Titus Andronicus - Appearance Versus Reality Essay -- Titus Andronicus

Titus Andronicus - Appearance Versus Reality As appearances forgather an important role in society, so they also play an important role in William Shakespeares play Titus Andronicus. From the first scene to the last, Shakespeare elaborates on the theme of appearance versus reality through plot and character. The plays plot is full of incidents and events that are not what they appear to be from Titus mental breakdown and Tamoras extended deceitfulness, to Aarons declared deeds. Each case presents a contrast between what the senses recognize and what reality presents. Some characters are defined better by their actions than their speech. Tamora is a veritable mold for the perfect Machiavellian character. She lusts not for power as her marrying the emperor would at first suggest, but for revenge. However, she is fatally flawed since she cannot perceive the obvious signs that Titus is at some level aware of the reality around him. She is too jailed up in her own plans, and thus denies the signs of his lucidness. Her extensive cunning and plotting are one-sided. She acknowledges but does not fully comprehend Titus state of mind TAMORA Act 5, film 2 (Lines 1-8) Thus, in this strange and sad habiliment, I will encounter with Andronicus, And say I am Revenge, sent from below To join with him and right his flagitious wrongs. Knock at his study, where, they say, he keeps, To ruminate strange plots of dire revenge Tell him Revenge is come to join with him, And work confusion on his enemies. In line 6 she explicitly states that she is aware of Titus plotting revenge against her, yet she does not believe that he will carry his plans out as evidenced by the word strange. Her reas... ... reality of their state of affairs and characters. The play is swathed in deceit on diploid levels, both the plot and the underlying personalities and motivations bear disparities between appearance and reality. Works Cited and ConsultedBate, Jonathan. Introduction. Titus Androni cus. The Arden Shakespeare. London Routledge, 1995. 1-121.Carducci, Jane. Shakespeares Titus Andronicus An Experiment in Expression. Cahiers Elisabethains 31 (1987) 1-9.Danson, Lawrence N. The Device of Wonder Titus Andronicus and Revenge Tragedies. Texas Studies in Literature and Language 16 (1974) 27-43.Hulse, S. Clarke. Wresting the Alphabet Oratory and execution in Titus Andronicus. Criticism 21(1979) 106-18.Shakespeare, William. Titus Andronicus The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stanley Wells & Gary Taylor. New York/London, W.W. Norton Company, 1997.