Shakespeare is a universally well-known playwright and because of this, his plays are constantly being modified, developed and translated to fit the current time period and audience. In the same way that many other authors change or modify the wording and layout of Shakespeare’s work, I changed the form of Titus Andronicus into a comic. It is evident that through my comic translation of a scene in the play, Shakespeare’s craft and his exploration of revenge, theatricality and the green world can be retained in a new format despite my changes. I chose to recreate the scene in a form of a comic because of how it clearly displays a character’s emotions and expressions, emphasizes the setting and roles of certain characters and helps younger readers …show more content…
Visual images provide a quicker and more effective way in conveying to the reader the character’s emotions and thoughts and allows for them to experience this moment in the play differently from how the written text describes it. In Titus Andronicus, Tamora can be viewed as a purely evil and low down character due to how the text constantly refers to her and her people as “the Goths” in a disturbing and shameful manner. From the beginning of the play there is this distinction between the dominant white class, being of Titus and his family, in comparison to everyone else. In the text, Tamora is portrayed as this “other” character that does not seem to belong, which is why in act two scene one, she can be misinterpreted as this heartless female character that simply obeys Aaron’s orders to deceive and kill several characters. My adaptation of this scene highlights the emotions Tamora experiences and allows for for a reader to understand why she does what she does in the play. It observes the various things that play a factor in provoking her madness that might not be as obvious in the text. It still focuses greatly on the theme of revenge, but through illustrations, I try to show that Tamora is not initially an evil character, but is rather made into one due to the …show more content…
In my opinion, the written version of Titus Andronicus underplays Aaron’s character by simply inserting and removing him from multiple scenes. Not much is known about Aaron, except that he likes to joke around and is never serious about anything. My comic captures him as a figure that not only enjoys playing tricks on other people, but as someone that pushes the plot forward, where if it was not due to his digging of the gold, calling of Tamora’s brothers, luring Martius and Quintus into the hole or calling the King to find his dead brother, this constant blood bath could have been avoided. Aaron is a lot smarter and evil-minded than what he is made out to be in the written text, which is why I thought it would be important to emphasize his traits and behaviour through multiple frames. Furthermore, to allow for a better understanding of where Aaron stands in this society, I made him noticeably different from the other characters in the play, as Bassianus even refers to Aaron being this “barbarous Moor” (2.3.78) with “Spotted, detested, and abominable” (2.3.74) features. It is unclear whether or not Bassianus’ description of Aaron is accurate, but it is obvious that there is something physically different about him that makes the other characters insult him or turn a blind eye. As a result, by making him darker and physically different from the other characters, it portrays the
Strangely, regardless of the fact that Aaron immediately returns to behaving diabolically, it is noteworthy that out of all the parents in Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare portrays Aaron as the parent who sacrifices all for his child. Tamora believed herself to be wholly degraded after begging for Alarbus’ life, and she made no further sacrifices for her children. To Titus’ credit, he chopped off his hand in an effort to save two of his sons, but Aaron gave his life for the benefit of his child. Shakespeare skillfully salvages the noble family line, and the remaining Andronicus family members, mainly Lucius and his son, will continue as imperialists. Plainly, although Titus lost many sons in the war with the Goths, he did not despair over his losses.
Shakespeare's first tragedy has been a topic of discussion since the day it was written. Titus Andronicus "was staged on 24 January 1594 by the Earl of Sussex's Men at the Rose Theatre" (Welsh 1). Though this tidbit of information seems somewhat irrelevant to Titus, we must note that there are certain standards and practices established by a play from its first performance. It is also important to establish the general attributes that audiences attribute to Shakespearean performance.
The works of William Shakespeare have been one of the diligent hotspots for adaptation and appropriation. We see dramatic adaptation of Shakespearean playtexts began as early as Restoration period. Different fields like poetry, novels, advertisements, and movies have connected themselves with Shakespeare as well. The adaptation of Shakespeare makes him fit for new social settings and distinctive political philosophies.
