- published: 12 Dec 2015
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Titus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, and possibly George Peele, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy, and is often seen as his attempt to emulate the violent and bloody revenge plays of his contemporaries, which were extremely popular with audiences throughout the sixteenth century.
The play is set during the latter days of the Roman Empire and tells the fictional story of Titus, a general in the Roman army, who is engaged in a cycle of revenge with Tamora, Queen of the Goths. It is Shakespeare's bloodiest and most violent work and traditionally was one of his least respected plays. Although it was extremely popular in its day, it fell out of favour during the Victorian era, primarily because of what was considered to be a distasteful use of graphic violence, but from around the middle of the twentieth century its reputation began to improve.
The play begins shortly after the death of the Roman Emperor, with his two sons, Saturninus and Bassianus, squabbling over who will succeed him. Their conflict seems set to boil over into violence until a tribune, Marcus Andronicus, announces that the people's choice for the new emperor is his brother, Titus, who will shortly return to Rome from a victorious ten-year campaign against the Goths. Titus subsequently arrives to much fanfare, bearing with him as prisoners the Queen of the Goths (Tamora), her three sons, and Aaron the Moor (her secret lover). Despite the desperate pleas of Tamora, Titus sacrifices her eldest son, Alarbus, in order to avenge the deaths of his own sons during the war. Distraught, Tamora and her two surviving sons, Demetrius and Chiron, vow revenge on Titus and his family.
Titus (Latin: Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81), was Roman Emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death, thus becoming the first Roman Emperor to come to the throne after his own father.
Prior to becoming Emperor, Titus gained renown as a military commander, serving under his father in Judaea during the First Jewish-Roman War. The campaign came to a brief halt with the death of emperor Nero in 68, launching Vespasian's bid for the imperial power during the Year of the Four Emperors. When Vespasian was declared Emperor on 1 July 69, Titus was left in charge of ending the Jewish rebellion. In 70, he successfully laid siege to and destroyed the city and Temple of Jerusalem. For this achievement Titus was awarded a triumph; the Arch of Titus commemorates his victory to this day.
Under the rule of his father, Titus gained notoriety in Rome serving as prefect of the Praetorian Guard, and for carrying on a controversial relationship with the Jewish queen Berenice. Despite concerns over his character, Titus ruled to great acclaim following the death of Vespasian in 79, and was considered a good emperor by Suetonius and other contemporary historians. As emperor, he is best known for completing the Colosseum and for his generosity in relieving the suffering caused by two disasters, the Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 and a fire in Rome in 80. After barely two years in office, Titus died of a fever on 13 September 81. He was deified by the Roman Senate and succeeded by his younger brother Domitian.
William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564; died 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His surviving works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.
Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613 at age 49, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
Actors: Richard Griffin (producer), Richard Griffin (writer), William Shakespeare (writer), Richard Griffin (director), Richard Phillips (actor), Mary Costa (actress), Rachel Walker (actress), Molly Lloyd (actress), Chris Perrotti (actor), Tommy Broadbent (actor), Robert Jude Buco (actor), Eric Cutler (actor), Nigel Gore (actor), Jane Adler (actress), Mike Sablone (actor),
Genres: Drama, Horror,Actors: Kyle Cooper (miscellaneous crew), Jennifer Zolten Freed (miscellaneous crew), Harry Lennix (actor), William Shakespeare (writer), Alan Cumming (actor), Milena Canonero (costume designer), Jessica Lange (actress), James Frain (actor), Colm Feore (actor), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (actor), Constantine Gregory (actor), Anthony Hopkins (actor), Angus Macfadyen (actor), Constantine Gregory (miscellaneous crew), Françoise Bonnot (editor),
Plot: War begets revenge. Victorious general, Titus Andronicus, returns to Rome with hostages: Tamora queen of the Goths and her sons. He orders the eldest hewn to appease the Roman dead. He declines the proffered emperor's crown, nominating Saturninus, the last ruler's venal elder son. Saturninus, to spite his brother Bassianus, demands the hand of Lavinia, Titus's daughter. When Bassianus, Lavinia, and Titus's sons flee in protest, Titus stands against them and slays one of his own. Saturninus marries the honey-tongued Tamora, who vows vengeance against Titus. The ensuing maelstrom serves up tongues, hands, rape, adultery, racism, and Goth-meat pie. There's irony in which two sons survive.
Keywords: 400-a.d., accidental-cannibalism, anachronism, ancient-rome, army, baby, banishment, bare-butt, based-on-play, bathtubActors: William Shakespeare (writer), Robert Reece (actor), Levi Tinker (actor), Daniele Sordoni (editor), Tom Dennis (actor), Christopher Dunne (director), Christopher Dunne (writer), Ryan Martin (actor), Amanda Gezik (actress), Candy K. Sweet (actress), Lexton Raleigh (actor), Alex Chew (actor), Richard Porter (actor), Buddy Spafford (actor),
Genres: Drama, Horror,Actors: John Benfield (actor), William Shakespeare (writer), John Benfield (actor), Edward Hardwicke (actor), John Benfield (actor), Eileen Atkins (actress), Trevor Peacock (actor), Shaun Sutton (producer), John Wilders (miscellaneous crew), Hugh Quarshie (actor), Tim Potter (actor), Neil McCaul (actor), Nicholas Gecks (actor), Walter Brown (actor), Tom Hunsinger (actor),
Plot: Having subdued the Goths, warrior Titus Andronicus returns to Rome to bury his sons, with Gothic Queen Tamora and her retinue as captives. The newly-dead Roman Emperor's two sons, Saturninus and Bassianus, are competing for their father's title. According to Roman custom, Titus sacrifices Tamora's eldest son to the Gods; having the deciding vote, he also chooses Saturninus as Emperor. Both acts have tragic consequences.
Keywords: accidental-cannibalism, ancient-rome, based-on-play, black-comedy, cannibalism, character-name-in-title, execution, madness, mutilation, rapeActors: Kari Franck (actor), Paavo Pentikäinen (actor), Iris-Lilja Lassila (actress), Tarja-Tuulikki Tarsala (actress), Sulevi Peltola (writer), William Shakespeare (writer), Jukka Sipilä (writer), Kaj Chydenius (composer), Jukka Sipilä (director), Hannu Kahakorpi (actor), Aarne Laine (actor), Leo Lastumäki (actor), Eero Melasniemi (actor), Toivo Mäkelä (actor), Vesa Mäkelä (actor),
Genres: Drama,Throw my guitar down on the floor
No one cares what I've got to say anymore
I didn't come here to be damned with faint praise
I'll write my masterpiece some other day
(Fuck everything, fuck me)
I'm repeating myself again
Innovation, I leave to smarter men
Pretty melodies don't fall out of the air for me
I've got to steal them from somewhere
But it doesn't matter what you do
Or how hard you try
Now there's nothing left for me to do except die
When they cut you up
And tell you that it's not going to hurt
But they are not going to stop until they see you go to sleep in the dirt
There'll be no more cigarettes
No more having sex
No more drinking until you fall on the floor
No more indie rock
Just a ticking clock
You have no time for that anymore
You better watch where you run your mouth
Because you know what they'll say to you
They'll say
Your life is over [repeat until end]