Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - The Tragedy of Titus Andronicus

Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

The Tragedy of Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare

5 reviews

unrealpunk's review against another edition

dark

1.75

I didn't know Shakespeare could be this bad

Wow, it's hard to believe this is really Shakespeare. You can definitely see some similar elements to the great tragedies in terms of plot and structure, but there is very little to recommend this play on its own merits. The bard's normally captivating language is mostly flat, with some lines that barely scan, especially toward the beginning and end of the play. Worse, the humanitarian spirit is also missing, and the way events play out brings the phrase "all edge and no point" to mind, especially the end. But the edgy violence is practically endearing compared to the anti-black racism, which is really extremely bad in a way that makes Othello look progressive. Anyone who wants to avoid very direct authentic 16th century anti-blackness should probably avoid this.

Supposedly this was one of Shakespeare's earliest plays, and I can definitely believe it; I wouldn't be surprised if it was his very first — a learning experience. You could compare the egregious racism in Titus to the egregious misogyny in Taming of the Shrew, another early play, and perhaps chalk it up to a juvenile ignorance soon to be outgrown; but even Taming of the Shrew is a showcase for Shakespeare's literary virtuosity, and by the time he had written other early plays, such as the Henry VI histories, he was a fully mature master. So give the guy credit for his rapid improvement, but as for the play itself, all but the completists should skip this one.

Content Warnings