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alwayslivedinthecastle's review against another edition
5.0
Did my dissertation on this baby way back in the mists of time and it. Was. Great.
See also: Julie Taymor's Alan-Cumming-tastic film version.
See also: Julie Taymor's Alan-Cumming-tastic film version.
teagan821's review against another edition
2.0
Definitely a rough play, in the stylistic sense and considering the plot. The willy-nilly (yes, that is the only word I can think of at the moment to describe it) deaths seem to carry little meaning and only served to add shock value and commercial value. Disappointing.
meganwade's review against another edition
4.0
You would think this bloody, horrifying play is something that could ruin Shakespeare for someone, and I’m sure it has. It is violent and cruel to its characters, but it was actually quite popular in its time.
For me, this play represents what sets Shakespeare apart from all other play-writes. He took the trend of his time, bloody tragedies that shook people to their cores, and he made something revolutionary. If we just ignore the amazing things he was able to do with this play, it loses all of its importance among the rest of his wonderful works. Also, it made me appreciate his comedies and other tragedies even more.
Lavinia was no doubt the true victim of this play. Not only was she tortured and defiled by many men, but she was also forced to sit aside while they went free. What I loved about her story, however, was that she had the strength to fight for herself after her life was destroyed right before her eyes. I can’t imagine the pain she went through and I respect her so much for staying alive even though it would have been easier to not keep going.
Now Aaron is a completely different story, but he leaves a very similar impact. He is a vile, evil character that has no morals or remorse for the tricks and horrible things he does to the other characters. But, as far as I can tell after reading this play with my Shakespeare class, he is the first black character in Shakespeare’s works, and he is the first character to celebrate his race for its beauty and strength. Other characters are brutally racist to Aaron throughout the play, but because of his self-awareness and self-preservation skills he is still able to best them . This does not excuse his actions, nor does it make him any less of a villain in the play. However, I can appreciate the complexities of his character and find the importance of his presence in this play.
Overall, Titus Andronicus is a crazy, wild, human play and I’m honestly glad that I read it, no matter how gory and strange it all was.
For me, this play represents what sets Shakespeare apart from all other play-writes. He took the trend of his time, bloody tragedies that shook people to their cores, and he made something revolutionary. If we just ignore the amazing things he was able to do with this play, it loses all of its importance among the rest of his wonderful works. Also, it made me appreciate his comedies and other tragedies even more.
Lavinia was no doubt the true victim of this play. Not only was she tortured and defiled by many men, but she was also forced to sit aside while they went free.
Spoiler
Then, when it seemed like she was about to get justice for herself, her father comes and stabs her. What cruelty.Now Aaron is a completely different story, but he leaves a very similar impact. He is a vile, evil character that has no morals or remorse for the tricks and horrible things he does to the other characters. But, as far as I can tell after reading this play with my Shakespeare class, he is the first black character in Shakespeare’s works, and he is the first character to celebrate his race for its beauty and strength. Other characters are brutally racist to Aaron throughout the play, but because of his self-awareness and self-preservation skills he is still able to best them
Spoiler
and eventually save his childOverall, Titus Andronicus is a crazy, wild, human play and I’m honestly glad that I read it, no matter how gory and strange it all was.
noctmemoire's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
meadforddude's review against another edition
4.0
The plotting and density of the thematic purpose throughout are a marked evolution for Shakespeare as a storyteller, but the characters (in my opinion) suffer considerably at least in part as a result of this shift in emphasis. The violence - though purposeful - is truly grotesque and genuinely horrifying to bear witness to throughout the play.
Shakespeare's language here is much more playful and rich as well, but I can't help but think this would have benefited from having been afforded more room to sprawl. It's one of Shakespeare's shortest plays so far, and it feels like we hardly get introduced to certain characters before they're dispatched in pointedly gruesome fashion. Maybe the slightness is necessary so that the violence doesn't seem oppressively cruel. I dunno. Who am I to second-guess Shakespeare?
I have seen the 1999 Julie Taymor film, and it certainly left an impression on me at the time. Even so, the violence on the page is just as bracing to encounter. Maybe even more so. This is a good thing, overall, I think.
Shakespeare's language here is much more playful and rich as well, but I can't help but think this would have benefited from having been afforded more room to sprawl. It's one of Shakespeare's shortest plays so far, and it feels like we hardly get introduced to certain characters before they're dispatched in pointedly gruesome fashion. Maybe the slightness is necessary so that the violence doesn't seem oppressively cruel. I dunno. Who am I to second-guess Shakespeare?
I have seen the 1999 Julie Taymor film, and it certainly left an impression on me at the time. Even so, the violence on the page is just as bracing to encounter. Maybe even more so. This is a good thing, overall, I think.
tenthangel's review against another edition
1.0
So much gratuitous blood and gore. Aaron has the potential to be the best character had he not had a hand in that whole "persuading the boys to rape Lavinia" thing. After that he's written off as the "evil black villain" and its quite tedious. Titus is a ridiculous character and I feel no sympathy for him throughout the play. Especially since he murders two of his own kids for no apparent reason.
nico_29's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
avery_madison's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5