Civility and Barbarity: The Foundations of Civilization in Titus Andronicus

Titus Andronicus is one of William Shakespeare’s earliest play, and it is also one of his bloodiest. It is a play saturated with cruelty, revenge, and betrayal. The plot of the play is driven by various instances of revenge between the characters with the body count rising as the play draws toward its closure. The blood-soaked tragedy is more than merely a simple revenge tale. The political and social dynamics of the main characters provide serious intrigue and complexity. Titus, a highly respected roman general, and his family are members of Roman high society and, as Roman citizens; they stand as the pinnacle of civilization in the ancient world. On the other side, Tamora and her cohorts are Goths, a Germanic tribe existing on the northern borders of the Roman Empire. As they are not Romans, they are considered by the Romans to be barbarians. The lines are drawn between the two worlds, but these lines between the civilized and barbarous world fade as the cycle of revenge head towards the bloody finale. In Titus Andronicus, the motifs of revenge and barbarity oppose those of mercy and civility. After many murders, rape, and betrayal, it looks as if order is at last restored to Rome. The play ends with Lucius, Titus’s son, as the emperor preparing to lead the way for a new Rome. However, for this new Rome, its foundations are made of revenge and murder. Titus Andronicus questions the idea of what is civilized and barbarous and, in doing this, comes to imply that a state built on barbarous terms has a very uncertain future.

The conflict between civilized life and barbaric life is prevalent in Titus Andronicus. The difference between the Roman way of life and the Gothic way of life is established early on. Titus’s brother Marcus explains that the Romans stand against the Goths as an example of civility: “Thou art a Roman, be not barbarous” (1.1.378). To be “Roman” is to be an upstanding member of society. The word “Roman” is used as a synonym for “civilized.” The Roman Empire has the stability, the structure, and the order that the Goths lack. Roman civilization is more established, and they view themselves superior to the Goths, who are more nomadic, because of this. As the play moves forward, the civility of Rome is questioned by the horrible events that are unfolding. The cycle of revenge eats away at Rome. Rome is suffering and is becoming more and more barbarous: “Rome is but a wilderness of tigers” (3.1.54), says Titus. Rome’s instability and decline in stature is because of the barbarity in the hearts of its leaders. It is losing its civil nature.

The barbarous nature of the characters is manifested in their lust for revenge. Aaron is a character who stands out in his drive for revenge. Though Aaron is a Moor instead of a Goth, he is still not a Roman, and this makes him a barbarian in the eyes of the Roman characters. His vow of revenge sums up the attitude of the entire play: “Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand, / Blood and revenge are hammering in my head” (2.2.38-39). They very thing that keeps him alive is consumed by revenge. It is like a psychological disease or sickness that can be cured only the physical act. The barbarian blood lust is not a characteristic that is solely the realm of the non-Roman characters. Even the civilized Romans echo the call from revenge that their barbarous enemies vowed for from the beginning: “Mortal revenge against these traitorous Goths, / And see their blood or die with their reproach” (4.1.93-94). As both sides call for each other’s blood, the distinction between civilized and barbarous is no longer so apparent. The line is successfully blurred by the time Titus Andronicus reaches its violent conclusion.

With the orders of Lucius to bury Aaron and to leave Tamora’s corpse to the beasts, it appears Rome is ready to move into a new age. The troubles that plagued the older generation have been resolved, and Lucius is to be the new merciful leader who will embody the true ideal of Roman civilization over the allure of barbarity. Or is that merely how it seems to be? The future of Rome is very uncertain. The Goths entered into the Roman political realm at a time when Rome was on the decline. The pinnacle of civilization had already reached its zenith. Also, Lucius’s ascent to power does not happen under the best of circumstances. The rightful heirs had to be killed off first and ascending under such violent terms does not bode well for the future. Titus Andronicus ends with Rome in an undesirable position for future greatness. The position that Lucius finds himself is a familiar one. The world is no stranger to violent revolutions and power shifts, and Lucius finds himself taking over after a brutal regime change, much like the events of the Russian Revolution and the fate of the Romanovs, the royal family. Nicholas II, his wife, their children, and a few servants were executed without a trail and buried in a pit. Then the Bolsheviks took over power in Russia. The Soviet Union was formed, and more purges and political oppression continued throughout the U.S.S.R. until its collapse. The success of attempts to change and to revolutionize society varies greatly throughout history, and, often times, even power shifts that are considered to be “successful” end in tragedy.