TITUS ANDRONICUS. (WRITTEN ABOUT 1588-90.) INTRODUCTION. The great majority of English critics either reject this play altogether, upon the ground that in style and subject it is unlike any other work of Shakespeare, or accept as true the tradition of Ravenscroft, who altered the play in 1687, that "it was not his [Shakespeare's]," but that he only gave some master-touches to one or two of the principal parts or characters." Says one critic Shakespeare's tragedy is never bloodily sensual;. this play is a perfect slaughter-house, and the blood makes appeal to all the senses. It reeks blood, it smells of blood, we almost feel that we have handled blood--it is so gross." Besides the tradition of Ravenscroft, the external evidence with reference to the authorship of Titus is the following: (1) It is mentioned by Meres (1598) among other undoubted plays of Shakespeare. (2) It is printed in the First Folio. A play called Titus and Vespasian was acted in 1592, and though itself lost, a translation into German, acted early in the 17th century by English comedians in Germany, remains in existence. It is not the play attributed to Shakespeare. Hensiowe also mentions a Titus and Andronicus as a new play, acted January 23, 1594: it is doubtful whether this was the Shakespearean play. If it be, and it was then written, the tragedy is certainly not by Shakespeare. It is impossible to believe that in 1594, when Shakespeare had written his Venus and Adonis and his Lucrece, he could have dealt so coarsely with details of outrage and unnatural cruelty as does the author of this tragedy. Ben Jonson, in the introduction to Bartholomew Fair (1614), speaks of Titus Andronicus, with Jeronimo, as belonging to "twenty-five or thirty years" previously: this would carry back the date of the play (if it be of this Titus Andronicus that Jonson speaks) to 1589, or earlier. That it was a play of that period, and was re-touched by Shakespeare, we may accept as the opinion best supported by internal evidence and by the weight or critical authority. The importance of the tragedy lies in the fact that, if Shakespeare wrote it, we find him as a young man carried away by the influence of astorm and stress movement similar to that which urged Schiller to write his Robbers. Titus Andronicus belongs essentially to the pre-Shakespearean group of bloody tragedies, of which Kyd's Spanish Tragedy is the most conspicuous example. If it is of Shakespearean authorship, it may be regarded as representing the years of crude and violent youth before he had found his true self; his second tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, as representing the years of transition; and Hamlet, the period of maturity and adult power. ACT I. SCENE I. Rome. Before the Capitol. The Tomb of the ANDRONICI appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft. Enter, below, from one side, SATURNINUS and his Followers; and, from the other side, BASSIANUS and his Followers; with drum and colors. Sat. Noble patricians, patrons of my right, Defend the justice of my cause with arms, And, countrymen, my loving followers, Plead my successive title with your swords : I am his first-born son, that was the last That wore the imperial diadem of Rome; Then let my father's honors live in me, Nor wrong mine age with this indiguity. Bas. Romans, friends, followers, favorers of my right, If ever Bassianus, Cæsar's son, Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome, 10 And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice. Enter MARCUS ANDRONICUS, aloft, with the arms. 30 Ten years are spent since first he undertook Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons And now at last, laden with honor's spoils, 41 Dismiss your followers and, as suitors should, Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness. Sat. How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts! Bas. Marcus Andronicus, so I do affy In thy uprightness and integrity, Cap. Romans, make way: the good Andronicus, Patron of virtue, Rome's best champion, and MUTIUS; after them, two Men bearing a coffin covered with black; then LUCIUS and QUINTUS. After them, TITUS ANDRONICUS ; and then TAMORA, with ALARBUS, DEMETRIUS, CHIRON, AARON, and other Goths, prisoners; Soldiers and people following. The Bearers set down the coffin, and TITUS speaks. Tit. Hail, Rome, victorious in thy mourning weeds! 70 Lo, as the bark, that hath discharged her fraught, Returns with precious lading to the bay age, Cometh Andronicus, bound with laurel boughs, Titus, unkind and careless of thine own, [The tomb is opened. There greet in silence, as the dead are wont,90 And sleep in peace, slain in your country's waral conqueror, Gracious 110 Victorious Titus, rue the tears I shed, me. These are their brethren, whom you Goths beheld Alive and dead, and for their brethren slain Religiously they ask a sacrifice : To this your son is mark'd, and die he must, To appease their groaning shadows that are gone. [straight; Luc. Away with him! and make a fire And with our swords, upon a pile of wood, Let's hew his limbs till they be clean consumed. [Exeunt Lucius, Quintus, Martius, and Mutius, with Alarbus. 130 Tam. O cruel, irreligious piety! Alarbus goes to rest; and we survive With opportunity of sharp revenge To quit the bloody wrongs upon her foes. Luc. See, lord and father, how we have perform'd No noise, but silence and eternal sleep : Lav. In peace and honor live Lord Titus long; 160 My noble lord and father, live in fame! The cordial of mine age to glad my heart! Marc. Long live Lord Titus, my beloved brother, Gracious triumpher in the eyes of Rome! 170 Tit. Thanks, gentle tribune, noble brother Marcus. Marc. And welcome, nephews, from suc cessful wars, You that survive, and you that sleep in fame! 179 But safer triumph is this funeral pomp, Tit. A better head her glorious body fits Than his that shakes for age and feebleness: What should I don this robe, and trouble you? Be chosen with proclamations to-day, 190 To-morrow yield up rule, resign my life, |