Titus Andronicus
From the beginning of Titus Andronicus we are thrust into Shakespeare s idiosyncratic form of
reality, a place where things are slightly out of place, maybe a little out of touch. When any writer
creates such a reality, some room to be more dramatic or creative is formed, this allows things out
of the ordinary suddenly become ordinary. This simulacrum of reality is essential to Shakespeare s
work; however, in Titus Andronicusit functions in a slightly altered way, allowing a dark humor to
be found in some of the play s most tragic moments so much so, that to call the play simply a
tragedybecomes unjust. Structurally, the work is tragic, one that pushes moral boundaries and
leaves us uncomfortable, but on another level the work delves into... Show more content on
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The interaction between Aaron and Lucius shares the same playful yet dark tone seen in other
parts of the play. Act 5, scene 1, is not inherently comic by itself, but when considered with the
rest of the play, it shares a certain comic element. More importantly, their game leads into,
essentially, the last comic part of the play between Tamora and Titus. For a first time reader or
viewer of Titus Andronicus, it appears Titus does not know it is Tamora, Chiron, and Demetrius
disguised. For the brief moment before one can make sense of what Titus is up to, the scene is
inherently funny. When Tamora says Know, thou sad man, I am not Tamora. / She is thy enemy,
and I thy friend, one cannot help but feel the nature of the game being played between these two
forces (5.2.28 29). The choice to have her disguised as Revenge is too perfect of a fit considering
the rest of the work, and her character, and is a little disjointing in a tragedy this leads their
interactions to take place comically, almost too light heartedly, considering what Titus and Tamora
are both planning. This scene, of course, leads into the final movement of the play where the
audience learns that nobody has learned anything, there is no great epiphany anywhere to be found,
and the cycle of revenge
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