Titus Andronicus plot summary

Titus returns from war with the Goths. He brings with him Tamora, their queen and her serving man Aaron, a moor. Titus is elected to the throne of Rome but instead he gives it to Saturninus, the emperor's first son. Saturninus chooses Titus's daughter, Lavinia, as his bride. She is engaged to Saturninus's brother Bassianus so Saturninus takes Tamora as his bride instead. Meanwhile Laviana and Bassianus flee with the help of Titus's sons Lucius, Martius, Quintus, and Mutius. Titus kills Mutius when he tries to aid Lavinia.
Tamora's sons Chiron and Demetrius both love Lavinia. Aaron, who is excited that Tamora will be queen, encourages them to rape her the next day, when a big hunt has been planned. The next day, Aaron leaves the hunting party. He buries a bad of gold under a tree and is then seduced by Tamora. Aaron asks her to deliver a letter to Saturninus. Bassianus and Lavinia see Tamora and Aaron. Chiron and Demetrius then kill Bassianus, in honor of their mother. Tamora tries to kill Lavinia but her sons tell her they want to rape Lavinia. She agrees to let them. Aaron leads Titus's sons Martius and Quintus wherein Bassianus's dead body lies. He pushes them in so that they are now framed. Aaron leads Saturninus to the pit shows him the body and the gold. The sons wait to be executed.
Marcus, the tribune of Rome, finds Lavinia, whose hands and tongue have been cut out. He brings her to Titus.
Aaron then tells Titus that if he cuts off his own hands his sons will be freed. Titus sends his sons away so that they will not restrain him. He then cuts off his own hand. Aaron then tells him that it was a trick and shows him the severed heads of his sons. Titus sends his sons Lucius to raise an army of Goths.
Lavinia then finds a way to tell Titus of her rape. She gestures toward the story of the rape of Philomedea in Odiv's Metamorhposes. She makes Chriron and Demetrius's names in the sand.
Aaron finds out that he has a son with Tamora. The nurse who brings his child to him, wants Aaron to kill his son but he kills her instead. Titus convinces Marcus, Lucius and his brothers to shoot arrows with pleas for justice into Saturninus's court. Saturninus then hears that Lucius has raised an army of Goths.
Aaron and his child are discovered by the Goths in their attempt to leave. His child's life is exchanged for Aaron's revealing all that has taken place. Aaron is gleeful about the trechary that has taken place. They decide not to kill Aaron because it would be too good of a fate for him.
Tamora and her sons, disquised as Rape, Revenge and Murder, meet with Titus. She invites him to a banquet at her house. He accepts but only if she leaves her two sons behind. Titus then kills the sons and brings them to the banquet baked in a pie.
At the banquet Titus kills his own daughter because he believes she should not outlive the shame of her rape. Titus tells Tamora that she has eaten a pie consisting of her sons and then kills her. Saturninus then kills Titus. Lucius then kills Saturninus. Lucius is made emperor, and Aaron is buried chest deep and left to starve to death.
Marilyn

Titus Andronicus history

My play that I was assigned was Titus Andronicus, probably one of the bloodiest plays ever written. The most popular of his plays during life, Titus kept it's popularity until the seventeenth century when Edward Ravenscroft changed the minds of generations to come. He found the play uninspired and many were shocked to think that their beloved Shakespeare could produce a work so reviled.
Whether or not Titus Andronicus is good is really the opinion of the reader, or the viewer. It has been said that good stage productions of Titus can change the mind of even the most adament Titus hater. Personally I've never seen it performed although I would recommend the movie for anyone with free time on a Saturday night.
Revenge Tragedy was the genre of the time. This is also the subject of my presentation. Thomas Kyd's "The Spanish Tragedy" and Marlowe's "The Jew of Malta" set the standard for gory vengeance. In Harold Bloom's opinion Titus was a comedy, a parody of the genre of the time. Its over-the-top violence was a mockery of Kyd's and Marlowe's bloody masterpieces. In Bloom's opinion the play is ridiculous if you read it as anything other than a comedy.
Aaron, the central architect in the violence in the play is a moor (black.) This would be an easy wource of contempt for prejudice Elizabethean audiences. But before Shakespeare is written off as a flaming racist one has to remember that Othello was also black. Aaron's character is particularly interesting because without him none of the play's action would occur. He masterminds every violent act and towards the end of the play admits that he reveled in ruining the lives of the other characters and would do it again if he had the chance.
Overall I think it is hard to say that any of Shakespeare's works are bad. Personally I would not even attempt to list them from best to worst. However, I would not say that this is Shakespeare's best. It is estimated to be one of the first plays he wrote and is deffinitly one of his first tragedies. For a first attempt at tragedy no one could have done it better.
Marilyn

