Topic: Titus Oct. 25, 2010

Titus Andronicus, despite its illogical, even ridiculous plot, and gratuitous violence, has the crude seeds of Hamlet in its elements of madness in the main character and his need for revenge.  I have already pointed out the ridiculous plot devices in class, but the themes of human suffering and endurance, unaccountable evil in the world, and the need to depend upon ourselves more than the gods are topics out of which I will derive the questions for your exam.

Aaron is the first in a series of Shakespearean villains who do evil because they can.  He has no motive, no passion, no remorse-at his death his only regret is that he could not have done ten thousand more evil deeds.  His many monologues, curiously, reveal little about him.  There is not much to see, other than an articulate version of Jason from Halloween.  Tamora, Saturninus, Chiron, and Demetrius pale by comparison.