The audience never witnesses Aaron's supposed teachings however, nor is it likely that if he were to continue living as before that he would commit the acts he pledges himself to as he is to be hanged (Act V Scene I Lines 125-144). Aaron talks of evil and trickery, while Tamora lives its epitome, marrying herself into the queen-ship of the conquering tribe. When presented with his child Aaron does care for it, and only agrees to speak upon the condition that it shall be saved. This insight into his character makes him seem almost a worthier person than Titus who murders his own sons. The villain shows more care for his kin than the hero does for his. This serves to make Aaron a more realistic villain by making him more human.
Clark, W.G., and W. Aldis Wirhgt, eds. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Vol 2. USA: Nd. 2 vols.
William Shakespeare, the author of many various forms of writing, was born in Stratford upon Avon, in 1564. He wrote plays and sonnets alike, and occasionally combined the two. “Romeo and Juliet” was an example of this as many sonnets are used in it so as to display their love. This play was perhaps the shortest one that he ever wrote, and it is a tragedy that still warms the hearts of people today. It is, no doubt, amongst the most well known plays by him, and is greatly enjoyed by children and adults alike. In this essay, I will identify the various techniques used in this work of art, explicitly focusing on dramatic irony and foreshadowing.
The "Introduction" of the "Intr Titus Andronicus. The Arden Shakespeare. London: Routledge, 1995. http://www. 1.
There are opinions that accredit Titus as an ideal father because he is a general, he is disciplined and seeks justice for his children. Nonetheless, Lavinia’s rape and mutilation is a pivotal turning point that pushes Titus over the edge. Titus then seeks revenge and is no longer tied to traditions and discipline. Aaron carried out schemes because he was trying to survive. He needed to somehow find a way to benefit from Tamora so that he could have some sense of security. He ends his relationship with Tamora not only because he is tired of being a subordinate for so long, but also because his child is giving him a new opportunity, a new future- one that can be
Julie Taymor’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus has many theatrical elements that aid in creating an interpretation of the written play. One of the most prominent elements that Taymor uses is color. Taymor uses color to develop Shakespeare’s characters. Many times throughout the film, color is used to represent a character’s mood or their hidden agenda during a scene. We also see color used to represent good versus evil. The three colors that are most widely used during the movie to show symbolism and imagery are black, white, and red. While there are some references to color in the written text of Titus Andronicus, Taymor’s use of color allows the viewers to see a more clear representation of mood, tone, and character. The colors may be used in costume or in setting. Regardless of how they are used each color plays a large role in distinguishing the tone that is being set for a scene or character.
These differences in character, though seemingly small, lead the audience to draw two very different conclusions about the characters’ situations and why they are placed in them. The analyzation of the characters changes from Shakespeare’s written play to Hoffman’s rendering of A Midsummer Night’s
Shakespeare, William. "Titus Andronicus" The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stanley Wells & |Gary Taylor. New York/London, W.W. Norton Company,1997. 371-434
...Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Excerpted from Stories from Shakespeare. N. p.: E. P. Dutton, 1956.
‘Titus Andronicus ‘is a play by William Shakespeare that went to become very popular during his time. The play was performed in Rome after the defeat of the Goths by the Romans. The Goths were people from German who invaded their country. Throughout the play, violence can be seen inform of brutal murders, sexual violence and mutilation, suicide, wars and conflicts. This is normally heightened by the urge of the characters to revenge. Examples of such cases include: the raping and mutilation of Lavinia, Titus’s daughter and the killing of Alarbus. Shakespeare presents stage violence that makes the audience concentrate and understand in a better way.
Cohen, Walter, J.E. Howard, K. Eisaman Maus. The Norton Shakespeare. Vol. 2 Stephen Greenblatt, General Editor. New York, London. 2008. ISBN 978-0-393-92991-1
In Measure for Measure, Shakespeare presents and considers the exercise of power and how it is used and misused in the corrupt, morally decaying society of Vienna. The authoritative figures in the play hold the power of the law, a choice between legalistic justice and mercy based on the “stricture statures” and “most biting” laws of Vienna. Women, facing a life of piety, prostitution or marriage, seek self fulfilling power through seduction and temptation of men. The power of unknowing, through disguise and deceit not only achieves the maintenance of ones reputation but also fulfilling the desires of some to create a facade of the morally corrupt workings of individuals in the play. For some, power hides the falsehood of their character, acting