Shakespeare is inappropriate?

I always thought Shakespeare would be one of the few literary works I felt would be safe from the hands of angry parents and offended Christians. I thought wrong. In 1996, a high school in Merrimack New Hampshire banned Twelfth Night because......it encourages alternative lifestyles. What? Apparently a woman disguising herself as a man is just this and is therefore worthy of cencorship. In 1999 Winndsor Forest High School required student to obtain signed permission slips to read Hamlet, MacBeth, and King Lear. This was because the laugnage was too "adult." There was also sex and violence. I find it ironic that some of the most beautiful works in the english language are too "mature" to be taught to high school age students.
Marilyn

Who's the Man?

Because so little is known about Shakespeare there is a serious debate surrounding who he really is.
There are numerous theories as to who the real Shakespeare is. Here are a few of them.
1. Shakespeare is Christopher Marlowe. Marlowe staged his own death to avoid further trouble with the Privy Council, a council created by the queen. Marlowe had had trouble with the council and was accused of heresy. Perhaps assuming a new identity would avoid further trouble.
2. Shakespeare is Sir Francis Bacon, a lawyer, philosopher, and scholar.
3. Shakespeare is Edward de Vere, another writer of the time
4. Shakespeare is William Stanely, the sixth earl of Derby. He was cultured and well traveled. More links on the subject:
http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/facts/facts.htm
http://www.shakespeare-oxford.com/guide.htm#Introduction

More notes on Hamlet and the Tempest

Hamlet
Hamlet's will forget all except avenging his father, but the play is about his procrastination. He gets distracted, that is the plot of the play.
It is a gnostic fable, a character is first given a task and then gets distracted. An important moment is when the character is reminded of his or her task.

The Tempest
The magician kidnaps people and creates the illusion of a storm so he can seperate people into groups.
Nine is an important number for women in mythology.
Miranda needs imgination. She remembers things through her nervous system and her brain.

Notes on Hamlet and The Tempest

Hamlet
Hamlet is a prime example of a play with a tragic recognition, a character's psychological recognition of their flaws as a human being. In Act 1 Scene 1, the ghost of his father tells Hamlet to avenge his death, at the hands of his brother, Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. This is a small recognition that, something is rotten in Denmark.
Hamlet is a primary example of a melancholoy character, whose humor is black bile.
There are also numerous puns within this play. Example "I am too much in the sun." Hamlet has become a son to another person and this makes him "in the sun" too much.
Like most melancholy characters Hamlet is obsessed with the idea of acting. Look for the words, act, play, put on ,perform, and seem.
Hamlet's first soliloquoy has three great recognitions:
1. Suffering is universal
2. Life is fleeting
3.Corruption of the flesh
As an interesting note Dr. Sexson, and many others, see Polonius as on of the biggest asses in all of Shakespeare. However Shakespeare frequently puts wise words in the mouths of asses because it is true that often stupid people say wise things.
Memory and destiny are the most important things in Shakespeare. Hamlet mentions them to Horatio before the fatal final battle.

The Tempest
Prospero is a great example of the fantastical duke of dark corners.
The storm in the play isn't real. It is the work of Prospero, a micromanager, who sees things through in infinite detail.

