Titus Andronicus Manipulation

In the corner of your eye you see a mysterious character hiding and lingering in the shadows. Seeing that the character is different from the others, you get the feeling that they will soon be very important later in the play but you’re not really sure how yet. In the play Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare, Aaron the Moor although a slave becomes a big part of the whole play, getting involved in all the trickery that occurs. Aaron, by his actions throughout the book, shows that he is the most deceitful person in the play by being able to manipulate all the people around him for his advantage.
Aaron uses people’s thoughts about what they think his personality is and uses it to manipulate them. With his mysterious look, it’s not surprising

that he would be the villain in this play portraying deceitfulness throughout the book. “His blackness sets him apart visually, and his cruel wit gives him detachment of another kind.” (Leggart, 248) with Aaron being different from all the other characters considering his skin color, it gave the audience the hint that he would be a character way different from all the others. Aaron was able to persuade Chiron and Demetrius of raping Lavinia. “Serve your lust, shadowed from heaven’s eye, and revel in Lavinia’s treasury.” (2.1.38-39) In saying this, he was just looking out for himself, playing with Chiron and Demetrius and especially with Lavinina like dolls. Aaron, along with the new Empress Tamora, created a plan to hide what horrendous deed they have done. After planting the gold in the ground near where Bassianus was killed by Chiron and Demetrius, Aaron stated “Know that this gold must coin a stratagem which, cunningly effected, will beget a very excellent piece of villainy.” (2.3.5) he knew that what he had just started with having Chiron and Demetrius kill Bassianus and rape Lavinia will create a bigger commotion that will later on build.
Being Tamora’s lover also has it’s perks, with Aaron being able to alter her emotions in his favor even though Tamora would seem to be like the person who would be invulnerable to Aaron’s plans.

After Aaron finished telling the rest of his plans and giving the letter to Tamora, she thought that it was a great plan, shouting “Ah, my sweet Moor, sweeter to me than life!” (2.3.51) being able to easily manipulate the new Empress. When they saw Martius and Quintus near the hole where Bassianus died, they were sentenced to death. Upon hearing the news, Titus was desperate and would do anything to keep them from dying a dishonorable death. Aaron saw an opportunity then to trick Titus, “Let Marcus, Lucius, or thyself, old Titus,...chop off your hand and send it to the King; he for the same will send thee hither both thy sons alive, and that shall be the ransom for their fault” (3.1.154-158) hearing this news from Aaron, Titus did not hesitate and even let Aaron himself chop his hand. Of course Aaron knew that his sons were already dead when after chopping off his hand says “I go Andronicus, and for thy hand look by and by to have thy sons with thee. Their heads, I mean.” (3.1.203-205) A few hours later, Titus was give back both his sons’ heads and his hand back by a

messenger.
Along with all his backstabbing plans to ruin the Andronici Clan, Aaron’s personality takes a turn to a soft side near the end of the play.

After a span of nine months, Aaron received news about a newborn baby boy from the nurse. Knowing that it was his, he concluded that Tamora did not want anything to do with the baby because it could cause trouble with Saturninus and her. While on his way to the Goths to raise his child, he got caught and was sent to Lucius. After getting captured, his only goal was to save his one and only child; “Lucius, save the child...If thou do this, I’ll show thee wondrous things that highly may advantage thee to hear.” (5.1.54-57) Aaron knew that Lucius was not able to contact anybody while he was banished to the Goths to raise an army so he knows how valuable the information he will give him will be and could be the only way to save his son’s life giving off a little bit of his loving, softer, more father-like side. Aaron makes Lucius “Swear that he shall, and then I will begin...Hast a thing within thee called conscience,” (5.1.71-76) “he” referring to his son, making Lucius swear to his god that he will raise Young Aaron as his own since Aaron knows that Lucius cannot go against his god. Even though Aaron is captured and seems powerless, he is still able to turn Lucius to unknowingly obey his orders by finding his weakness which is his religion and using it against him. Aaron knows that he will not live after everything he has done, so he is

just pleading for his son’s life in this case and not his.
Everything Aaron did throughout the play strongly shows that he is just there for himself and his baby; not Tamora or Chiron and Demetrius, “Aaron is motivated by his status as an outsider. At first he seems to be the devil incarnate. But toward the end, there is an astonishing turnaround.” “New York Times FILM” (Jonathan Bate, p.2) In the beginning of the play, Aaron seemed to only look out for himself, but after he found out about his baby, his personality changes after accepting the fact that Tamora does not want anything to do with the baby. Even though his life is on the line, his only concerned is about saving the life of Young Aaron, his only son. Although he won’t be able to see him grow up, he will die having the hope that one day he might be the next Emperor of Rome.