In Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare uses extremes and revenge to show that Titus has lost all of his strength, power, and protection. Shakespeare makes sure that Titus loses most of everyone and everything so he doesn’t have the protection he did when he was emperor and had all of the power. Everyone wants revenge on Titus after he kills Tamora’s oldest son. Shakespeare uses all of the other characters to show that getting to confident over having power is never a good thing. Anything in excess is not good.
Power is often symbolized in hands. The symbolism of different body parts plays an important role in Titus Andronicus, as well as other assignments such as Madea and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Arms and hands are the biggest symbols in …show more content…
Lucius, another one of Titus’ sons, tries to save Quintus and Martius from being falsely accused. During his attempt he was banished from Rome. Shakespeare is using Saterninus to go to the extremes and get revenge on Titus. Saterninus is taking away everything he can from Titus including his family until he has nothing left including strength, power, and protection.
Eventually, Titus sacrifices his hand in an attempt to save his sons because Aaron told him he would trade his hand for the lives of his sons. Titus Andronicus says, “Give me a sword, I'll chop off my hands too” (Act 3. Scene 1. Line 72). When he cuts his hand off, it symbolizes that he has lost all of his power. Without a hand or arm, you cannot hold a sword anymore. Although Titus said he would give up his sword, it made him more defenseless than before without a hand. Since the hand symbolizes protection it also shows that he surrendered the protection of himself.
When Arron takes the hand to the emperor they send Titus’ sons’ heads back to him so even though he cut his hand of to save them Saterninus still killed them. When Titus received the heads and his hand back it portrayed not only his loss of power and protection but also that his legacy was being cut off. He only had one son left now and he had already been banished from Rome so Titus didn’t have anybody
Power is often symbolized in hands. The symbolism of different body parts plays an important role in Titus Andronicus, as well as other assignments such as Madea and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Arms and hands are the biggest symbols in …show more content…
Lucius, another one of Titus’ sons, tries to save Quintus and Martius from being falsely accused. During his attempt he was banished from Rome. Shakespeare is using Saterninus to go to the extremes and get revenge on Titus. Saterninus is taking away everything he can from Titus including his family until he has nothing left including strength, power, and protection.
Eventually, Titus sacrifices his hand in an attempt to save his sons because Aaron told him he would trade his hand for the lives of his sons. Titus Andronicus says, “Give me a sword, I'll chop off my hands too” (Act 3. Scene 1. Line 72). When he cuts his hand off, it symbolizes that he has lost all of his power. Without a hand or arm, you cannot hold a sword anymore. Although Titus said he would give up his sword, it made him more defenseless than before without a hand. Since the hand symbolizes protection it also shows that he surrendered the protection of himself.
When Arron takes the hand to the emperor they send Titus’ sons’ heads back to him so even though he cut his hand of to save them Saterninus still killed them. When Titus received the heads and his hand back it portrayed not only his loss of power and protection but also that his legacy was being cut off. He only had one son left now and he had already been banished from Rome so Titus didn’t have anybody