Marilyn

Bardolatry

Interesting facts about Shakespeare..... I like the one about the beast with two backs.
http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/facts/facts.htm

Quiz notes

Notes for quiz #2
filial ingratitude- thankless progeny. Lear sees them everywhere
flyting- rapid exchange of insults (like fighting only with words)
According to Frye 3 most important words in King Lear- nature, nothing, fool
Where does Jaques' name come from- it means outhouse, privy
Theophany- a dvine showing forth. It is used to describe a change in drama from doomed, male centered drama to surviving, female drama
Deus ex Machina- the machine of the god. It's an easy way out to fix a plot problem
How should the stage be set for Gloucester's suicide? Bare with no distractions
Themes from Cymbeline
*Appearance v. Reality
*Fidelity v. Trechary
*Redemption v. Deception
What is the there of all Shakespeare's plays? Hughes, "The unconditional love offered by the male party from the female"
What is a violation of the bed trick? The woman tricks the man into sleeping with her. The woman pursues the man instead of vice versa.
What is the poet in pastoral conventions?
Shephard
What immage illustrates a demonic aspect? Boar
What is it that both Gloucester and King Lear curse? Their own birth
Pure tradgedy- 2nd best is to die. The first is to never have been born.
Posthumus- first tragic character to survive
What is the main concern of romance? Lifting the hero our of the tragic plae
According to Garber how many different recognitions and recersals are in Cymbeline? 24
"We are to the gods as flies are to wanton boys." Gloucester
Who hears sermons in stones? Duke Sr.
Romance- weight of subjective transcendentalism
Tradgedy- weight of realism
In All's Well That Ends Well Bertram will only marry Helena if
1. She gets the ring from his finger
2. She has his child
Measure for Measure- the title comes from the Bible
In As You Like It who gets upset when he sees the dead deer? Jacques
Jacques doesn't join in the scene of recognition. He refuses to dance
What is the focus of melancholy characters?
1. Time
2. Death
3. Acting
Why is the title of Cymbeline misleading? Cymbeline is a minor character
Comedy of Errors- physical comedy

Notes from 3/22

"The worst returns to laughter." Edgar
Life is so bad all you can do is laugh about it.
Directing the scene where Edgar leads Gloucester up the imaginary cliff is difficult. Language must be used in order for Gloucester to believe that he is actually being led up a steep hillside when in reality he is just being led along the flat earth. Edgar must rely on his words to convince Gloucester that he is actually climbing upwards.
Lear curses women because without woment he would never have existed. This is a great theme within tradgedy. The second best option is to die. The first is to never have existed.
It is also worth noting that the fool has disappeard. Lear has become the fool so the fool is no longer needed..
Marilyn

Notes from 3/20

More talk of King Lear.
Theme: All the drama that you need is within the family.
*I'm an only child so this doesn't ring as true for me as it does for those with larger families.*
filial ingratitude- After all Lear has done for his children they show him no thanks. His progeny become something he doesn't want them to be
flyting-verbal exchange of insults
Act 2 Scene 3
Edgar changes into the destitute, slightly mad, character Tom. This is perhaps one of the greatest transformations in all of Shakespeare.
Marilyn

Notes from 3/8

On this day in class we talked about the play king Lear and how the play is a violation of poetic, retributive justice. Nothing good happens to those who do good. There is no happy ending. The gods do not punish those who deserve punishment. It's not exactly a real uplifting play.
Theodicy- question of the justice of God.
Inexpilcable suffering- present throughout the play.
When Lear chooses to divide his kingdom he divides himself. When he asks his daughters to tell him how much they love him the first two respond with great statements of flattery. The third, Cordelia says she loves him according to her bond, which seems to be a reoccuring theme throughout Shakespeare.
Also worth noting:
Edmund is the first existentialist- his evil nature has no natural explanation. He's just plain evil.
Oswald- possibly the most despised character in all of Shakespeare
Fool- Lear's conscience. He can say whatever he wants because he is, after all, the fool.
Marilyn

