the prisoners,Alarbus,
first born son ofTamora. She, in despair, entreats him to pardon his son’s life, for he was just doing
his duty in fighting the Romans (“O if to fight for king and commonweal were piety in thine, it is in
these”---Tamora. Scene 1. Act 1) and arguing that “sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge”.
However, Titus is unyielding in his vengeful disposition and says that her son must die so as to
calm down the shadows of those who perished to his (Tamora’s son) sword. Soon after, Titus’ own
sons kill the Goth and showed him the blood stained swords with which the executed the deed.
Thus, Tamora vows revenge to Titus and his family (“I’ll find a day to massacre them all, and raze
their faction and their family, the cruel father and hist traitorous sons, to whom I sued for my dear
son’s life; and make them know what ‘tis to let a queen kneel in the streets and beg for grace in
vain”).
Rising Action: Thereafter, the perished sons of Titus are interred and Markus announces to him
that he has been elected to be the new emperor of Rome, the head of a headless Rome.
Unexpectedly, Titus refuses arguing that his old age makes such designation overwhelming and
that his feebleness prevent him from fulfilling such duty. Instead, he asks for an honor fitting to his
age. Markus, however, says that if he asked for the emperorship, he would obtain it at once, to
which Saturnine reacts furiously, for he fears that Andronicus is trying to rob him of his position in
the throne. Titus attempts to pacifying him and directing his speech to the people of Rome, asks
them to accept Saturnine as their new created Emperor. As a token of gratitude, Saturnine
decides to marry Titus’ daughter, Lavinia, thus making her Empress. However, Bassianus claims
that Lavinia is his and runs away with her, backed by Titus’ sons. In a turn of events, Titus kills
Mutius, his own son, who was preventing his father from going after the runaways. Angered with
Titus, Saturnine resolves to marry Tamara. She persuades him to forgive Titus, for the emperor
believed that this and his children were plotted to make a fool out of him. She says to him that he
could be god-like if he shows some mercy for Titus. Therefore, he forgives the warrior and this
thanks Tamora by inviting the new couple to hunt in the forest.
Meanwhile, Chiron and Demetrius both are adamant to get the favor of the lovely Lavinia and they
are willing to kill each other to obtain it. Upon overhearing their conversation, Aaron lets them
know that there is a way in which they can have Lavinia and also be part in the plot of Tamara
against Andronici. He says that on the morrow the party will be out to hunt in the forest, a place
spacious and dark enough to practice rape. They both agree on this plan.
The following day the group made up of Titus and his family, as well as Bassianus and Lavinia and
the emperor with Tamora followed by her children meet in the forest and they take different path to
hunt. Surreptitiously, Aaron appears and digs a whole to hide a bag with gold. Then, he meets
Tamora in a remote place in the forest and they talk affectionately. At length, they are spotted by
Lavinia and Bassianus and Aaron leaves. Lavinia and her husband accused Tamora of horning
Saturnine. Distressed, the queen calls out for her sons and asks them to stand up for her name.
They kill Bassianus. Lavinia, knowing what was in store for her, pleads Tamora to kill her but she
does not want to hear her and Chiron and Demetrius take her away after disposing Bassianus’
body in a pit. Subsequently, Aaron gives notice to Quintius and Martius of the horrid finding he has
made. They follow the moor and they fall into the pit where Bassianus’ body is. At that moment,
Saturnine, followed by Tamora arrives to the plot of the assassination and discover Titus’ sons
smeared with the blood of his late brother. Tamora holds to him a letter she has found on the
ground full with details of a plot to kill the emperor’s brother. Saturnine charges the Andronici with
murder and holds them under arrest much to the discontent of Titus. Meanwhile, in another place
in the forest, Markus finds the ravished Lavinia, who has her hands and tongue cut off, therefore,
she is unable to speak. Markus understands that she must have likely be deflowered, wherefore,
the mutilations. He takes with him where Titus is.
Titus feels miserable for the doom fallen upon his family. Lucius, his eldest, tries to provide him
with some solace but to no avail. Not much later, Markus arrives taking with him Lavinia and Titus
is devastated at the sight of the current condition of his daughter and cries. Then, Aaron arrives
telling him that Saturnine is willing to drop the charges against Titus’ sons as well as release them
provided some of the Andronici hew his own hand and submit it to the Emperor. Titus agrees on
cutting his hand and send it to the emperor. Eventually, a messenger is sent with the heads of
Quintus and Martius. Infuriated, Titus vows vengeance against the emperor and sends Lucius with
the Goths to look for help
Climax: Later, in the garden of Titus’ house, Lavinia discloses to him who the perpetrators of the
crimes committed against her are. She points out to a book, namely, The Metamorphosis by Ovid,
whose main character is a victim of rape and then she proceeds to write down with a stick held
between her teeth on the ground the names of the criminals, that is, Tamora’s sons.
Falling action: Titus decides to put in motion his revenge by sending Lucius’ son, Young Lucius
with some gifts for the criminals. The boy takes arrows and swords with lines of poetry written
upon them and hands them to Chiron and Demetrius. Then, he leaves. Aaron, perspicaciously
notices that Titus has discovered the crime. At that moment, a midwife appears calling out for
Aaron because Tamora has delivered a black boy whose father is the Moor. Tamara’s sons and
the midwife say the newborn must be killed for he will bring shame to the stately Rome but Aaron
refuses to do so and kill the midwife. He puts the boys in charge of getting rid of the body and he
runs away with baby to the Goths territory, where he plans to bring him up. However, Lucius
captures the Moor with his soon and this is forced to reveal his and Tamora’s plot against Titus
and his family. Meanwhile, in Rome, Tamora and her sons dress as the embodiment of Revenge,
Murder and Rape, respectively and appear to Titus to tell them to arrange and banquet for the
emperor and the empress and he agrees but solicits Revenge to have council with her sons and
then he kills them both. Subsequently, he bakes them into a pie. On the day of the banquet, he
kills Lavinia following Saturnine’s advice as regard what to do with a ravished daughter. Then,
when Tamora begins eating he reveals to her that he made the pie from her own children and
proceeds to kill her. Saturnine at his turn kills Titus and Lucius, after arriving to the palace
assassinates Saturnine.
Conclusion: Lucius becomes the newly created Emperor of Rome and orders that Tamora’s
corpse be thrown to the beasts.