notes from 3/6

During this class we primarily discussed the plays Cymbeline and All's Well That Ends Well. Cymbeline was play that was important for Shakespeare because it was a change from tradgedy centered drama to theopany centered drama, drama based around a scene of epiphany. The swith in forms of drama is seen as a switch from male, tradgedy gloom and doom type of drama to female recognition. This is a recognition of the divine being present in the everyday. It transcends the tragic sense of life. Thophany centered drama is the drama of romance. As an aside, it is hard to pick a single moment of recognition in Cymbeline because there are 24 seperate reversals and recognitions.
All's Well That Ends Well is a Shakespearean play that remains unpopular even to this day. It violate many of the principles of its genre. The female pursues the male instead of vice versa and there aren't many jokes. For a summary of this play I found the following site helpful. http://www.britannica.com/ebi/article-9316102.
We also began to discuss King Lear in this class period. This play is considered the center of the cannon of Shakespeare. Dr. Sexson then asked us what we think is the center of the play of King Lear, aka the moment of recognition. Hint: It's not at the end.
Marilyn

Class on 3/1

I must start off thie post by saying nice job to group number two with their performance of cymbeline. I thought the idea of using a talk show to explain the plot of the story was an excellent very creative idea. If anyone missed this class day here are a few of the highlights from the presentation.
Cymbeline has elements of both tradgedy and comedy within the play. There is a clown like in most comic plays but at the same time there is no marriage at the end of the play which we have learned is a common expectation for comedies. However, the end of the play is not tragic so therefore the play is classified as a comedy.
I've never read Cymbeline before so I am not going to attemt to explain the plot because my own knowledge of it is very shakey. I found a website with a plot summary if anyone is interested. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plots/cymbelineps.html
Some of the major themes in Cymbeline are: Fidelity v. trechary, appearance v. reality, redemption, and deception Also, all the subplots you've seen within previous plays. Anyway, for a more detailed description of the play as well as notes on the play I suggest checking out the blogs of any of the cast members. They probably know a lot more about it then I do.
Marilyn

Shakespeare and the invention of words

In class we have had numerous dicsussions regarding Shakespeare's use of language. Dr. Sexson has told us that Shakespeare himself invented many of the words that he uses in his plays. Out of curiousity I ran a google search trying to find various lists of these invented words. If anyone is interested I have a few links below:
http://shakespeare.about.com/library/weekly/aa042400a.htm

http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-dictionary.htm

http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/shakespeare_words_phrases.htm

Notes from class on February 22

We covered a lot of material in this class. Most of the discussion centered around the character of the mangus, trickster, or shamen. This is Portia in "The Merchant of Venice," Maria in "Twelfth Night," and the Duke in "Measure for Measure." This character is oftentimes creul and manipulative to the other characters in the play but this is only to alter their perception. Dr. Sexson compared it to the scene in the movie "Fight Club" where Brad Pitt takes the gas station employee out back of the gas station. He holds a gun to the man's head and asks him what his aspirations were. The man answers that he wanted to be a veterinarian but the shooling was to difficult. Brad Pitt then takes the man's wallet and says that he will be checking up on him and making sure that in a month he is on his way to becoming a veterinarian. Brad Pitt then remarks that because of this near death experience the man's breakfast the next morning will be the best he has ever tasted.
Dr. Sexson then gave a brief introduction to "As You Like It," then next play we will be reading. The title suggests tow things. The first is that the entire play is meant to entertain, it is created just as you like it with all the traditional, expected elements of a comedy. The second thing the play's title suggests is that you can read into the play whatever you desire. You can create this play as you like it. In this play Rosaline will be the magician character that we've become concerned with. I am excited to start reading this play. I've never read it before but it looks very promising.
Marilyn

comments on the guest speaker

I haven't had time to create any new posts for awhile. I was very impressed by the guest speaker. In case anyone missed her presentation or needs an analysis of the poem I found one at the following website: http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/130detail.html .
I was extremely impressed by the speaker's analysis of the poem. I think she had a great presentation and interesting insight on the poem, which is a parody of the traditional love sonnet. That's all I have time to post for now.
Marilyn